For those in the Midwest US, there is an upcoming chant workshop with CMAA personalities Dr. Horst Buchholz, Scott Turkington, and others in St. Louis. The conference will take place Thursday evening, February 13, through Saturday, February 15.
I understand the registration is on the low side right now, so if you’re interested, please check out the information below and register soon!
Conference Registration | Conference Schedule
What is the Musica Sacra St. Louis Conference?
The Fourth Annual Musica Sacra St. Louis is an opportunity for all with an interest in Sacred Music to deepen their understanding, proficiency, and application of Chant and its contemporary adaptations. In addition to the chant classes, time is also devoted to prayer.
The Musica Sacra Conference not only studies Gregorian Chant, a centuries old tradition of music in the Latin Church, but also English chant. New English works will be highlighted during this year’s conference.
The 2014 conference will be presented by Mr. Scott Turkington (Director of Sacred Music, Holy Familiy Church & Holy Family Academy, Minneaoplis, MN), one of the foremost American scholars of Chant, and Dr. Horst Buchholz (Director of the Office of Sacred Music, Archdiocese of St. Louis).
The conference will take place Thursday evening, February 13, through Saturday, February 15.
This year, Dr. Buchholz and Mr. Turkington will discuss how Chant can be used as an effective vehicle for teaching choirs to sing, especially children’s choirs.
Why Chant?
First and foremost, Chant holds “pride of place” in the treasury of Catholic Sacred Music. In addition, Chant is a great resource you can use to teach singing to children, beginners, or choristers who have difficulty with intervals in their music. The conference will present workshops on using Chant, combined with solfege, to teach how your choir the fundamentals of singing the intervals between the pitches (such as the difference between Do and La).
A special session of the conference will be dedicated to English Chant.
Even if Chant is not the primary musical style of your parish music program, it is a wonderful tool to use to enrich your program.
Where will the conference be located?
This year, the Musica Sacra St. Louis Conference will be located at St. Louis University’s Manresa Center in Mid-town St. Louis. The center provides ample meeting space for our classes, comfortable break areas, a beautiful chapel, and overnight accommodations.
How much does the conference cost?
Total tuition for the conference is $125.00/person, which includes all sessions, materials, and dinner on Thursday evening. Single day registration is available at a cost of $75.00. Overnight accommodations at Manresa Center are available for $70.00/person ($35.00/night, must be purchased for two nights).
Where can I find more information?
To receive more information about the Musica Sacra St. Louis Conference, as well as view a preliminary schedule, please call 314.373.8227. Email inquiries can be made to music@cathedralstl.org