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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Youth Choristers: Get Them While They’re Young

Patrick Torsell · January 14, 2020

T is an oft-repeated truism that the future is in the hands of the youth. To a group of young people St. John Paul II once said: “The future is in your hearts and in your hands.” And yet the future that the youth will usher in depends in large part upon what we instill in their hearts and place in their hands. Applying this notion to sacred music, it is clear that we should do all that we can to form young people to understand the mens ecclesiae regarding liturgical music, and to fill their ears, hearts, and minds with truly sacred music from a young age. And not just the children with natural musical aptitude!

I’m very blessed to work in a parish where we have made this a priority, and so I shall endeavor to share some of our efforts, successes, and challenges in several blog posts over the coming months. For this post, I’ll just share an overview of our program in its current form, and we can dive into some more details in the future.

In our small Latin Mass community–with an average Sunday Mass attendance of about 475–we have more than 80 students ages 7-18 in our Chorister program. Choristers meet once a week as an extension of our religious education program. Split into five separate classes (more on how we separate them in a future post), Choristers is a combined lecture/practicum program to introduce students to the history, philosophy, theory, and application of sacred music.

Our Choristers are not auditioned, and all students participating in the weekly religious education program also participate in Choristers. Along with their classwork, the Choristers prepare chant, hymns, and simple polyphony to sing for two High Masses per semester. The program has grown tremendously in the past three years (there were about 35 students in 2017/18), and the students genuinely enjoy learning about sacred music. One of the most rewarding things for me as their teacher and director is when, as just recently happened, a parent remarks: “My boy has always been an athlete, a football player. Now I hear him wandering around the house humming Gregorian chants!” Deo gratias! (N.B. I have no bias against athletes; I’ve been a competitive skier in the past. I just love it when others make the epiphanic realization that athleticism and musicianship are not mutually exclusive!)

In future posts about engaging young people in sacred music, I’ll address a few important topics:

  • What sort of curriculum is effective?
  • Why allow non-musically oriented students in the program?
  • What techniques are useful to keep students engaged in lectures and rehearsal?
  • What’s the difference between this sort of Chorister program and a typical youth choir?
  • What kind of external support is required to make a Chorister program successful?

I’m sure other ideas will come to mind. If you have any specific questions you’d like me to address, please feel free to email me.

Stay tuned for more, and may God reward you for your dedication to sacred music!

+JMJ+

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

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Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 15, 2020

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About Patrick Torsell

Patrick Torsell is a staff substitute organist at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver, CO, and associate organist at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (FSSP), Littleton, CO—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The 1960s reformers had no chance of success since their goal was “recasting from top to bottom—and in a few months!—an entire liturgy which had required twenty centuries to develop.”

— Professor Louis Bouyer, close friend of Pope Saint Paul VI

Recent Posts

  • Why A “Fugue” Here?
  • “Three Reasons To Shun Bad Hymns” • Daniel B. Marshall
  • “Puzzling Comment” • By A Respected FSSP Priest
  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)

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