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My volunteer choir attempted the polyphonic KYRIE that will be sung at this year’s Sacred Music Symposium. If you’re interested, you can listen to the live recording from last Sunday. The piece is based on the ancient plainchant hymn melody: Ave Maris Stella. Polyphony like this is truly intricate and wonderful. It reminds me of […]
From a reader in New Hampshire: “I just love your articles and resources! You provide an excellent resource!”
A VESPERS ACCOMPANIMENT BOOKLET (20 pages) for this coming Sunday—the 5th Sunday after Easter—can now be downloaded. Those who sing Vespers exactly as given in the ANTIPHONALE ROMANUM will notice that all five psalms for Eastertide are sung according to the exact same tone with the exact same differentiæ. Can someone explain why this is? […]
As of 6 May 2023, anyone who wishes to may download the COMPLETED BOOKLET (330 pages) which was created for participants of Sacred Music Symposium 2023. Those who were accepted to participate in this year’s conference will be presented with their own (hard-copy) printed version of this breathtaking booklet. The faculty this year includes Professor […]
Examples of comments we recently received, from all over the globe: (1) “The Byrd composition your student sung was certainly beautiful. I cannot say how thankful I am for all that CCWATERSHED does in the world of sacred music. The videos, and recorded audios and newsletters are wonderful and beautiful. When you said that […]
A reader wrote to us about the MELCOMBE HYMN ARTICLE (whose official title was: 1950s Catholicism: Do We Want It Back?) with these kind words: “I so wish there was a CD of your choir. The Introit the other day stays with me all day!”
The draft booklet (320 pages) which will—in a gorgeous hard-copy—be given to participants at the Sacred Music Symposium has been released. If you see any typos, please let me know ASAP. Thank you!
I got this (personal) message from a choir member. I know we usually avoid sharing personal items, but hopefully this exception is warranted: “Dear Mr. Ostrowski, I read your recent article, “I Came From Somewhere.” I really enjoyed reading it. Thank you for all that you do. I appreciate your sentiments and your work to […]
We have spoken many times about the common tunes contained in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal. I have suggested that these “shared melodies” are crucial for any director attempting to build a serious choral program in today’s environment. However, I’ve also said hymn pairings must be done with great sensitivity. Take a look at […]
The organ accompaniment booklet (24 pages) which I created for the 4th Sunday of Lent (“Lætare Sunday”) may now be downloaded, for those who desire such a thing.
Although it’s a hideous accompaniment, I’ve added the harmonization by Monsignor Franz Nekes to this collection of nineteen organ accompaniments for the Easter Sunday Sequence: Víctimæ Pascháli Laudes. Once upon a time, Monsignor Nekes was a very popular composer, known as “The German Palestrina.”
The organ accompaniment I created for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (“Extraordinary Form”) may now be downloaded, if anyone is interested in this.
Listening to this Easter Alleluia—an SATB arrangement I made twenty years ago based on the work of Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel—one of our readers left this comment: “I get tears in my eyes each time I sing to this hymn.” I hope this person is weeping for joy!
We were mentioned in article in an article by “The Times” (United Kingdom), as you can see here.
I recently appeared on Square Notes, the Sacred Music Podcast to discuss some of the basics of Dom Mocquereau’s system of Gregorian rhythm. It’s impossible to give a full treatment to such a complex topic in a mere forty minutes, but I touched on a lot of the foundational ideas, with especial emphasis on the […]
The election of Pope Leo XIV has been exciting, and we’re filled with hope for our apostolate’s future!
But we’re under pressure to transfer our website to a “subscription model.”
We don’t want to do that. We believe our website should remain free to all.
Our president has written the following letter:
President’s Message (dated 30 May 2025)
