Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • Symposium Booklet (159 pages)

Jeff Ostrowski · June 12, 2019

HE SYMPOSIUM BOOKLET will be given to each participant in a beautiful hard-bound version. (It will also contain additional items not provided in the DRAFT COPY below.) This is done each year, and the folks seem to appreciate it. This booklet is probably unlike anything you’ve seen before. That’s because it’s a “teaching” booklet. In other words, the entire thing is designed to give choirmasters helpful tips and intriguing ideas; and we talk about all the information contained in this (somewhat bizarre) packet, which is made completely from scratch each year. We delve into each page, explaining different approaches.

Feel free to download this very large (170MB) draft copy. I am sure there are plenty of errors hidden in these pages:

* * PDF Download • Draft Booklet (159 pages)

Update: The completed file (not the Draft File above) came to 238 pages, and we corrected many errors! Thank you!

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

About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

List • Responses by each bishop!

This incredible website gives each bishop’s response to the recent MOTU PROPRIO Traditionis Custodes, a decree by Pope Francis which seeks to reduce the number of celebrations of the “Extraordinary Form” (Traditional Latin Mass): traditioniscustodes.info

—Jeff Ostrowski

Tomorrow is Sunday…

When you were in school, you would have gotten in trouble if you wrote the Roman Numeral “9” as viiii. You were supposed to write: IX. But look how an ancient manuscript writes “9” as a Roman Numeral. That’s the Introit Ecce Deus for tomorrow’s feast in the Extraordinary Form: The 9th Sunday after Pentecost.

—Jeff Ostrowski

24 July 2021 • “Two Teams”

Anyone familiar with the so-called “Traditionalist Catholic” movement knows that (like every other group) it contains some bad apples. Anyone can self-identify as a “Traditionalist Catholic”—even those who are mentally ill, those who beat their wives, and even folks who are emotionally disturbed. All of us know TLM Catholics who are so arrogant they make Narcissus look like the most humble guy who ever lived. However, I believe Traditionis Custodes will exacerbate the situation. Under B16, we were “all on the same team.” But this new decree by Pope Francis makes it seem like there are two opposing “teams” in the Church.

—Jeff Ostrowski