Benedict Sheehan is a composer, arranger, and conductor working out of the sacred choral tradition of Eastern Orthodoxy. He is Director of Music at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and Monastery, and Artistic Director of the Chamber Choir of St. Tikhon’s Monastery, a professional vocal ensemble. He also guest conducts Cappella Romana, a Portland-based ensemble known for its exploration of the music of the Eastern Christian world. His music delves into the relationship between language, prayer, and chant, and is deeply influenced by the tradition of harmonized chant in Russia in the 19th and 20th centuries. While many of his compositions grow out of the Orthodox milieu in which he was raised and in which he works, his interests are diverse, ranging from medieval European polyphony and early American psalm singing to Chinese and Indian classical music and the work of contemporary microtonal composers. His musical education includes a Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from Westminster Choir College, studying under Joel Phillips, and a Master of Music from Bard College, where he studied Conducting with James Bagwell and Composition with Kyle Gann. His pieces are published by Musica Russica and MusicSpoke. He and his wife, vocalist and music educator Talia Maria Sheehan, live in Pennsylvania with their seven daughters.
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