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Poignant Testimonies
from last year’s Sacred
Music Symposium:
WANT TO THANK YOU again for the opportunity to take part in the Sacred Music Symposium last summer. I very much appreciated your efforts to put it all together. The experience of the final Mass was profound and I will never forget it. The content of each week’s sessions was relevant and practical for the work of growing sacred music development in our parish. I have found myself in countless situations where something I learned at the Symposium equipped me to assist my choir. Beyond this, one of the beautiful gifts I came away with was a great sense of peace about sacred music and a confidence the Lord will use my efforts for His purpose. Indeed, the experience at Sacred Music Symposium met all my expectations. The entire week was encouraging, practical and inspiring. Eighty (80) voices chanting compline nightly and leading the music at high Mass were profound experiences which, as I say, I will never forget. I want to thank those whose efforts made this week possible. I was incredibly grateful to meet so many beautiful people who sincerely love the work of restoring sacred music in the Church. May the Lord continue to bless you most abundantly. With gratitude, Sandra T.
ERE IS MY evaluation on this year’s incredible Sacred Music Symposium, which I am grateful beyond measure for. The faculty was delightful to work with! I could sense their love of sacred music and the wondrous effort put into working with us. Hard work was put into singing every piece at its best, all the while keeping morale up the entire time. Fr. Fryar’s keynote lecture inspired us to focus on the positive and do God’s Will. Jeff Ostrowki’s seminar taught us crucial techniques for our choirs and beautiful music theory. I was invigorated to focus on polyphony with the motivating Dr. Richard Clark. Gregorian chant sessions with Dr. Charles Weaver deepened our contemplation of the chant. Every day ended with the prayer of Compline, a part of the Divine Office. The first piece we sung together—Kevin Allen’s CONFITEOR—with Corrinne May’s stunning conducting will stay with me forever. Corrinne May managed to get seventy five people from all over the globe to produce heavenly singing, merely four hours after the Symposium began! An unforgettable experience with living composers was singing while Mr. Fritz accompanied his composition Agnus Dei on the pipe organ, and Kevin Allen conducted the piece he wrote: Domine Convértere. Even though the rehearsals lasted a bit longer than scheduled, I didn’t mind, because Dr. Calabrese’s conducting was absolutely astounding, and along the way we learned techniques and exercises which greatly improved our singing. I am deeply grateful to Mrs. Leal for all the work she did to pull this week together, and get everything going smoothly, as well as answering any questions I had. I pray I can attend again next year! —Agnes R.
N BOTH the years 2022 and 2023, I attended the Sacred Music Symposium, which was an immense influence in my choir’s formation. The music theory and techniques you taught during the Symposium, such as CONTRAFACTUM, are invaluable to me. At the 2022 Symposium, Mrs. Leal’s breakout session on children’s choirs proved to be priceless (as a large quantity of my singers are children). When anyone asks where I acquired the strategies and knowledge to begin a choir, I tell them everything comes from the Sacred Music Symposium, Corpus Christi Watershed, and practical experience. Thank you so much for the effort put into providing these resources! Ad Jesum per Mariam, Alyssa G.
REETINGS! I’m finally getting around to writing some of my thoughts on my experience of the symposium. In short, it was absolutely incredible, exciting, and edifying. There isn’t a good spot for me to start writing on why I enjoyed it so much … so I’ll just start! One of the things that really stood out to me is the dedicated individuals I met. In most of my parish life, I don’t encounter other directors and singers who are trying—to the best of their abilities—not only to improve themselves personally through music training offered at the symposium but also spiritually; living their faith and truly striving towards sainthood. It was a breath of fresh air (that I really needed) to see people so dedicated to Christ first and music as well. I really enjoyed the talk given at the beginning of the Symposium by Fr. James Fryar, FSSP. He put so much weight on the importance and role of a Catholic Music Director and it has started to help shape my view and role in music within the Catholic Church. I actually took extensive notes on his talk and sent it to fellow Catholic music directors I know. I feel like I learned the true importance of why we need authentic sacred music in the Catholic Church. I think that this aspect really inspired me the most. I have been wanting to bring back chant and more authentic Catholic music back to my local parish and your Sacred Music Symposium gave me the confidence to speak to our pastor about doing that. I was also surprised with how willing the staff was willing to talk on an individual basis. They were all incredibly welcoming and I didn’t feel stupid even (especially looking back) if it was a more rudimentary question. Kind Regards, Blade B.
