• 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

“The Memory Will Stay With Me Forever.” —Helen Tsang, who flew 7,797 miles

Corpus Christi Watershed · August 8, 2022

M The following email was sent to us by
M Helen Tsang, who flew from New Zealand
M to participate in Symposium 2022:

HE MEMORY WILL STAY WITH ME FOREVER. This was my first time to attend the Sacred Music Symposium (and quite possibly my last, considering I have to fly 7,797 miles to attend). The highlight of the Symposium was singing solemn Vespers each evening. Vespers was crafted and conducted masterfully. We chanted each of the psalms in monastic style, alternating the verses between the two sides of the choir. We were taught to take a brief but intentional pause within each line, letting our voices echo and fade away before we took another breath to continue. This small instruction created an atmosphere that was pure and very still, as though we were suspending our words over a timeless silence. Then, emerging from this contemplative space, we erupted into a triumphant polyphonic MAGNIFICAT by Father Francisco Guerrero (d. 1599). I experienced an almost visceral thrill as I added my voice to a hundred others. Holy Church is alive, and surging in ever-youthful praise!

Scholarly Yet Amusing • The bulk of each day was dedicated to talks, workshops, and rehearsals. We learned all sorts, from conducting, to organ playing, to choir recruitment. I’ve come home with many pages of notes and practical advice to take back to my choir. We also enjoyed a fascinating series of talks on Gregorian chant, best described as “more chant theory than you ever thought you would learn, and now you shall muse over tiny differences in chant markings.” (The talks were both scholarly and amusing—a great way to round off each evening.)

I Saw True Humility • But what I loved even more than the singing, workshops, and talks, was the humble zeal of the people I met: the presenters, organisers, and attendees. Though each presenter was an expert in their field, they never placed themselves or their musicianship on centre stage. Constantly they turned our attention to the true purpose of our music: divine worship. It was quite breathtaking to me that, in a room full of singers, conductors, and composers—many of them professionals—I never felt that we were “here for the music.” Instead, I heard: we are firstly not musicians, but servants of the Most High God; our music is not our own glory, but our sacrifice of praise.

Father Fryar Set The Tone • This tone was set by Fr James Fryar, FSSP, in his keynote speech. He called us not only to prepare dignified and fitting music, but also to comport ourselves fittingly at all times, so that our music is made more holy by the holiness of our living. Each day began with Mass, ended with Vespers, and we were recollected in prayer before the beginning of the talks. We were also greatly blessed in that the church hosting the Symposium had a perpetual Adoration chapel—and I noticed various Symposium attendees visiting the chapel throughout the week.

Mr. Clark Said It Best • If I had to sum up the Symposium in a nutshell, I can do no better than quote Richard Clark: “The church musician’s work is evangelisation. The light of God should shine through our music. We will affect people’s lives in ways we will never know.” Thank you to everyone who offered their time, money and talent to the once-in-a-lifetime experience that was the Sacred Music Symposium. You’ve given us a week that was informative, inspirational, fun, and holy.

Some photographs I took at this conference:

50302-Helen-Photograph-Symposium-7
50302-Helen-Photograph-Symposium-2-sm
50302-Helen-Photograph-Symposium-6
50302-Helen-Photograph-Symposium-5
50302-Helen-Photograph-Symposium-4
50302-Helen-Photograph-Symposium-1-sm

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: Sacred Music Symposium 2022 Last Updated: August 8, 2022

Subscribe

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

* indicates required

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    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
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Young people have entrusted me with their absolute preference for the Extraordinary Form… […] But, above all, how can we understand—how can we not be surprised and deeply shocked—that what was the rule yesterday is prohibited today? Is it not true that prohibiting or suspecting the Extraordinary Form can only be inspired by the demon who desires our suffocation and spiritual death?”

— Cardinal Sarah to Edward Pentin (23 September 2019)

Recent Posts

  • Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
  • PDF Download • Belgian Book of Gregorian Accompaniments (Official Edition)
  • Don’t You Agree About These?
  • Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
  • Crucial Tip For Choir Directors

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.