Views from the Choir Loft

Chant Workshop for Clergy

Andrew Leung · December 31, 2015

AINT AMBROSE SCHOOL OF CHANT is organizing a Music Workshop for Clergy entitled, Finding your Voice: The Role of the Priest and Deacon and How to Sing with Confidence. The workshop will be held at Our Lady of the Mountains Roman Catholic Church in Jasper, GA. The event will be from 10am to 2pm on January 16. The deadline for registration is January 5.

Fr. Charles Byrd and Bridget Scott will serve as the faculty members for this workshop. I have worked with both of them in the past; they both have great visions and knowledge of the Liturgy and Sacred Music. Fr. Byrd is the current pastor of Our Lady of the Mountains. Before that, he has taught in seminaries and served on Diocesan Liturgy Committee. Bridget Scott has been working as music director for many years, and she is currently serving as the music director of Our Lady of the Mountains and the chant instructor at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, GA. Here is how she describe this upcoming workshop:

Singing the dialogue prayers and chants of the Mass can be so intimidating for some priests and deacons that they are reluctant to do so. Others, may find themselves needing a few vocal tips or pointers to make their sung parts a bit more musical and polished. Still others may just desire to become more proficient in singing the Mass by practicing with others. The purpose of this workshop is to help priests and deacons (and deacons-to-be) to feel confident and comfortable chanting the parts of the Mass that are specifically theirs. Singing or chanting the Mass elevates the texts above mere speech and adds to the solemnity and nobility of our worship. It is a worthy endeavor. Please bring a Roman Missal if you have one.

A lot of people are making their new year resolutions right now. Would chanting the Mass be one of those? If you are not a priest, deacon or seminarian, please forward this to your pastors and friends who might find it interesting.

There will be a $25 fee for this workshop that will cover a lunch and the music packet. More information and the registration form can be found on the website of St. Ambrose School of Chant.

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).

Simplified Accompaniment (Easter Hymn)

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—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Quasi Modo Sunday”

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—Jeff Ostrowski

‘German’ Introductions for Hymns

German organ books have an enchanting habit of including introductions for each and every hymn. For example, consider this snazzy example found in a German hymnal published in 1902. In the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal, that melody is called “Laudes Mariae” and was married to Omni Die Dic Mariae, with a popular English translation (“Daily, daily, sing to Mary”) by Father Henry Bittleston, an Oratorian priest. Notice they also added a ‘tailpiece’ or ‘playout’ or postlude at the end—a very German thing to do!

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Anima Christi”

I received a request for an organ accompaniment I created way back in 2007 for the “Anima Christi” Gregorian Chant. You can download this PDF file which has the score in plainsong followed by a keyboard accompaniment. Many melodies have been paired with “Anima Christi” over the centuries, but this is—perhaps—the most common one.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Liturgical Law” (467 Pages)

On Good Friday during the middle ages, the pope privately recited THE ENTIRE PSALTER. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself by reading this passage by Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen (d. 1943). His famous book—called “Liturgical Law: A Handbook Of The Roman Liturgy”—was published by the Benjamin Herder Book Company, which was the American arm (operating out of St. Louis, Missouri) of one of the world’s most significant Catholic publishers. Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen was born in Switzerland but spent his career between the Benedictine monasteries at Conception (Missouri) and Mount Angel (Oregon). His 1931 masterpiece, Liturgical Law can be downloaded as a PDF file … 467 pages!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026

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—Jeff Ostrowski