Y OVERALL experience at the Sacred Music Symposium was amazing! All of the faculty were excellent. I felt very privileged to learn from incredibly talented and experienced people. The repertoire was wonderful, and I could tell that each piece was carefully selected to make a very fulfilling and spiritual experience for the participants. It was also an amazing experience singing under several different conducting styles which was challenging at times but fun. I learned a lot of techniques to improve my singing and chanting, which I apply when I sing at my home parish. —Celeste R.
O ME, your Sacred Music Symposium was a refreshing breath of the Holy Spirit. I just want to let you know that. He brought together new friends from around the country and the world. He inspired us to work hard together. We learned our parts at home, had our parts polished and fine-tuned by out-of-this-world conductors. We breathed out praise together, beautifully. I felt so alive, so full of joy. I am forever grateful for His invitation and yours. I miss the experience and hope we all come together again soon! —Olga F.
DIDN’T KNOW ANYONE going to the Symposium. However, being in an upper-midwest state with the Latin Masses in the cities around me, I strongly sensed that going to the Sacred Music Symposium would bring ground-breaking aides to our Latin Masses. I was not disappointed! The professors are very friendly and knowledgeable, and all the practices and breakout sessions were extremely well-structured. They had a very high demand of all of us, which pushed me to excel and go beyond what I could ever imagine that I could sing and learn. I was prepared to come to a music ‘boot camp,’ and by the grace of God I not only survived it but made numerous friends there. Most especially, singing and learning with all like-minded and fervent Catholics, seeking to do the will of God in manifesting His Beauty through sacred music and to evangelize through our joint effort was the most touching and inspiring experience in my life. Thank you, to all the professors and maestros, all the volunteers and benefactors, as well as Jeff and his family. May you be richly rewarded for this outstanding and ground-breaking symposium each year. May your sacrifices be most pleasing to the Lord and may He continue to multiply your gifts and talents from His Most Sacred Heart. —Dr. Ch. Wang
HIS WAS MY FIRST time attending the Sacred Music Symposium, so I came into it mostly “blind.” I’d never done anything like this before, and I have very minimal exposure to the choral/singing world. So I had no idea what to expect. It was a bit intimidating at first to be immersed into a group of people with so much talent, knowledge, and experience. But after I got acclimated and realized that everyone was all there to learn and grow in the art of Sacred Music just like me, I was able to really delve in to enjoy the week. There were so many things I enjoyed that it’s hard to pinpoint what might be my favorite aspect of Symposium. I took so much away from all the various sessions, including meals! I thought there was a very good balance between singing rehearsals, talks, breakout sessions, and social time. I especially enjoyed working under various conductors. It was really neat and informative to experience—first hand—their various techniques and styles. I learned the value of a really good conductor. I think my favorite thing about Symposium, aside from the beautiful music, was being surrounded by so many other like-minded Catholics with a passion for what we all do as choir members and directors. It was refreshing. The final point I wanted to share was how impressive it was that a group of 75 or so people, who had never sang together as an ensemble before, could come together and sing beautifully some of the most beautiful sacred music I’ve ever heard. It was really amazing to see it all come together. I appreciate your willingness to let me participate in such a great event! I am very grateful for my time there and for the people I got to meet and sing with. I hope it works out for me to come again. God bless you! —Cathy L.
OW CAN I EVER thank you for your hard work and great efforts you made to organize and produce the 2023 Sacred Music Symposium at Saint John the Baptist in Costa Mesa? The best part this year, for me, was the additional rehearsal time with Dr. Alfred Calabrese. Rehearsing and recording under his direction was an amazing experience. He brings tremendous passion and interpretation to the music, making the sound come alive. I also appreciated the more relaxed schedule and longer mealtimes, allowing for more social time among the participants. Daily Latin Mass provided a beautiful spiritual dimension to the experience. —Rebecca A.
