Views from the Choir Loft

Sacred Music Symposium (2018)

Corpus Christi Watershed · June 3, 2018

HE SUCCESS of the Symposium has exceeded anything its founders could have hoped for. With great excitement and gratitude to God, we announce our third annual event, designed especially for (but certainly not limited to) choir directors. ¹

* * PDF Download • Testimonials from 2017|
* * PDF Download • OFFICIAL SCHEDULE for 2018

Read about what happened in 2018, and watch videos!

Not to be missed is marker 59:47 of the final Mass.

Each year we retain familiar faces while adding fresh faculty and events:

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Full Resolution Poster : (PNG) • (PDF)

Excited about this 2018 event?

To receive your application, kindly email dom.mocquereau@gmail.com before the 31 March deadline. Space is limited. Thanks to a generous grant, the conference fee is just $85.00—in addition to the mandatory application fee. Purchasing the meal plan ($145) is recommended, so that you can enjoy a week of catered meals. During the same week, at the same location, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter will be conducting an Altar Server training camp and private instruction for priests. (Information on these will be released soon.)

From the 2016 Symposium :

2016 • TESTIMONIALS from 2016|
2016 • REHEARSAL the first day|
2016 • REHEARSAL in the Church|
2016 • FINAL CEREMONY with Archbishop Gomez|
2016 • VIDEO PRESENATION explaining the goals

From the 2017 Symposium :

2017 • SLIDE SHOW|
2017 • REHEARSAL FOOTAGE|
2017 • ALLELUIA & IMPROVISATION|
2017 • HOSANNA “Live”

90283 • Los Angeles • Sacred Music Symposium 2017

90282 • Los Angeles • Sacred Music Symposium 2017

90281 • Los Angeles • Sacred Music Symposium 2017

Examples of faculty in past years: Dr. Alfred Calabrese, Dr. Lucas Tappan, Pete Avendaño, and Dr. Meaghan King.

All Symposium events will take place at St. Therese in Alhambra (1100 E Alhambra Rd, Alhambra, CA 91801) with its magnificent organ.

NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1 Those who aren’t professional musicians (but love singing) will take delight in learning from friendly conductors who are the world’s experts. Don’t let fear prevent you from attending!

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

PDF • “Music List” (Sunday, 28 December)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, & Joseph (28 Dec. 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The FAUXBOURDON verses for the Communion Antiphon are particularly gorgeous. 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” (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 Download • “In Paradisum” in English

We always sing the IN PARADISUM in Latin, as printed on this PDF score. I have an appallingly bad memory (meaning I’d be a horrible witness in court). In any event, it’s been brought to my attention that 15 years ago I created this organ accompaniment for the famous and beautiful ‘IN PARADISUM’ Gregorian chant sung in English according to ‘MR3’ (Roman Missal, Third Edition). If anyone desires such a thing, feel free to download and print. Looking back, I wish I’d brought the TENOR and BASS voices into a unison (on B-Natural) for the word “welcome” on the second line.

—Jeff Ostrowski

What does this mean? “Pre-Urbanite”

Something informed critics have frequently praised vis-à-vis the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal is 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

“I am now old but I was young when I was received into the Church. I was not at all attracted by the splendour of her great ceremonies—which the Protestants could well counterfeit. Of the extraneous attractions of the Church which most drew me was the spectacle of the priest and his server at Low Mass, stumping up to the altar without a glance to discover how many or how few he had in his congregation; a craftsman and his apprentice; a man with a job which he alone was qualified to do.”

— Evelyn Waugh (7 August 1964)