The Beatitudes are eight blessings sung as part of the Divine Liturgy in Slavic Orthodox practice. They are meant to inspire the listeners to the ideals of mercy, spirituality, and compassion. This song was created by Russian composer Vladimir Martynov in 1998, from the repertoire of the Sirin Ensemble, and was arranged for treble voices by Caitlin Tabancay Austin.

KITKA is a women-only vocal arts ensemble inspired by traditional songs and vocal techniques from Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Founded in 1979, Oakland, CA-based Kitka’s passion for unusual harmonies and the power of women voices is simply inspiring and contagious.

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