Connections and Gratitude

This has been a day that the Lord hath made, and I rejoice and am glad in it!

My youngest daughter came into town yesterday, and save for having all three of them with Wendy and I, is there anything grander than enjoying the company of your grown children that don’t live close by? Our oldest lives “in town” and is the finest singer in the family, up there with MA, Singing Mum in the pipes department. But, having our 32 Y.O. “baby” in town provided all of us with the occasion of also having our two grandsons attend Sunday Mass together for the first time; mom and auntie can monitor our 4 year old genius/terror in tandem!

Sure, schola and ensemble Masses were successful, artful enterprises both. The “progressive solemnity” aspect of the schola Mass is well in tact, and the ensemble Mass can in no ways be labeled anything close to a travesty. These are givens.

What this post is about is the afterwards, the culmination. After packing out after the last Mass we were inching our way to the car for a brunch, greeting and exchanging pleasantries with assorted folk. We gained a new tenor for the schola, etc. But, as we about to make the final move to the car, a couple walked up to us with purpose and smiles. I knew that I should have recognized one of them, especially the gentleman. But they saved me from my confusion and the gentleman said, “Charles…Frank LaRocca.” I let loose with a litany of OMG’s that our Lord knew not to be taking His Name in vanity due to a smile that I haven’t felt so extremely wide for a while now. Dr. Frank LaRocca, Professor Emeritus at California State University East Bay was my composition teacher, and simply, the best teacher I have ever known.

He and his lovely wife, Lucia, explained they were in Fresno for a performance of his motet, EXPECTAVIT DOMINUM, with the Fresno State Concert Choir. And of course, I did my graduate work there 23 years ago, which was also about the last time I’d seen Prof. LaRocca as well. I could not contain my joy! Some of you might remember that Dr. LaRocca, a REAL, working composer such as MacMillan, Corigliano, Adams or Part, won second prize for his “Credo” (I think from his “Missa Cordi Sacro”) this last summer sponsored by the International Sacred Music Competition held at the National Basilica in D.C. And, in some brief correspondence, we reconnected and he shared that he had joined the chant schola at Oakland’s well-known EF church, St. Margaret Mary’s near Park Boulevard and my alma mater, Oakland High.

Frank just mentioned that, along with the Fresno State event and a visit to relatives in a nearby city, he just thought he and Lucia would get over to Visalia and see if I was around (I’m very round, actually!) He went to our 11:30am Mass after we exchanged salutations. I told Lucia and anybody around (I must have introduced him as “my most beloved teacher, ever” to anyone walking by) that he was also the best teacher in any discipline I’ve ever known.

And he was so gracious to repay the compliment that he was so pleased that I followed my dream to be a professional musician for this last quarter century. I laughed when I told him that I was a bit stunned that in an alumni periodical he was titled “Professor Emeritus” and that I felt so old when I read that. Little did I know that he and I were born the same year! Frank graciously said that he, as well as many of us like me, are just getting our feet wet in the everlasting, ever freshened font of chant.

Later this evening I called a former protege of mine whose regarded me as his mentor for many years, as he pursues his degrees in music at Fresno. I asked him did he meet Professor LaRocca and remember his piece. He answered with great affirmation as to the beauty of Frank’s motet. “Will the circle be unbroken?” No, not with providence and inspiration such as this that our Lord provides.
We had our respective appointments to leave for, so we agreed to exchange a couple of pieces.

But, I hope I haven’t trespassed the sensibilities of our cafe with this personal indulgence. I thank God for this day, for the opportunity to visit with a great mentor and friend from what could have just been another lifetime. And it speaks to the real tendons that ennervate our efforts to restore that which is sacred, beautiful and universal to our worship arts at all levels.

P.S. Frank didn’t really know what goes on at colloquium. I simply said basically that it’s truth in advertising: “Six Days of Musical Heaven.” I hope he can join us in June.

I wish I could join him in Glasgow for the world premier of his “Iam Lucis Ordis Sidere!” Maybe we should give MacMillan a ring and they could widen our circle!
Soli Deo Gloria