FLEW FROM THE OTHER END of the country to attend this Sacred Music Symposium, hoping I would enjoy and profit from what was presented during the week. Your conference far surpassed any of my expectations! It was for me a week filled with both musical and spiritual renewal. As a current music student, the classes, repertoire, explanations, and examples given by all the faculty members were exactly what I needed to remind me why I love and cherish music. Words truly fail me. Thank you, hundreds of times, to all the people who made it possible. I look forward to attending in the future! —Hannah H.
ELLOW CATHOLICS, my time at your Sacred Music Symposium was absolutely influential on my life as a Catholic musician. My interaction with the magnificent Kevin Allen (during our composing masterclass) was pivotal in my journey as a composer and gave me much-needed insight to advance my craft. I wish I could spend a semester studying with him. Thank you for this opportunity and hopefully there will be more in the near future! May God reward you in your ministry. In Christ, J. M. (Seminarian for the diocese of Las Vegas)
OUR 2023 SYMPOSIUM was the first event of its kind I’ve attended—and therefore the best. It began what I am sure will be a journey of a lifetime. Before your conference, I never took music very seriously. I was interested in piano and organ playing as hobbies, and never really considered the fact that they might be my future. I certainly learned a lot at the Symposium, but I experienced much more. Learning taught me what to do, but the Symposium gave me a “why.” By the music we make, we bring the joy of Heaven to the darkness and shadow of our world. Herein lies the future of all sacred musicians; we must continue to bring the light of Christ to those around us through our music. In the end, music is not a hobby or career; it is a true musician’s entire life. Enormous thanks to everyone who made the 2023 Symposium possible: faculty; volunteers; and cooks. Singing with such an amazing crowd, all dedicated to the pursuit of Beauty and worship of God, was something I will never forget, and I’ll give an arm and leg to experience it again. -Oliver H.
HEN I REFLECT on the 2023 Sacred Music Symposium, my mind immediately poses three words: rigor, excellence, beauty. These apply to every aspect of the time we all shared together. Excellence permeated every detail: from the meals and community time we shared, to the hours of practice and honing of the pieces that we would come to sing with such love and precision. The leadership and formation offered by each of the maestros offered great stability and knowledge that lent themselves to immediate trust and camaraderie between conductors and singers. Their example is inspiring to me, as a young adult Catholic seeking to take a larger role in the music of Holy Mother Church, and makes me grateful to be part of the Faith that values beauty to such high ideals. I cannot thank Mr. Ostrowski, Andrea, and the whole team for their countless time spent in planning to make this the most fruitful experience possible for us attendees. The work showed clearly in how seamlessly every portion of the week played out in spite of the inevitable obstacles that arise, and how each aspect of the Sacred Music Symposium had rich meaning that we attendees could carry home to our own parish communities. —Allison S.
ACRED MUSIC Symposium 2023 was a truly spectacular music event (organized in a beautiful place) that brought great joy into my heart. I met the most amazing and talented musicians God could possibly send into my life. Together we were able to worship Our Lord with high quality music. My compliments go to the faculty for being able to bring so much out of us in such a short time. My great respect goes to Jeff Ostrowski: what a great person, musician, teacher and mentor! I am looking forward to the next Symposium hoping I can attend again. May God bless you all, for what you have done. —Marketa U.
ERE ARE our reflections in regards to Sacred Music Symposium 2023. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our whole experience during your conference. The food was excellent and even included gluten free options. All of the professors inspired us in different ways: whether it was in conducting choirs, running effective rehearsals, learning about singing and chanting psalms, or beginning to learn the craft of composing sacred music for choirs and for Mass. The seminars on recruiting and keeping choir members were especially helpful … because recruiting and retaining choir members is tough. The music was amazing and adaptable to our situation. Indeed, we have continued to sing the music every day. We were delighted to observe that not only did we attend rehearsals and classes taught by these incredibly gifted professors, but we could also interact with personally during meals or at other times if we had a specific interests or questions. Each of the professors contributed in a unique and profound way according to their own areas of expertise. The entire week was extremely joyful as well as energizing and practical for any church musician or music director. It was joyful because those who organized and led the Symposium brought a genuine spirit of generosity, concern, excellence, and practicality to every aspect of the week. —Doug & Katy M.
