The Most Important Thing A Choirmaster Can Do
Sometimes it takes decades to appreciate the genius of this or that Gregorian chant.
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A theorist, organist, and conductor, Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He completed studies in Education and Musicology at the graduate level. Having worked as a church musician in Los Angeles for ten years, in 2024 he accepted a position as choirmaster for Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Michigan, where he resides with his wife and children. —Read full biography (with photographs).

Sometimes it takes decades to appreciate the genius of this or that Gregorian chant.

“Christianity is the perfect development of the Jewish religion…” —Fr. Leslie Rumble

“Arise in thy strength, we beseech thee, O Lord, and come…”

Whether this rumor is accurate makes no difference, because the rules for Friday abstinence were changed in the 1960s.

I never dreamed that so many people love this stuff…and are willing to fight for it!

Some of the old Catholic hymnals were dreadful, but this one is splendid.

This special Solesmes book contains another version of the “Chants Abrégés.”

What’s our end game?

The accent on “adjúva” should be “ádjuva”

This book of organ accompaniments by John Ainslie covers every season, including ordinary time.

“They should have been more offended by the Romanian doctor…” —Fr. George Rutler

“Remit, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the sins of Thy people…”

You will love what Henri Durieux has done with this hymn melody.

“If we had known what the prayers really said, we would not have wanted to pray them any longer.” —Paul Inwood

“…most humbly we pray that—since so great is the number of thine elect pleading in our behalf—we may partake, in all their fulness, of thine abounding mercies…”
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Corpus Christi Watershed
8118 Etienne Dr
Corpus Christi, TX 78414
Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization recognized by the state of Texas on 19 October 2006. Our statement of purpose notes that we “employ the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.”