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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Biography • Daniel Tucker

Daniel Tucker · May 2, 2020

ANIEL TUCKER is a Catholic church musician with more than a decade of experience as a professional conductor, organist, and singer. He currently serves as the Director of Sacred Music & Liturgy at St. Thérèse Little Flower Catholic Church in South Bend, IN.

After being raised in northeast Ohio, he earned Bachelor’s degrees in choral music education and comparative religion from Western Michigan University, where he also studied piano, organ, and harpsichord. Upon graduating, he was awarded Western Michigan University’s Presidential Scholar Award, the highest honor that the university can bestow on an undergraduate, for his work in comparative religion.

*  DANIEL TUCKER • Publicity Photo (2019)

Mr. Tucker went on to Yale University, from which he graduated in May 2020 with a Master’s degree in choral conducting and a certificate from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. He was the first choral conductor in the history of the Yale School of Music to be honored with the Presser Foundation’s Graduate Music Award. While at Yale, he served as an assistant choirmaster, organist, and cantor at St. Ambrose (North Branford, CT) and St. Mary (New Haven, CT) parishes, where he instructed youth and adult choirs in English and Latin plainchant and polyphony for the Ordinary Form of the Mass.

Mr. Tucker’s scholarly interest focuses on the utilization of chant in modern American Catholic liturgy. He is proud to be an active member of the Church Music Association of America, the American Guild of Organists (from whom he holds the Certificate in Service Playing), and the American Choral Directors Association. Outside of his musical pursuits, Mr. Tucker enjoys learning about church architecture and computer science.

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

Filed Under: Biographies Last Updated: February 13, 2022

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About Daniel Tucker

Daniel Tucker is the Director of Sacred Music & Liturgy at St. Thérèse Little Flower Catholic Church in South Bend, IN. He holds degrees in music and religion from Western Michigan University and Yale University.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

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

Random Quote

“To treat harmony and rhythm in this matter was a difficult matter. Facing numerous problems both large and small—that arose constantly—we understood that a flawless harmonization of Gregorian chant cannot be created by improvisation, no matter the competence and ability of the organist or harmonist.”

— ‘Mons. Jules Van Nuffel, NOH Preface’

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