MAINTAIN THAT any Catholic musician who truly cares about developing their knowledge, musical skill, and their love for the liturgy should be compelled to attend the Sacred Music Symposium. Your 2023 symposium was one for the books. As someone who’s attended this conference in the past, I can definitively say that the work of Corpus Christi Watershed continues to inspire countless musicians year after year. It is arguably a retreat moreso than a conference, with daily Mass, COMPLINE, and gorgeous liturgy throughout. The information presented is incredibly valuable, and the conductors are brilliant. One cannot help but deepen their love for Holy Mother Church when surrounded by and united with such fervent souls devoted to such holy work. A tremendous thank you to Mr. Jeff Ostrowski, all the conductors, and everyone who worked so hard and gave of their time, money, and talent to make this event happen. It truly is the experience of a lifetime. —Eric L.
EVER DID I DREAM when discovering the Corpus Christi Watershed website several years ago (and the Sacred Music Symposium) that I would be so fortunate to be an attendee. When I arrived on Monday afternoon, I met other attendees and quickly felt at ease. It was a wonderful experience being around others who had similar stories and, like me, a desire to learn more about sacred music so they could pass the info along to others in their own respective parishes. There were so many beautiful parts to the week-long symposium. It is hard to pinpoint a single favorite moment, but Thursday’s Mass was definitely one of the highlights for me. I had to stop singing for a moment while trying not to cry. It was so beautiful. COMPLINE was another favorite. Corrinne May’s presentation was very moving also. I became a better singer in one week from each of the practice sessions. Understanding more about Gregorian Chant was extremely helpful, and I was inspired by the organ master to try new ways of accompanying on the pipe organ. However, implementing some of Jeff Ostrowski’s best practices on how to manage and recruit a choir is at the top of my to do list. God bless everyone who had a part in creating such a special event. Thank you so very much! —Rosemary G.
FOUND GREAT encouragement and inspiration in spending a week with other talented and devout individuals under the direction and teaching of exceptional conductors, composers, vocalists and organists learning more about the rich and ancient musical traditions of the Catholic church and offering our prayers and music together in the holy liturgies of the compline and the mass. Not a moment of our time together was wasted. The experience has given me improved skills and confidence in singing and leading my choir in my home parish, as well as new ideas on styles of music and accompaniment to incorporate in our repertoire. I highly recommend this symposium. —Tracie T.
S A REGULAR on the Corpus Christi Watershed website, I saw advertisements for the annual Sacred Music Symposium (2023) and decided to commit to that weeklong workshop. I am so thankful to God I did! World-class sacred music faculty taught and directed the approximately 75 participants in Gregorian chant, Renaissance polyphony, and rich hymnody. The Symposium answered multiple questions I had about modality, directing, and building church choirs, as well as introducing me to the intricacies of excellent polyphonic compositions and Bach keyboard literature. What I learned was the equivalent of several academic class days, and it was entirely relevant to my work as a Catholic musician and schoolteacher. In addition, the church provided bountiful places for our worship of Almighty God, rehearsals and lectures, and common meals, which were delicious and nourishing. I hope to attend, and perhaps bring others with me, next year! —A. J. Rond.
WANT TO EXTEND a huge “thank you” to you for the stupendous and enriching Symposium 2023. I already look forward to 2024. Your lectures, the chosen scores, conducting, rehearsals, Gregorian chant guidance with Dr. Weaver, conducting with Dr. Calbrese, service prep with Maestro Clark, the excellent food, fellowship … ALL … all were fantastic. I could go on and on. —Dr. Chris W.
