• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

“If we do not love those whom we see, how can we love God, Whom we do not see?” Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

  • Our Team
    • Views from the Choir Loft • “Our Team”
    • Our Editorial Policy
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Saint Antoine Daniel KYRIALE
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Guillaume Couture Gregorian Chant
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Mass in Honor of Saint Noël Chabanel
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

St. Paul’s Choir School, Harvard Square | A Unique Catholic Education

Richard J. Clark · June 21, 2013

OHN ROBINSON, Director of Music at St. Paul’s Church, Harvard Square, leads the only Roman Catholic boys’ choir school in the United States, founded in 1963 by Dr. Theodore Marier. Formerly known as the “Boston Archdiocesan Choir School” this veritable institution recently reclaimed its original name, the “St. Paul’s Choir School, Harvard Square.” Learn more about the school here.

The St. Paul Choir School is now looking for talented third grade boys to apply and audition for entry in September of 2013.

PDF • Download information here!

• Videos here are from a recent performance at St. Cecilia Church, Boston

The boys receive their formal education from grades 4-8. They sing at daily mass, Sunday liturgies, as well as concerts and special events. In service of the liturgies, the choir of boys and men (known as “The Choir of St. Paul’s, Harvard Square”) perform music ranging from Gregorian Chant to Modern and contemporary repertoire. As John Robinson states, “The daily round of sung liturgy provides the perfect training ground for young singers.”

Having just completed his third year at St. Paul’s, John Robinson describes the choir as “very much a work in progress.” A very modest and unassuming man, his aim is high. He looks at his time at St. Paul’s as a long-term ministry, building upon the past and moving forward. From his vision of developing a cultured sound of the choir to improving and maximizing the liturgical space and its pipe organs, Mr. Robinson moves and thinks on many levels, all for the betterment of the boys’ education and the Church’s liturgical life.

Despite his young age, Mr. Robinson brings an extraordinary body of experience from his work education in England. A chorister and pupil of Dr. Roy Massey at Hereford Cathedral, John was also Organ Scholar at Canterbury Cathedral and then at St. John’s College Cambridge where he accompanied this world-famous choir on tours, recordings, and broadcasts. (Read his entire bio here.)

N ANOTHER NOTE, Mr. Robinson has inherited the unenviable task of holding in his hands the legacy of Dr. Marier. The new English translation of the Roman Missal presented immediate challenges, requiring his studied revision of Dr. Marier’s mass settings, while remaining as true to them as possible. (The decision could have been made to do away with them completely, but such is the importance of Dr. Marier’s groundbreaking works.) Furthermore, there is the ongoing question of if and what to do about the landmark St. Paul’s Hymnal, “Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Canticles.” (1972, 1974) A wonderful resource, but long out of date in so many respects, a new edition of the hymnal has been desired and discussed for well over a decade. It presents a daunting challenge.

John Robinson’s view on this, from what I can gather, is a carefully studied and musicological approach. Hymn selections and harmonizations certainly need to be reevaluated. The best of Dr. Marier’s works will clearly live on. (I suspect, if reissued, a new “St. Paul’s Hymnal” will look a great deal differently than the first edition. After nearly forty years, it must!)

Yet, this is a new age and a new time. John Robinson brings a new world of ideas and energy. It perhaps has shaken up this New England institution: the renewed energy from this choir is evident after three short years under his direction. Its sound has greatly evolved during this time. The choice of John Robinson as director was clearly a non-provincial choice—an esteemed New England institution looking for renewal and for a new direction.

So, as the St. Paul Choir returns to the original name of its founder, Dr. Theodore Marier, it brings one to ponder: Why did Dr. Marier found the choir school in the first place? Certainly, it was first and foremost for the education of the children and, the choir itself, for glory of God alone. That he persisted and adapted—that the school thrived during the post-Vatican II years, and enjoyed unparalleled continuity through John Dunn’s extraordinary direction, is a testament to Dr. Marier’s energetic vision. (This continuity cannot be undervalued!) Dr. Marier would be the first to point out that the Church’s treasury of sacred music is exceedingly vast and far greater than any one man. Yet, we continue to harvest the seed Dr. Marier planted.

However, over fifty years later, that it still remains the only Roman Catholic boy’s choir school in the United States (and that it is only one of two R.C. choir schools in the country) would perhaps be unfortunate in Dr. Marier’s view. I am sure he would want many more institutions like this in the United States. Gregory Glenn, director of the extraordinary Madeleine Choir School cried out at the 2012 CMAA Sacred Music Colloquium, “We need more institutions!” And such institutions need concrete support and vision!

Meanwhile, if your child is a talented third grader in New England, please consider this wonderful school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is an extraordinarily unique Catholic education not to be taken for granted. The St. Paul Choir School, grounded in Roman Catholic tradition, while staring the future directly in the eye, appears only to be looking up.

Soli Deo Gloria!

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Schola Director Posts ‘Live’ Recording
    As I explained in my article posted earlier today, Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland is actually a Catholic tune (in spite of what some have claimed). The volunteer choir I direct sang that beautiful ADVENT melody last Sunday, and I invite you to listen to the live recording. It will get better the more we sing it.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Message from the Vice-President!
    The Vice-President of the Church Music Association of America, Dr. Horst Buchholz (who also serves as Director of Sacred Music for the Archdiocese of Detroit) sent us an email yesterday regarding the harmonizations (PDF) I composed for the Gregorian Chant psalm tones. Dr. Buchholz says: “Those settings are absolutely exquisite, as I'm used to when it comes from you. Bravo! Well done! Now, as a sequel, if you could write something for accompanying psalms in English that would be awesome.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Requesting Our Advent Eucharistic Hymn
    A young lady named Agnes wrote to us: “Dear Mr. Ostrowski, do you have the PDF score for Ave Corpus Domini set to the ADVENT melody? Last year, we sang the hymn tune “Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland” quite a bit using your contrafactum technique. My choir appreciates the Latin hymns and practice videos, especially in the ADVENT and CHRISTMAS seasons. Your recent article on Gregorian Psalm Tones is a great help to my organist brother, and reminds us of attending VESPERS years ago when we lived in California. Thank you so much for all the effort put into providing these wonderful resources!”   Agnes, if you are listening! Yes, the PDF file you desire can be downloaded for free at the Brébeuf Portal via this URL link. Thanks for writing to us!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“I prefer to say nothing, or very little, about the new calendar, the handiwork of a trio of maniacs who suppressed—with no good reason—Septuagesima and the Octave of Pentecost and who scattered three quarters of the Saints higgledy-piddledy, all based on notions of their own devising!”

— ‘Fr. Bouyer, Consilium member appointed by Pope Paul VI’

Recent Posts

  • What Ever Happened to Advent?
  • An Important Anniversary
  • (Advent, 2nd Sunday) • Introit “Pópulus Sion” Sung According to the Official Rhythm
  • Schola Director Posts ‘Live’ Recording
  • PDF Download • “Lo! He comes with clouds descending” (Advent Hymn) — A Catholic Version!

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2023 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.