Autumn at the Institute: A Season of Convergence

The state of the sacred arts

Autumn at the Institute: A Season of Convergence

November 2025

Dear Friends of the Sacred Arts,

Our book Rethinking Sacred Arts, which was published this summer, was the subject of my lecture at Harvard University’s Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, titled “Sacred Arts in the Christian Context and in the Marketplace of Ideas.” The response I’ve seen from both the book and the lecture show us that we’re really shaping a field of study—the idea of defining what we mean by “sacred arts” is something new.

Are there boundaries that delineate sacred from secular arts? Can an object be inherently holy, or does sacredness lie in its use? These are the kinds of questions we worked to explore in our first volume. Now work is underway for the continuing development of our next volume, Sacred Arts and Liturgy, co-edited by Rossitza Schroeder and Grant White (the final essays have been submitted!). Here too, the liturgy as a convergence point for artistic media, and the five-sense experience of beauty, has not really been studied.

Alexander Lingas recently completed his fall residency at the Seminary, along the way directing his choral ensemble Cappella Romana during the visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Dr. Lingas once again is leading the best and most trusted ensembles—such as the group that sang at the coronation of King Charles III.

Alexander Lingas Conducting — *Alexander Lingas is Professor of Music and Associate Director of the Institute of Sacred Arts.*

Another highlight this fall was a series of major concerts and events marking the 90th birthday of Arvo Pärt. They culminated in two concerts at Carnegie Hall: the first in the main auditorium, with conductor Paavo Järvi leading the huge orchestra and choir from whisper-quiet to fortissimo passages the audience could feel in their whole body; the second was held in the smaller Zankel Hall, where Tõnu Kaljuste directed the ensembles with striking precision through the subtlest gestures of his hands. I had the joy of writing the official program notes for the first of these concerts (as well as an introduction to Pärt for the October issue of Playbill) and moderating a panel with conductors and composers the next day.

Carnegie Hall Concert — *Paavo Järvi conducts the orchestra at a Carnegie Hall concert honoring Arvo Pärt.*

Panel Discussion — *At the panel discussion following the first concert at Carnegie Hall.*

As autumn turns to winter, it is a joy to look back on a year full of growth, and many moments of convergence between art and the sacred. We look forward to sharing a full review of our activities in 2025 in our annual “State of the Sacred Arts” update!

Please be in touch if you have questions, encouragement, and ideas. You may email us any time at sacredarts@svots.edu.

On behalf of my team,

Peter Bouteneff
Director, Institute of Sacred Arts