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Views from the Choir Loft

Let’s Bring Back the Thank-You Note

Keven Smith · November 16, 2020

’M A LITTLE EARLY for Thanksgiving, but I think any church musician will appreciate this story of gratitude. A couple of weeks ago, I came out of church one evening after playing four or five of our parish’s eight Sunday Masses. When I had arrived in the morning, there was brilliant sunshine, and the parking lot was so full that I had to park along the adjacent block. By now, it was twilight, and the street was quiet. I soaked in the calm.

But as I approached my car, I noticed a paper tucked under the wiper blade. “A ticket?” I thought. “Since when is it illegal to park along a neighborhood street?”

When I got closer, I realized it was a collection envelope from our parish. There was no money in it—there was something even better: a note.

“Kevin THANKS, Great playing! God bless you & family”

I stood there, stunned. Someone had recognized my car, realized how much they appreciated having organ music at Mass (we’re still not allowed to sing), and rooted around for the only piece of paper they could find, which happened to be a collection envelope from six months ago. They then took the time to write me a note.

It’s such a simple thing, but it lifted my spirits for days.

The Unmistakable Power of Committing Words to Paper

I think you’ll agree that we church musicians don’t do what we do for the compliments. There are even times when it can feel embarrassing to be praised extravagantly for merely doing what God gave us the talent to do—especially if we’re fortunate enough to be paid for our efforts (as I am).

But this simple, spontaneous note meant so much to me. I took it home and put it on my desk so that I could see it all day as I work on my computer. It’s still there as I write this article.

Why was this note more meaningful than if the anonymous person had said the same thing to my face? It’s not that spoken words are cheap. But like music, they float away and can never be recreated precisely. By contrast, a written note has staying power. We commit to paper (and not just the screen) words that we hope someone will revisit often. A handwritten letter is an enduring, deeply personal gift.

When my longtime Head Chorister went off to college in August, she wrote me a beautiful, heartfelt note that’s still on my desk. I’ve read it at least 20 times. She’s still with me because I have her words right in front of me. And I made sure to send my written gratitude off with her.

This windshield note now reminds me each day that all my struggles as a beginning organist are worth it—not only because the music at Mass glorifies God but also because my fellow parishioners appreciate it.

How Handwritten Notes Can Help You Build a Choir

The legendary church choir director John Bertalot knew the power of the written note. In his delightful book Immediately Practical Tips for Choral Directors, he explains how he sent handwritten letters to recruit new singers and to thank them for auditioning. He knew that writing a note would demonstrate his seriousness of purpose and distinguish him from the many other people vying for singers’ attention. If writing notes set John Bertalot apart 30 years ago, how much can it set us apart today in the electronic age?

Folks, let’s bring back the thank-you note. There’s nothing quite like a handwritten expression of gratitude to build a relationship. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: gratitude Last Updated: November 24, 2020

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Keven Smith

About Keven Smith

Keven Smith, music director at St. Stephen the First Martyr, lives in Sacramento with his wife and five musical children.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

19 January 2021 • Confusion over feasts

For several months, we have discussed the complicated history of the various Christmas feasts: the Baptism of the Lord, the feast of the Holy Family, the Epiphany, and so forth. During a discussion, someone questioned my assertion that in some places Christmas had been part of the Epiphany. As time went on, of course, the Epiphany came to represent only three “manifestations” (Magi, Cana, Baptism), but this is not something rigid. For example, if you look at this “Capital E” from the feast of the Epiphany circa 1350AD, you can see it portrays not three mysteries but four—including PHAGIPHANIA when Our Lord fed the 5,000. In any event, anyone who wants proof the Epiphany used to include Christmas can read this passage from Dom Prosper Guéranger.

—Jeff Ostrowski
6 January 2021 • Anglicans on Plainsong

A book published by Anglicans in 1965 has this to say about Abbat Pothier’s Editio Vaticana, the musical edition reproduced by books such as the LIBER USUALIS (Solesmes Abbey): “No performing edition of the music of the Eucharistic Psalmody can afford to ignore the evidence of the current official edition of the Latin Graduale, which is no mere reproduction of a local or partial tradition, but a CENTO resulting from an extended study and comparison of a host of manuscripts gathered from many places. Thus the musical text of the Graduale possesses a measure of authority which cannot lightly be disregarded.” They are absolutely correct.

—Jeff Ostrowski
2 January 2021 • Temptation

When I see idiotic statements made on the internet, I go nuts. When I see heretics promoted by people who should know better, I get angry. Learning to ignore such items is difficult—very difficult. I try to remember the words of Fr. Valentine Young: “Do what God places in front of you each day.” When I am honest, I don’t believe God wants me to dwell on errors and idiocy; there’s nothing I can do about that. During 2021, I will strive to do a better job following the advice of Fr. Valentine.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“…it would be a very praiseworthy thing and the correction would be so easy to make that one could accommodate the chant by gradual changes; and through this it would not lose its original form, since it is only through the binding together of many notes put under short syllables that they become long without any good purpose when it would be sufficient to give one note only.”

— Zarlino (1558) anticipating the Medicæa

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