Views from the Choir Loft

Sacred Music Symposium

Jeff Ostrowski · October 20, 2025

“Can Choral Music Survive?” • 3 Reasons It Will

You may think I’m crazy, but I have a belief when it comes to choral music.

Jeff Ostrowski · February 12, 2025

“Register Today!” • Sacred Music Symposium 2025

A generous benefactor has agreed to cover 50% of the tuition for those who register before a certain date.

Corpus Christi Watershed · January 8, 2025

“Prelim. Details” • Sacred Music Symposium 2025

Too many parish choirs don’t sound as nice as they could. We’re here to help!

Corpus Christi Watershed · June 28, 2022

“I Found Myself Weeping, Almost In Disbelief…”

“Your faculty may never know the depth of how you affected each person there. For my part, I am forever changed…” — Symposium Participant (Texas)

Jeff Ostrowski · May 10, 2022

“Big Reveal” by the Symposium Committee

We are so pleased to welcome this priest!

Corpus Christi Watershed · May 3, 2022

“Repertoire Page” • Sacred Music Symposium 2022

Sign up today! A few voice parts still have openings.

Richard J. Clark · July 5, 2019

In Gratitude for Choral Singers

I am deeply grateful to faith-filled choral singers because of their willingness to understand these 10 things

Guest Author · July 30, 2018

Expectations Exceeded at the Symposium!

“If you occasionally share a habit of mine for getting stuck in one style, take new inspiration here!” —Miss Phoebe Wing

Fr. David Friel · May 7, 2017

Fota X Conference (and other Summer Opportunities)

Summer 2017 looks to be a blockbuster period for sacred music activity.

Fr. David Friel · April 16, 2017

Introducing the Wethersfield Institute Chant Workshop

A new chant workshop in upstate New York in June 2017.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 9, 2016

Rehearsal Videos • Masterpiece w/ Cantus Firmus

Can you tell which voice is not mine?

Jeff Ostrowski · May 24, 2016

O Salutaris Hostia • Do You Like This Version?

Download this 47-page booklet … and please pardon any typos!

Jeff Ostrowski · May 18, 2016

May Crowning • The Official Antiphon

Do you agree this is a dark antiphon?

Jeff Ostrowski · May 7, 2016

A Special “Gaudeamus” For 31 May

Nobody has been able to explain why they changed the psalm verse…

Jeff Ostrowski · February 5, 2016

2016 • Sacred Music Symposium (Last Year’s)

We’re approaching capacity—if you’re interested, we need to hear from you soon!

Music List • “5th Sunday of Easter” (Year A)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for the 5th Sunday of Easter Sunday—a.k.a. “Dominica V Paschae”—which is 3 May 2026. Please feel free to download it as a PDF file if such a thing interests you. The COMMUNION (“Tanto Témpore Vobíscum Sum”) is rather somber, with awesome fauxbourdon psalm verses. The ENTRANCE CHANT is bright and happy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • Communion for Sunday

The COMMUNION ANTIPHON with fauxbourdon psalm verses for this coming Sunday (3 May 2026) is elegant and poignant. It’s such a shame it only comes every three years. This piece—along with all the musical scores for this coming Sunday, which is the 5th Sunday of Easter (Year A)—can be downloaded free of charge from the flourishing feasts website. By the way, how is it already 2026?

—Jeff Ostrowski

Season’s End Repertoire

Looking at the REPERTOIRE SHEET until the end of the choral season, I see that I’ve fallen behind schedule. (The last three months have been extraordinarily busy.) As you know, I have been providing organ harmonies for all the ENTRANCE CHANTS—as well as rehearsal videos—and you can see I’m behind where I planned to be. Now I must make up lost ground. However, the choir picks up the ENTRANCE CHANT with ease, so I’m sure it will all work out. My ‘unofficial’ harmonizations are being posted each week at the flourishing feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Anima Christi”

I received a request for an organ accompaniment I created way back in 2007 for the “Anima Christi” Gregorian Chant. You can download this PDF file which has the score in plainsong followed by a keyboard accompaniment. Many melodies have been paired with “Anima Christi” over the centuries, but this is—perhaps—the most common one.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Liturgical Law” (467 Pages)

On Good Friday during the middle ages, the pope privately recited THE ENTIRE PSALTER. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself by reading this passage by Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen (d. 1943). His famous book—called “Liturgical Law: A Handbook Of The Roman Liturgy”—was published by the Benjamin Herder Book Company, which was the American arm (operating out of St. Louis, Missouri) of one of the world’s most significant Catholic publishers. Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen was born in Switzerland but spent his career between the Benedictine monasteries at Conception (Missouri) and Mount Angel (Oregon). His 1931 masterpiece, Liturgical Law can be downloaded as a PDF file … 467 pages!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026

How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!

—Jeff Ostrowski

In 1951 (and again in 1952 and 1955) the Sacred Congregation of Rites gave permission to the bishops of the whole world to celebrate the “Vigil of the Lord’s Resurrection” as much as possible in conformity with the ancient ceremonial: the most noticeable change was to transfer the ceremonies to the late evening of Holy Saturday. During the experimental period the text of the Missal remains unchanged, and a special “Ordo Sancti Sabbati” has been published.

— Charles Richard Anthony Cunliffe (1955)