Views from the Choir Loft

Summer Sacred Music Workshop 2017

Andrew Leung · June 29, 2017

ET EXCITED!!! The third annual Southeastern Summer Sacred Music Workshop is coming up! This year, the 2-day workshop will make its return to the Atlanta area. This is a great opportunity for singers, organists and clergy from the Southeastern United States to experience the traditional music of the Catholic Church.

The Workshop 2017 will be hosted by St. Brigid Catholic Church in beautiful Johns Creek, Georgia, on Friday, July 21, and Saturday, July 22. Johns Creek is a northeastern suburb of Atlanta and it ranked third on the USA TODAY list of “50 best cities to live in”. St. Brigid Parish is the spiritual home of more than 4,000 families and it is also the home of the 37-rank Casavant Frères Opus 3832 organ.

The Southeastern Sacred Music is a chapter of the Church Music Association of America. It serves as a platform for church musicians in the Southeastern region to share resources, thoughts and ideas, and to make connections with each other. The group has also been organizing annual workshops since 2015. Bridget Scott, a founding member of Southeastern Sacred Music, says that she is very excited for the upcoming workshop: “We have folks coming back year after year. I was excited to see names on the registry that also attended the very first workshop.”

As usual, there will be chant groups and polyphony ensembles, in different levels, which the participants may choose to join. There will also be breakout courses on a variety of topics of interest. One of the very special courses this year is the session on Spanish chant offered by Janet Gorbitz. Another interesting session is a presentation on organ improvisation on chant melodies given by Dr. Albert Ahlstrom, who is joining the faculty for the first time. Organists will also have the opportunity to have private lesson with Dr. Ahlstrom, and singers may study with Maria McDaniel Willathgamuwa.

The registration is now opened through July 7. There is a $75 tuition fee which covers the costs of all the materials, dinner on Friday and the luncheon on Saturday. There is a $25 late fee for registrations after July 7. Visit Southeastern Sacred Music’s website to register and for more details and full bios of the faculty members.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

About Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

PDF • “Music List” (Xmas Midnight Mass)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for Christmas Midnight Mass (“Ad Missam In Nocte”). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is simple, but quite beautiful. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (4th Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 21 December 2025, which is the 4th Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is the famous “Roráte Coeli” and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • Our Lady of Guadalupe (12 Dec.)

The Responsorial Psalm may be downloaded as a PDF file (organist & vocalist) for 12 December, which is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When it comes to the formulary for this Mass, it’s astounding how infrequently it’s included in official books. Prior to Vatican II, one had to search through “supplemental material” printed in the back of hand-missals and graduals. But since 1970, the feast is virtually nonexistent. According to the UNIVERSAL KALENDAR, 12 December is the “Feast of Saint Jane Frances De Chantal, Religious” (Die 12 decembris: S. Ioannæ Franciscæ de Chantal, religiosæ). Why should that feast overpower Our Lady of Guadalupe? In the United States, OLG is celebrated—and I’d assume in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Canada—but, as I said, the Propria Missae are virtually impossible to locate. I possess only three books which mention this feast.

—Jeff Ostrowski

What does this mean? “Pre-Urbanite”

One of the things informed critics have frequently praised vis-à-vis the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal has to do with its careful treatment of the ancient hymns vs. the “Urbanite” hymns. This topic I had believed to be fairly well understood—but I was wrong. The reason I thought people knew about it is simple; in the EDITIO VATICANA 1908 Graduale Romanum (as well as the 1913 Liber Antiphonarius) both versions are provided, right next to each other. You can see what I mean by examining this PDF file from the Roman Gradual of 1908. Most people still don’t understand that the Urbanite versions were never adopted by any priests or monks who sang the Divine Office each day. Switching would have required a massive amount of effort and money, because all the books would need to be changed.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Santo Santo Santo”

Those searching for a dignified, brief, simple, bright setting of SANCTUS in Spanish (“Santo Santo Santo”) are invited to download this Setting in honor of Saint John Brébeuf (organist & vocalist). I wonder if there would be any interest in me recording a rehearsal video for this piece.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Leo XIV on Sacred Music

On 5 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV made this declaration with regard to liturgical music.

—Corpus Christi Watershed