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Views from the Choir Loft

From the NPM Convention in Washington, DC

Andrew R. Motyka · July 31, 2013

HIS WEEK, I’m blogging from the NPM Convention in Washington, DC. This is the first convention I’ve attended since 2007.

In the liturgical-music circles I typically frequent, NPM (the National Association of Pastoral Musicians) is seen as something of a lost cause. I’ll admit that as recently as a few years ago, I thought so, too. My experience at the national convention went something like this:

Listen to the opening address, which is guaranteed to be a misunderstood and tedious hammering of the principle of “active participation.” Attend a few breakouts, where I either learn a little bit, disagree with the presenter entirely, or patiently wait until they stop hocking their own products. Skip the industry showcases, because 19 out of 20 free pieces they hand you will never be of use (go anyway, and take the free music. They want to give it to you. Then just leave). Get frustrated.

That, at least was my previous experience. Maybe I’ve grown up, or maybe something has changed. Maybe a little of both. To be sure, this convention is still loaded with sponsorship from the publishers, and everyone is still trying to sell you something. However, there is a different feel. People are starting to become aware of the propers. In my opinion, the new translation of the Missal has caused people to take a closer look at the actual texts of the Mass, and try their best to incorporate it.

There is still a long way to go. There is much resistance and the status quo is still the status quo. But something is different. There is movement, and I think it has to happen from within the organization instead of taking shots from without. People are willing to learn, and they are starting to discover exactly what we’ve lost over the course of 50 years. That’s been my experience from my conversations this year.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Andrew R. Motyka

Andrew Motyka is the Archdiocesan Director of Liturgical Music and Cathedral Music for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.—(Read full biography).

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    Vespers Booklet (4th Sunday of Lent)
    The organ accompaniment booklet (24 pages) which I created for the 4th Sunday of Lent (“Lætare Sunday”) may now be downloaded, for those who desire such a thing.
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    Vespers Booklet, 3rd Sunday of Lent
    The organ accompaniment I created for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (“Extraordinary Form”) may now be downloaded, if anyone is interested in this.
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    Weeping For Joy! (We Hope!)
    Listening to this Easter Alleluia—an SATB arrangement I made twenty years ago based on the work of Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel—one of our readers left this comment: “I get tears in my eyes each time I sing to this hymn.” I hope this person is weeping for joy!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

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— A work by Fr. Husenbeth (d. 1872)

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