REETINGS, FACULTY of the Sacred Music Symposium. By this time, already a week from returning from your conference, I have related my experience with most of my close friends and family. I printed out pictures, made a cute, little album, and gave them a general idea of what I did throughout the week. All told, these conversations that lasted any where from ten to twenty minutes depending on whether or not the album is pulled out, seemed so underwhelming. The album, only several pages long does not begin to paint a picture of what we accomplished and learned. The fact is, although we had only met and known each other for less than a full week, I had bonded with around eighty people over singing the finest sacred music. All the lessons, rehearsals, presentations, and talks came together to allow us to grow as church musicians. There is no way mere words or photos can fully depict this. What am I to do? It’s as if a wonderful thing has been given to me, a “Beautiful Seed”, and I must plant it. I’ve started with something simple; Gregorian Chant practice in my home. My children listen to me sing, and they are often curious. I plan to begin a Men’s Schola in my parish in the Fall, and am now looking forward to mentoring a couple of young directors who work for the diocese in which I serve. Maybe by this time next year, I will have planted enough of this seed so as to feel as if I have adequately, though not completely, shared what I have learned. For now, I am ‘on fire’, as they say, and am very grateful to all of the faculty, workers, and volunteers who held this life-changing event. —Ashley H.
HE SACRED MUSIC SYMPOSIUM by Corpus Christi Watershed was the best musical experience I’ve had in ages. Coming from a small rural community, we do not get the opportunity to listen to a larger choir sing such sacred music often. It has been a long while since I have been in a large choir … your Symposium brought back so many great memories I had being a part of a big group. The Symposium offered so many tips and tricks on how to recruit and keep choir members. There were so many breakout sessions that I wanted to attend, but I decided to choose Dr. Alfred Calabrese’s advanced conducting course. Dr. Calabrese is an excellent conductor, who has a passion for music. Even though I do not have formal education in music, Dr. Calabrese still worked with me in the allotted time we had. I felt as if I learned a lot by seeing him conduct and teach. I cannot thank Jeff Ostrowski and all the staff enough for creating such an amazing event. Your Symposium reignited my passion for music, especially sacred music. So much so that I plan on finally going back to school for music education. There is so much that I want to say, but it’s so much that it’ll probably be a ten page essay! Again thank you for the opportunity and hopefully, God willing, I’ll be able to attend next year’s Symposium. To summarize: Your Sacred Music Symposium was an amazing opportunity to work on beautiful music with other passionate musicians, learn practical tips from experts in both sacred music and successfully directing a church choir, and make connections with wonderful people. I will undoubtedly take my experiences from the symposium with me as I begin directing my first choir in the fall, which will benefit my choir members and those who hear us as part of the Liturgy. —Benjamin F
EAR Colossally-Sensational Symposium Faculty: It is a delight to be able to write to you in praise of the wonderful event you sacrificed so much to see realized! This was my second year attending the symposium, and it was just as marvelous as I remembered. I serve as a volunteer cantor and lately volunteer choir director in a parish whose music program is run entirely by volunteers. While I was an enthusiastic member of music ensembles in high school and college, I never pictured myself as a choir director. I simply never did. Always I thought there would be someone else to do that. Some qualified person with a few degrees. I would just sit in the alto section following their instructions and singing the beautiful music they selected. But life doesn’t always work out quite the way we expect—and lately I’ve found myself leading a choir, because it seemed right and fitting to me that the worship of God ought to involve a parish choir (and my parish had none). But, as you can well imagine, leading a parish choir when you’ve not experienced one on a regular basis and not been trained to do so is an intimidating prospect. Thus, to be able to attend the Sacred Music Symposium was an immense blessing for me. I can hide out in the basement during my children’s nap time and read blog articles on sacred music until I faint, but nothing replaces the opportunity to experience it in person, nor the knowledge and confidence one gains under the direction of such a gracious and talented faculty. I thought a lot during the week about the lovely song that Ms. May shared with us about the five loaves and two fishes, and how often that is all we have to offer … but we ask the Lord to make up for what is lacking in us and to provide us with the opportunities to grow and learn such that we can fulfill the duties he is calling us to fulfill in the present moment—and the symposium was just such an opportunity for me. I was particularly grateful for the beginning conducting lessons Mr. Clark and Mr. Fritz provided. To be walked through the basics of conducting gestures and how to look at a score and make decisions about how to approach it and what to focus on in rehearsal will be invaluable for me. I also appreciated immensely Mr. Ostrowski’s seminar on leading volunteer choirs—particularly his honesty in sharing the kinds of problems choir directors will face. Previously, I assumed on some level that I faced challenges because I was incompetent and should probably give up (I know, I know, when I type it out it does look rather like the devil’s argument, but believe me, in moments of discouragement it can sound pretty convincing!) but what he shared helped to normalize what I was experiencing. Choir directors face challenges. Even ones with exponentially more talent and experience than I possess. But with God’s help, we persevere, and with effort and the kind of guidance organizations like Corpus Christi Watershed provide, I can improve and better serve the parish I love. In the next rehearsal I led following your symposium, I noticed immediately a difference in how I carried myself and in the confidence with which I gave instructions, as well as in my capacity to think of ways to help choir members work through passages we were finding difficult.
