EFORE signing a contract, find out whether your perspective employer believes sacred music is a form of entertainment. Never work for such a one. This isn’t to suggest choirmasters should produce boring, unpleasant, or crummy music. Indeed, liturgical music is supposed to delight its hearers. Pope Pius XII declared in MEDIATOR DEI (20 November 1947): “One strays from the straight path if he disdains or rejects polyphonic music or singing in parts.” Readers know that Vatican II said the THESAURUS MUSICAE SACRAE is to be “preserved and fostered with very great care.” But some forget that, in the same document, Vatican II said the pipe organ “must be held in high esteem” precisely because it “adds a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man’s mind to God and to heavenly things” (SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM §120).
My Children’s Choir • We must avoid all that’s tawdry and ephemeral. Instead, we must teach repertoire with depth, music that’s stood the test of time. On 26 October 2025, my children’s choir joined—for the 2nd time—our parish choir singing at Mass. Here’s an excerpt:
Depressing Job • Readers know the choirmaster’s vocation is often filled with difficulties, obstacles, and setbacks. But a source of consolation is teaching children music that’s excellent and enduring. I mentioned that our children’s choir sang at Mass on 26 October 2025. There was a truly wonderful moment when they sang “make known among the nations his deeds.” Listen to the live recording and see if you agree:
Kaitrin Contributes • The world-famous KAITRIN DROST (who needs no introduction) generously stepped in at the last moment to conduct the children, making it possible for me to accompany them on the pipe organ. Here’s a tiny video recording of Kaitrin running through the Entrance Chant with the children.
Scripture That Sticks With Them • It’s thrilling to teach children the words of the PSALTER, knowing that those texts will stay with them and become part of their lives. From the musical perspective, I particularly love this descending stepwise motion in the bass:
Beware “AI” Plainsong • These days, one can purchase subscription services that provide (basically) “artificial intelligence” plainsong in the vernacular. I’m referencing pieces that are uninspired and sound boring, colorless, and repetitive. Such services do more harm than good—although they resemble plainsong inasmuch as they use square notation. That’s because singers, priests, and congregations cannot be fooled by insipid music, which is basically mass-produced (pardon the pun) by computers. Such compositions are not enduring. Pope Pius X said authentic sacred music must be “true art.”
Vatican II • Although certain clerics would rather cut off their right arm than admit it, Vatican II solemnly declared that the THESAURUS MUSICAE SACRAE is to be “preserved and fostered with very great care” (SC §114). Vatican II did not say the THESAURUS was to be inserted into the Mass in a “barely perceptible” or “hardly noticeable” way. Our parish choir consists 100% of volunteers, recruited from the pews. We try our best to “preserve and foster with very great care” the sacred treasury—especially by means of choral extensions. Here are some examples from that Mass on 26 October 2025:
Fauxbourdon Psalm Verses • I have argued that it’s crucial for a parish music program to involve as many people as possible. Because our parish Masses are filled to capacity, much singing is required during the distribution of Holy Communion. Rather than having the men alone chant the psalm verses, we include the women by doing them in FAUXBOURDON. (Examples are posted each week at the terrific feasts website.) When it comes to committing to memory the PSALTER, I feel that women shouldn’t be excluded. Here’s an audio excerpt recorded at that 26 October 2025 Mass:
* Mp3 • COMMUNION FAUXBOURDON (Excerpt)
—Live recording by a volunteer choir (26 October 2025).
Setting Yourself Up For Success • It’s no secret that the vocation of a choir director is quite challenging. As much as possible, we must “set ourselves up for success.” I touched on this earlier, when I suggested avoiding “AI-generated” plainsong. We must never compromise when it comes to what we know to be true and right. Nonetheless, we must be “wise as serpents” (cf. Mt 10:16). Too much Gregorian Chant can cause certain people to feel depressed. Therefore, when I prepare for the sacred liturgy, I try to include a fair amount of happy songs, such as this specimen sung recently by my volunteer choir at Mass:
Renewal of Challenge • In many recent articles, I’ve been recommending the Brébeuf Hymnal, which I feel is indispensable for any serious Catholic choirmaster. (I certainly couldn’t run my choral program without it.) I don’t use the “P-word” word lightly, but I’m comfortable calling the BRÉBEUF HYMNAL peerless. Indeed, one of the main authors for the Church Music Association of America weblog declared (6/10/2022) that the BRÉBEUF HYMNAL “has no parallel and not even any close competitor.” For years, I’ve been searching for a qualified partner willing to debate this assertion over zoom. Today—4 November 2025—I respectfully renew my challenge. Our website garners millions of hits, but so far nobody has accepted my challenge.
