R. PATRICK Fiorillo, Parochial Vicar and Undergraduate Chaplain at Saint Paul’s Parish in Harvard Square interviews Maestro James Kennerley, Director of Music of the Saint Paul’s Choir School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Kennerley is an internationally acclaimed conductor, organist, and composer.
Listen here:
IKE MANY CATHOLIC Schools in the Archdiocese of Boston, Saint Paul’s Choir School has offered in-person instruction five days a week since September of 2020. But exceedingly rare: St. Paul’s has been one of the few choirs in the world singing during the pandemic. They have done so safely with countless precautions while maintaining the highest standards in sacred music.
Fr. Fiorillo and Maestro Kennerley cover a breathtaking range of enlightened topics. These include the role of beauty and goodness in expressing truth, the influence of the Church in art and music, and the Church’s treasury of sacred music. Kennerley underscores the myriad salutary benefits of music education for children and that of a community that sings together.
Fr. Fiorillo’s knowledge and appreciation for sacred music in the liturgy shines in his questions. (He also holds the rare distinction of having a hymn tune named in his honor in The Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal!)
This interview begs for follow-up conversations! To follow Fr. Fiorillo’s podcast “The Harvard Catholic” click here.
