Views from the Choir Loft

Summer Sacred Music Workshop 2018

Andrew Leung · May 31, 2018

OUR YEARS AGO, I had the privilege of joining with a group of church music directors in the South and planned the first Summer Sacred Music Workshop for musicians from the Southeastern region of the country. Four years later, this workshop has been continued annually and will happen again this summer in Charlotte, NC. Bridget Scott, a dear friend of mine who planned the very first Workshop and founded the Southeastern Sacred Music (a chapter of the Church Music Association of America), will again lead a team of presenters in this year’s workshop.

This year’s workshop will be hosted by the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Charlotte. The Summer Sacred Music Workshop will be held on July 27-28. This is the furthest north the group have been since its founding in 2015, and they are hoping to attract new participants (music directors, singers, organists, and clergy) from the area.

The annual workshop will explore on a variety of topics, with main focuses on Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony. The 2-days workshop include a Sung Vespers on Friday evening and a Mass celebrated by His Excellency Bishop Peter J. Jugis of the Diocese of Charlotte. The workshop attendees will have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in these two liturgies. During the break-outs, participants may choose to attend sessions on the following topics:

• Establishing Children’s Choirs – Training up Our Youth in the Catholic Tradition

• Composing Spanish Propers

• Do Amazing Things with a Small Parish Choir – How to get the Most out of your Singers?

• Organ Master Class on Service Playing and other Organ Literature

• Individual Voice Lessons

You can visit the website of the Southeastern Sacred Music for registration; and to find out more about the Summer Sacred Music Workshop 2018 and its presenters. The registration fee is $75 and it covers all materials as well as a light breakfast and lunch on Saturday.

This is a GREAT opportunity to learn more about the music of the Catholic Church. You will also have the chance to meet some phenomenal church musicians who share the same passion as you! DON’T MISS IT!!!

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).

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—Jeff Ostrowski

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)

With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Pius XII Hymnal?

Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Hybrid” Chant Notation?

Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Antiphons Don’t Match?

A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).

—Corpus Christi Watershed