Views from the Choir Loft

Summer Chant Courses—Dunwoodie

Fr. David Friel · April 1, 2018

WO sacred music courses will be offered this summer at St. Joseph’s Seminary (Dunwoodie) in Yonkers. These offerings are being presented through the St. Cecilia Academy for Pastoral Musicians, an initiative of the Archdiocese of New York (both the liturgy office and the seminary) that was featured on these pages a couple of years ago.

The instructor for these sessions will be Jennifer Donelson, DMA (bio). Dr. Donelson is director of sacred music at Dunwoodie, president of the Society for Catholic Liturgy, and managing editor of the CMAA’s Sacred Music journal.

The two course offering this summer will be:

Principles of Sacred Music — 7 weeks online (June 4-July 22); 2 days on campus (July 23-24)

Principles of Sacred Music — 4 day on campus (July 25-28)

Participants will have the option either to take these courses for credit or to audit them. For the on campus portions, very reasonable room & board is being offered at the seminary.

For more information on these summer courses, see the official flyer.

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

About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.—(Read full biography).

Alabama Assessment!

We received this evaluation of Symposium 2022 from an Alabama participant:

“Oh, how the Symposium echoed the words of Cardinal Merry Del Val: …choosing only what is most conformed to Thy glory, which is my final aim. In one short and fast paced week, the faculty and attendees showed me the hand of God and our Lady working in our lives. The wide range of education—from Gregorian Chant, jazz modes in organ improvisation, to ‘staying sane’ while leading a choir—were certainly first-class knowledge from the best teachers of the art. However, the most powerful lesson was learning how to pray as a choir. The sacrifice of putting songs together, taking time to learn the sacred text, meditating on the church teaching through the chants, and gaining the virtues required to persevere in these duties were not only qualities of a choir but of a saint. The sanctification of the lives of the attendees was a beautiful outcome of this event … and that in itself is worth more than a beautifully-sung Solesmes style chant!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski