OR THOSE of our readers interested in the founding of the Madeleine Choir School and the incredible work Gregory Glenn undertook (and continues still) at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, Transformation of the Cathedral, An Interview with Gregory Glenn is a must read.
One of my favorite quotes from Mr. Glenn (given below) regards the importance of the choir school (in this case: Westminster) in the formation of the liturgical musician. It supports my firmly held belief that people simply cannot learn all they need to know about our craft in a couple of graduate classes. I also feel this is the reason that many church musicians in England don’t matriculate into doctoral programs—they have no need because their formation in the choir school imparted more than a doctoral program could ever give.
“That time for me was invaluable. In fact, I’m always amused: I think I learned more in that two months about some aspects of church music than I did in many of my course in undergraduate and graduate work. That time was a very valuable time. I was able to bring all that back to the founding of the choir school, and also to the pattern of our liturgical music.”