All of the above had immense value for me and will help me enormously in the work I am trying to do to promote beautiful, reverent music in my parish, but the most meaningful part of the symposium for me was an experience of consolation that drove home for me the power of authentic sacred music well presented to dispose us to receive the graces the Lord wants to give to us. In her communication to symposium participants, Ms. Leal wrote that it is difficult to put strong sentiments into words, and this is certainly true, but I will attempt to explain what I experienced all the same. I noted above that life doesn’t always work out quite the way we expect, and I have certainly found this to be true. When I wrote that I never pictured myself as a choir director, this was certainly in part due to the fact that I had not trained to be one, but also because as a young bride I assumed that I would be more than busy enough with raising a houseful of children. But things haven’t quite worked out that way. In thirteen years of marriage, my husband and I have been blessed with only two living children, the eldest of whom was diagnosed at 20 weeks gestation with a severe neural tube defect. Within weeks of her diagnosis, we temporarily relocated across the country to pursue fetal closure of her spinal column, which saved some of the function in her legs. I spent the rest of that pregnancy on bed rest at a Ronald McDonald House 1,500 miles from my home, and she is now a cheerful, thriving first grader who developed strength sufficient to walk independently by age 3 ½. However, lately she has developed some complications that threaten the gains she has made. We’ll be returning in a few weeks to the hospital where she was born for a complex surgery that we hope will preserve the function in her legs–but there are no guarantees. I knew when I attended the symposium that this was the next challenge we would be facing as a family, and it—as well as the years of seemingly-unheard prayers that our family might grow—were weighing on my heart (as they would weigh on the heart of any mother).
At the end of the symposium, at the conclusion of a beautiful week of prayer, learning, music, and fellowship, Mr. Clark presented a lecture on the life and work of Dr. Theodore Marier during which he shared with us a lovely arrangement of the 33rd Psalm: “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.” Coincidentally (or not!) this was a text my husband and I had selected for our wedding Mass, before we had any idea of the particulars of how our vocation would be lived out or the crosses the Lord would ask us to bear together. As I sang Marier’s setting with the other symposium participants, I had an overwhelming sense of being seen by the Lord, and a certainty that he is working good—nay, the best possible good!—out of everything we experience … and perhaps especially those parts of our experience that we struggle to understand. I may not see that good in this life, but as Saint John Henry Newman wrote: “He knows what He is about.” Of course, someone could have expressed these thoughts to me in conversation, and intellectually, I would have assented. But that conversation would not have buried itself as deeply in my heart as did Marier’s psalm setting, the memory of which I have returned to often throughout the summer for strength and consolation. As a mother, it is my duty to help my daughter develop the fortitude she will need to face the challenges of living with a permanently disabling condition, and I experienced a measure of the graces I will need to do so through the music I was exposed to at this year’s symposium. Truly, I went home with a renewed sense of the importance of what we do as parish musicians. When we show up and do the work before us with purity of heart, with courage, and with zeal, the Lord uses that to draw people to Himself in ways we may never realize. Thank you for providing an environment wherein I could experience that, which has renewed in me a desire to provide the same for others. Sincerely yours, Katherine S.
Finally, we include
this handwritten
note we received:
