Faculty & Staff

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Mr Basilios Psilacos

Associate Lecturer in Worship and Liturgy, and Instructor in Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music

Mr Basilios Psilacos [Faculty & Staff > Full Time Faculty > Mr Basilios Psilacos]

Qualifications

  • MCh (Macquarie 2010)

  • BChSc (Macquarie 2008)

  • MTh(Hons) (Aristotle University Thessaloniki 2000)

  • DipByzMusic (Thessaloniki 1998)

  • BByzMusic (Thessaloniki 1996)

  • BTh (SCD1994)

Employment Status

  • Full Time

Subject Area

  • Worship, Liturgical Studies, and Byzantine Music

After completing his Bachelor of Theology at St Andrew's in 1993, Basilios Psilacos continued his studies at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), from 1995-2000, where he received his Masters of Theology (Hons). The topic of his master’s dissertation was: “Τό Ασματικό Τυπικό στη μουσική χειρόγραφη παράδοση” (The Asmatic Ordo in the musical manuscript tradition), under the supervision of the late Liturgics Professor Ioannis Foundoulis. Whilst in Thessaloniki, he also successfully completed a Bachelor of Byzantine Music at the School of Byzantine Music of the Holy Metropolis of Thessaloniki, and a Graduate Diploma of Byzantine Music at the Musical Conservatorium AMO ‘The Galaxy’.

His interest in the art of Byzantine Music began from an early age. His first Byzantine Music Teacher was Archon Protopsaltis Mr Ilias Fraggoulis (Adelaide). Whilst undertaking his undergraduate studies in Sydney, he was further immersed in the art of Byzantine music by the late Archon Protopsaltis Mr Antonios Aristodemou (+2000). In Thessaloniki, his teacher was the late Archon Music Teacher and Protopsaltis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Mr Demetrios Sourlantzis (+2006). While in Thessaloniki, he also took part in various Byzantine music choirs (Ioannis Damaskinos, Ioannis Koukouzelis, Aristotle University Byzantine Choir), and chanted for the liturgical services at the Holy Monastery of Vlatathon with the Professor of Byzantine music Mr Antonios Alygizakis. Basilios Psilacos started teaching Byzantine music in 2001, after his return to Australia. He is now the Protopsaltis at the Parish of the Resurrection of our Lord, Kogarah, Sydney.

With a keen interest also in the health sciences, he successfully completed the requirements of the Doctor of Chiropractic degree at Macquarie University, Sydney, graduating in 2010.

Publications

Books

Book Review in Refereed Journal

  • John Chryssavgis, Creation as Sacrament: Reflections on Ecology and Spirituality. London: T&T Clark, 2019. ISBN 9780567680709 (pbk.). pp. xii + 220. In Phronema 36:1 (2021).

Byzantine Music Scores (Unpublished)

  • Προοίμιον Κοντακίου Αγίου Ρωμανού Μελωδού είς τόν Πλούσιον καί Λάζαρον [Greek]

  • Byzantine Divine Liturgy (2021) [BILINGUAL: Greek-English]

  • Byzantine Divine Liturgy (2010) [ENGLISH]

  • Canon for Holy Communion [GREEK]

  • Great Compline [BILINGUAL: Greek-English]

Participation in Church, Government and Industry Bodies

  • Principal of the NSW Branch of the Byzantine Music School of Australia (2020-current).

  • Teaching Byzantine Music for Children at the Cathedral, Redfern NSW (2024–current).

  • Teaching Byzantine Music at the Primary School of St Spyridon College, Kingsford NSW (2011-2020).

Protopsaltis at:

  • Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, Redfern (2021-current).

  • Parish of the Resurrection of Our Lord, Kogarah (2014-2020)

  • Parish of St Andrew's, Gladesville (2005-2011)

Conferences Attended

  • SAGOTC Professional Development Day: On Assessment Items for Learners AND Teachers, SAGOTC Campus, Redfern, NSW 20 February, 2025.

  • GO Youth CHORA, 2024 Youth Conference: Ready for the Future, Axion Esti, Northcote, VIC 16-18 August, 2024.

  • SAGOTC Professional Development Day: On Academic Integrity, SAGOTC Campus, Redfern, NSW 15 & 22 February, 2024.

  • SAGOTC-SCD Professional Development Day: On Artificial Intelligence, SAGOTC Campus, Redfern, NSW 17 October, 2023.

  • The 12th Clergy-Laity Conference of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. Sydney, 24-27 September, 2023.

Occasional Lectures & Activities

  • Byzantine Chanting Workshop, organised by SOFIA UTS Orthodox Christian Fellowship, at the University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 5 September, 2025.

  • Melisma Ensemble Choral participation at the Melkite Event for their 130th Anniversary in Australia, Sailing to Byzantium: Empire, Art and Music, St Michael's Melkite Cathedral, Darlington, NSW, 19 October 2024.

  • Co-conductor of the choir for the Reception of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Parish & Community of the Resurrection of Our Lord, Kogarah NSW, 9 October, 2024.

  • Coordinator and Conductor of the Choir for the Divine Liturgy Officiated by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney Theatre, 6 October, 2024.

  • Coordinator and Conductor of the Choir for the Conferral of an Honorary Ecclesiastical Doctorate of Sacred Theology to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Seymour Centre, Chippendale, NSW, 5 October, 2024.

Graphic Layout & Production Designer

  • St Andrew's Orthodox Press

  • Phronema (Journal), Sydney: St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College.