Views from the Choir Loft

Church Music Association of America CMAA

Virtual Sacred Music Colloquium 2020

Fr. David Friel · June 11, 2020

The CMAA will offer a virtual version of its annual, week-long workshop.

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Composition with Pencil & Paper or Computer Software?

Fr. David Friel · June 25, 2017

A lunch-time conversation at Sacred Music Colloquium 2017 in St. Paul, MN

Colloquium 2016 • Day 4

Fr. David Friel · June 24, 2016

Reflections on Offering a Colloquium Mass

Colloquium 2016 • Day 3

Fr. David Friel · June 23, 2016

The Organic Development of the Liturgy and the New Music Breakouts

Colloquium 2016 • Day 2

Fr. David Friel · June 22, 2016

Explanatory Images from Wilko Brouwers

Colloquium 2016 • Day 1

Fr. David Friel · June 21, 2016

A concert of early music by the ensemble “Pro-Arte Saint Louis”

Colloquium Friends & Chant Workshops

Fr. David Friel · November 16, 2014

“Adventus Dona” in the Diocese of San Diego

Photo: Church Music Association of America (1964)

Jeff Ostrowski · August 24, 2014

This historic photograph was taken at the organizational meeting for the CMAA the same year “Inter Oecumenici” was issued by the Vatican.

Sonata during the Gradual?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote seventeen Church Sonatas between 1772 and 1780. These are short pieces intended to be played between the Epistle and the Gospel (during Mass). Shortly after Mozart left Salzburg, the Archbishop mandated that an appropriate choral motet or congregational hymn be sung at that point in the liturgy, with the result that the “Epistle Sonata” fell into disuse.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Note from a reader (25 June 2020)

“Just visited your website for the first time 5 minutes ago. Was that struck by the beauty of the chant and the immense gift of such a beautiful collection that can be downloaded with ease…at no charge! In awe of the gift of this extensive content and the amount of labor that has gone into all of it. Please receive our support and encouragement! God bless and keep you all. Praise be to Jesus Christ, now and forever! Thank you truly.” —Signed, The P____ Family

—Jeff Ostrowski

Positive Message from a Catholic Priest

Today, we received this wonderful message from a Catholic Priest: I want to say thank you for everything you have done to bring back the sense of the sacred in The liturgy. We are going through a liturgical renewal here in the parish where I was assigned as a parochial vicar. I’ve only been a priest for 1 year and 8 days! We are beginning to use your psalms for our English Masses.

—Jeff Ostrowski