An international rapprochement of sorts will take place this summer at the Gregorian Institute of Canada’s 8th Annual Colloquium.  The colloquium’s keynote speaker is the CMAA’s own Dr. William Mahrt. 

The August 6-9 conference in Vancouver is jam-packed with wonderful presentations, including topics like the role of memory in singing chant, the interaction between chant and polyphony and organ music, Hildegard of Bingen, and the connection between Catholic identity and Gregorian chant.  The preliminary conference schedule is available by clicking here.

Here’s the description of the conference, which has as its theme “Chant and Culture” and takes as its starting point Dr. Mahrt’s book The Musical Shape of the Liturgy.

The Gregorian Institute of Canada has focused from its inception on performance, providing a unique opportunity for scholars and performers from Canada and around the world to share and discuss their ideas, research, and experience. This year’s theme –Chant and Culture – is inspired by an essay currently found in WILLIAM MAHRT’s book, The Musical Shape of the Liturgy, and which also originally appeared as “Gregorian Chant as a Fundamentum of Western Musical Culture”, in Sacred Music (Spring 1975). In addition to academic papers, there will be workshops in chant performance, and liturgical offices sung in Gregorian chant.

Academic papers and workshops will address the broadly conceived colloquium theme – Chant and Culture. The conference program will include papers on European and Middle Eastern chant from c. 800 A.D. to our day – chant as melody and text, but also in its relations to (among others) instrumental music, opera, social history, women’s studies, theology, manuscript studies and edition.

More information can be found here.

The Schola Cantorum of Holy Family Church, Latrobe, PA, a choir of young women and girls, age 14 to 24, sings for the weekly celebration of the Eucharist in the Extraordinary Form. Since the 1st Sunday of Lent, 2013 the girls Schola has sung the Mass in both Gregorian Chant and polyphony. The director of the Schola is Fr. Stephen Concordia, O.S.B. who has advanced degrees in music from the New England Conservatory, Boston, and from the Pontifical Institute of Music in Rome. Most of the girls and young women also sing in the Saint Vincent Camerata or Camerata Scholars, other choirs dedicated to Sacred Music and directed by Fr. Stephen.

To insure that the Schola continue its ministry to Holy Family, and to offer opportunities to other talented and interested girls in our Diocese, we are planning to provide voice lessons and general music instruction to all its singers. The teachers will be two members of the Schola, Grettelyn Nypaver and Erin Nypaver. Grettelyn is a graduate of St. Vincent College with extensive training and experience in voice and in Latin. Erin is a graduate of Seton Hill University with a degree in Sacred Music. Fr. Concordia, assistant professor of music at Saint Vincent College, will supervise the curriculum and training, the focus of which will be vocal training, music literacy, and Catholic musical culture. Those interested in contributing financially or with other resources are kindly asked to contact Fr. Stephen at stephen.concordia@stvincent.edu.
Fr. Stephen Concordia, O.S.B.

Music has died now I’ve thrown away my CDs and only listen on my laptop

Is this an inevitable dynamic?

Or so says this person. So far as I can tell, this is not the case.

The music packet for Sacred Music Colloquium XXIII has been posted and is available for download.

Director of Music – St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana

Position Purpose: The purpose of this position is to lead worship and devotion music for the parish and various other needs of visitors and friends of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. St. John’s is the oldest Catholic Church in the city and is currently celebrating its 175th anniversary. It is a growing parish with 45% of its congregation under the age of 30. The young adult movement in the heart of the city, combined with an outstanding traditional parishioner base, makes it a wonderful place to minister and serve. Check out the active parish life at http://www.stjohnsindy.org

 
Major Responsibilities: The Director of Music for St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church will lead all liturgical and devotional music for the parish and various special events of the highly visited downtown parish. Specific responsibilities include:
+ Preparing, accompanying (organ and piano)and leading music for all Solemnity Masses including Weekend Masses, Holy Days and various special Masses hosted throughout the year.
+ Preparing, accompanying (organ and piano)and leading music for special devotional prayer including weekly Adoration, Stations of the Cross, Divine Mercy Sunday, Processions, and special devotional worship during Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.
+ Recruiting, growing, teaching and leading volunteer Traditional Choir and Young Adult/College Choir.
+ Recruiting, growing, teaching and leading volunteer cantors for all Masses, special liturgies and devotions.
+ Preparing and leading music for all parishioner weddings and funerals.
+ Coordinate music for various special liturgies hosted by St. John’s including but not limited to: St. John Girls Academy Annual Mass, Serra Club Mass for Vocations (September), Archdiocesan Race for Vocations Mass (First Weekend of May), Red Mass (October), Ancient Order of Hibernians (Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day), Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, and any other Archdiocesan, Ecumenical or Church related liturgies hosted by St. John’s
+Verify the maintenance and upkeep of the 50-stop Goulding & Wood Pipe Organ and Baldwin Piano.
+ Program and maintain the control unit for tower bells and carillon.
+ Attending Ministry Team meetings and retreats as requested by the Pastor.
+ Serve as a liaison and resource to the Worship and Devotion Parish Commission.
+ Working collaboratively with the Pastor to prepare excellent worship and devotional music for requested events.

Qualifications: St. John the Evangelist is seeking a highly motivated and faith filled member of the Roman Catholic Church to serve as Director of Music. Additional qualifications include:
+ Knowledge and love of the Catholic Church and Committed to all Church teachings
+ Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree
+ Excellent Musical Skills
+ Excellent Leadership and Organizational Skills
+ Knowledge of Universal Church Liturgical Documents and GIRM
+ Ability to lead choirs in a variety of Traditional and Contemporary Sacred Music
+ Experience in accompanying, singing and conducting
+ Team Oriented and Visionary

Submit letter of application and resumes to:
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
c/o Father Rick Nagel
126 West Georgia Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46225

For questions or more information contact Father Nagel at fathernagel@gmail.com