ICHAEL OLBASH holds the rare distinction of being the Director of Music of two seminaries: Saint John’s Seminary, Boston, and Pope Saint John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. He recently joined Dr. Jennifer Pascual, Director of Music for Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, on her program Sounds from the Spires.
Olbash discusses the seminary programs, his background in parishes, his work in the Extraordinary Form, and his love for cultivating children’s choirs. He also discusses the role music plays in the formation of priests while teaching them to sing the Mass.
As conductor, composer, singer, and organist, Olbash is exceedingly humble and self-effacing. As witness to his abilities in settings that involve adults or children, I attest his abilities are exceptional in each of these areas. (DOWNLOAD his Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the Sea here.) Most importantly, he integrates his varied skills to nurture, teach, and bring communities together in order to model the ideal of sacred music. He does so with love and joy.
You can listen to the entire program here including wonderful music from Maestro Olbash (See music list below):
Pascual’s weekly show can be heard on SIRIUSXM 129 Radio, The Catholic Channel, Saturday, 1:00am and 8:00am, Sunday, 12:00am 6:00am and 8:00pm, Thursday, 1:00pm (all Eastern/ New York times)
Music heard in this interview:
1. Hymn: “Come Down, O Love Divine”
Sung at Saint John’s Seminary, Boston
Michael Olbash, conductor
David Hughes, organ
2. Motet: “Ave Verum Corpus” by Mozart
Sung at Saint John’s Seminary, Boston
Immaculate Heart of Mary School Chorus, with string quartet
Michael Olbash, conductor
3. Tract: “Commovisti” Translated and arranged by Fr. Steven Lewis
Sung at Saint John’s Seminary, Boston
Michael Olbash, conductor
4. Organ: Noel X by Daquin (excerpt)
Played at St. John Guardian of Our Lady Church, Clinton MA
Michael Olbash, organ
5. Kyrie: “Mass of St. Philip Neri” by Paul Jernberg
Sung at Saint John’s Seminary, Boston
Saint John’s Seminary Schola
Michael Olbash, conductor
6. Gloria: “Mass in honor of BVM, Star of the Sea” by Michael Olbash
Sung at St. Paul’s, Harvard Sq., Cambridge MA
Blackstone Valley Catholic Youth Choir
Michael Olbash, conductor
John Robinson, organ
7. Organist Eric Anderson demonstrates the Phelps/Casavant organ at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary, Weston MA
8. Kyrie: “Messe basse” by Faure
Sung at St. Paul’s, Harvard Sq., Cambridge MA
Blackstone Valley Catholic Youth Choir
Michael Olbash, conductor
John Robinson, organ
Nicholas Olbash, treble solo
9. Responsorial Psalm: “Ps. 45 – The Queen Stands at Your Right Hand” by Michael Olbash (excerpt)
Sung at St. Joseph’s, Homewood IL
St. Joseph Choir & Orchestra
John Ligda, conductor
Carrie Marcotte, soprano
