• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

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

  • Our Team
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Saint Antoine Daniel KYRIALE
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

“I’ll be back next year … but with my entire choir!”

Jeff Ostrowski · July 8, 2022

M The following email was sent to us by a
M North Carolina choirmaster who attended
M the Symposium. She’s a wife, pediatrician,
M and mother of six children.

HIS WAS MY FIRST TIME attending the Sacred Music Symposium. I was hopeful I’d learn a lot, and that it would be a fruitful experience. The symposium exceeded all of my expectations. As the music director of a small volunteer choir in a diocesan church (which offers the Traditional Latin Mass) I was looking to nurture my conducting and choral skills. I found the break-out sessions extremely helpful in this regard, especially the conducting sessions, they were informative and practical. Many of the talks really delved deeply into the treasures of Sacred music. The speakers had a genuine passion for Sacred music that was refreshing and uplifting. Being able to attend daily Mass and sing Vespers was spiritually uplifting.

I came back to my home parish (and to my choir) and was able to immediately apply several practical tips I learned during the symposium. The choir members were aware that I went to the symposium—and as we were practicing and preparing for Sunday Mass, I shared some treasures that I learned at the symposium. Indeed, I was able to implement many things I had learned at the symposium during the rehearsal that helped myself and the choir. The difference was palpable; our chanting improved as did our polyphony. One of the members of the choir approached me after Holy Mass and said, “that must have been some kind of symposium! You brought us to a new level just today with all you learned and taught us.” Thank you for all of your efforts! I will continue to utilize everything I learned every week as I prepare, practice, and assist at Holy Mass. I will be back … but next time I will (hopefully) have members of my choir accompany me!

*  PDF Download • Participants & Faculty
—Sacred Music Symposium 2022 • “high resolution image.”

M The following email was
M sent to us by a choirmaster
M from Colton, California.

LORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO! Truly the music sung at the Sacred Music Symposium exhibits glory in such a perfect, stately way. The music overflows with glory when it ascends to Christ as the incense rises up to the heavens above. A Sacred Liturgy deserves Sacred Music! And there was so much to be found here at the Sacred Music Symposium—maybe a little too much as I found myself singing 4-6 hours a day! It was exhausting, but also rewarding. It was challenging, yet so profoundly peaceful. There was so much information crammed into our four (4) twelve-hour days together—and it truly felt like no time was wasted.

It was my first time attending the event. The thing I found the most rewarding was the consolation that there are other Catholics like me who are so passionate about Sacred Music in the Liturgy. I recently found myself beginning to despair at my efforts to implement (at a higher standard) Sacred Music in the liturgy. Due to my lack of experience with Gregorian Chant and polyphony, it often seemed a daunting task. The symposium gave me a good indicator that what I was doing was on the right path, and even one of the greatest missions I have as a musician. To restore Sacred Music to the Church will be one of my life’s goals, and attending the symposium reminded me of the value of that mission. Meeting all my fellow Christian brothers and sisters also grounded and supported my psyche. Having the best composers, conductors, directors, and musicians just really shows you what’s possible, and brings new excitement to our work. Every waking minute I found myself soaking in every little technique and note they gave us!

The climax of having solemn high mass on Friday was so powerful, rich and glorious! Everything commingled into a beautiful offering to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, as he gave himself to us in the Eucharist that day. Such profound glory! Such beauty!

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: Alfred Calabrese Conductor, Dom Mocquereau, Sacred Music Symposium 2022 Last Updated: July 8, 2022

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Naturally the accompaniment of the organ is merely tolerated during the office of the dead, but in fact, in nearly every parish this toleration has become a habit.”

— Henri Potiron, 1958

Recent Posts

  • Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
  • Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
  • Apply Right Now! • Sacred Music Symposium
  • Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
  • PDF Download • Belgian Book of Gregorian Accompaniments (Official Edition)

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2023 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.