4 Tips • “Teaching & Nurturing Young Organists”
“Make it an unbreakable rule to ingrain the rudiments of music theory into the very bones of the beginning student, preferably before the age of nine or ten.” —Dr. Lucas Tappan
Saint Brigid’s School • New Choir School for the Cathedral of Saint Mary (San Francisco)
Thirty years ago most pastors would not have been open to inaugurating good sacred music programs in their parishes, but times have changed.
An Incredible Summer with Wonderful Musicians
These were two joyful, yet profitable, weeks spent with a dedicated group of devout Catholics…
“Chorister Summer Camp” • Eight Ideas
Every choirmaster should place a high priority on recruitment, otherwise in time he commits a form of “choral contraception”…
Another Incredible Opportunity in Kansas City!
St. John Paul II Catholic Church joins a growing number of parishes (including the Cathedral) in our archdiocese committed the renewal of both the Sacred Liturgy and Music.
A “Must Read” for Choir School Enthusiasts
I also feel this is the reason that many church musicians in England don’t matriculate into doctoral programs—their choir schools imparted more than a doctoral program could ever give.
Inspiration for Organ Improvisation
Organ improvisation is on the mind of many organists these days as they cope in the absence of choirs and other musicians.
(Installment #13) “Catholic Hymnals” • Lucas Tappan
We can sometimes be so caught up in advancing Gregorian chant that we fail to remember that every single age in the history of the Catholic Church has seen forms of popular religious music…
Obsequies for Msgr. Georg Ratzinger (1924-2020)
I doubt the Divine Office in the vernacular could have been more beautifully sung.
Six Points • The Church and Patronage of the Arts
If we want great artists, we must have places to train them in the best of the tradition and be able to crown their studies with a deeply imbued Catholic ethos.
The Art of Improvisation
In all my life I don’t think I have ever heard it mentioned that the art of improvisation, done well, ranks alongside the greatest works of Palestrina or Mozart.
Broadcasting Holy Mass During Covidtide
The most problematic genre for use in broadcasting is the English setting of the Mass Ordinary since all of the major settings are currently under copyright.
Of Shepherds and Sheep
This image of Christ as the Good Shepherd constitutes the supreme model for all pastors, clerical or (in a broader and unordained sense) lay—anyone leading others into the Sheepfold of the Church. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the various nuances of pastor, or shepherd.
How Do the Greats Approach the Science of Choral Conducting?
Michelangelo, without training and in wont of the best paints and plaster, would have struggled to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
What Makes a Great Conductor?
At the heart of the great conductor is one who is born in wonder, one who stands in awe and amazement of heaven’s divine gift of music.
