https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/categories/music-education-general/feed.rss Wed, 13 May 26 03:46:04 +0000 Music Education: General - MusicaSacra Church Music Forum en-CA https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/20155/sacred-and-secular-musical-canons-rounds Mon, 25 Jul 2022 01:55:09 +0000 francis 20155@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22756/history-of-liturgical-music-during-the-romantic-era-1800-1910 Tue, 02 Sep 2025 13:49:08 +0000 rvisser 22756@/forum/discussions As I prepare for the upcoming school year, I am looking for ways to incorporate music history into my 2x weekly schola rehearsals with middle schoolers, and 1x week rehearsal with high school (90 minutes). Last year we did a VERY broad overview of the Baroque Era during first semester, and Classical Era in the spring, and sang music representative of both periods that was within the ability level of the students (for example, the first section of Vivaldi's "Gloria" and Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus."). We also did some music listening of non-liturgical music (ex. Beethoven's 5th symphony, discussing the development of motives and sonata form).

Moving into the Romantic Era, liturgical music starts to diverge from the repertoire that I learned in music history classes prior to converting to Catholicism. I don't have as much knowledge of liturgical music during this time period.
Who are some essential liturgical composers of the Romantic Era? I have a decent understanding of the history of the Roman Rite during this time (didn't change much from Trent), but am interested to know more about what happened with liturgical music during this time period.

We will be singing music by Schubert, Saint-Saens, Franck, Faure, Bruckner, possibly Rheinberger, and Holst (probably counts as Modern, not Romantic). Who/what am I missing? For context, this is a NO parish, but many of the students have attended the Latin Mass.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22739/iso-online-music-literacy-series-for-choir-members Sun, 24 Aug 2025 22:09:04 +0000 MaestroMark32 22739@/forum/discussions
I serve at a retirement community parish in Sun City West, AZ. We have a wonderful choir that usually has balanced voices. I have members mostly 55 and older. It's a mix of very capable and literate musicians, and those who are not musically literate.

Someone suggested that I put educational material in the choir handbook to assist members with their musical literacy. However, as we all know, music learning is a communal activity, and no amount of detail in the written work can substitute for the interactive nature of music learning. I think that an online interactive resource would help them best.

I myself grew up with a Lutheran Church in town that had a week long music camp every summer. The local University, NIU, had a community school of Music which had music camps as well in the summer. In the early days of the personal computer, we had a delightfully simple computer software called "MusicAce."

Is there any series of YouTube videos that you know about that may help them?

or Any websites (free or subscription) that may have a set of music lessons (similar to MusicAce) that I could offer for them to use to learn some basic music literacy?

Thanks!
~Mark]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22353/its-easy-to-mistake-emotional-manipulation-for-a-movement-of-god-right Sat, 22 Mar 2025 18:39:55 +0000 francis 22353@/forum/discussions
https://www.christianitytoday.com/2023/05/worship-music-emotionally-manipulative-leader-hillsong/]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22295/best-theoretical-approach-to-teach-priests-to-sing-the-no-mass Thu, 27 Feb 2025 17:46:44 +0000 Gamba 22295@/forum/discussions
My brain is probably poisoned by an almost-entirely-keyboard-based education, so forgive me if this is a silly question.

I have taught choir members to read 5-line modern notation, and I've taught people to play the piano and organ. It's pretty easy to teach: "The note on the second line is G, which will always be right 'there' on the keyboard, and sound and feel exactly like 'this' in your voice."

I've also taught people with no musical background to sing the chant from 4-line notation. That's even easier: "let's sing the scale; look, the funny-looking C marks Do, mind the half-steps, here we go."

What I am really not sure how to do is to teach this priest the chants in the Missal, written as they are in 5-line modern notation, with what looks like absolute pitch. Of course in reality, the pitch of the preface changes depending on the Sanctus, and the collects are sung wherever they feel good in his voice. All the resources I would ordinarily give to someone learning modern music are built to reinforce "this is what C sounds like and it's always the same".

Had the 2011 Missal been engraved with square notes, I'd have a much better time.

Those of you who have taught priests with no [Western] musical background to sing, what did you do? Teach ABCDEFG as absolutes first, and then tell them the pitch is movable? Lead with "all of this is relative"?





]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/22219/sabaritone-pieces Sun, 26 Jan 2025 23:49:34 +0000 Egrimm84 22219@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/18350/solfege-in-lilypond Tue, 11 Aug 2020 15:03:57 +0000 Adam Wood 18350@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/21962/course-of-study-for-classically-trained-singers Fri, 04 Oct 2024 09:27:52 +0000 LM0428DS 21962@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/21860/how-to-train-voice-for-octavism Thu, 08 Aug 2024 04:43:52 +0000 Geremia 21860@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/21812/recommended-readingvirtual-training Sat, 13 Jul 2024 13:06:46 +0000 Joseph_M 21812@/forum/discussions
I always overlooked music theory when receiving piano lessons throughout my childhood. I now realize the importance of it. I'm Looking for recommendations of books to read, virtual trainings, YouTube channels etc to devote myself to improving my ability to serve the Church. I'm responsible for 2 parishes (OF). One with a well established choir, and one that needs a lot of work. We use We Celebrate hymnal and missalettes. I have a Tonebase piano subscription I'm gaining value from for Music Theory. I don't know much about directing a choir, especially from the organ. My main desire is eventually to have a schola sing chant, but I realize that's a different style of conducting. I've listened to a lot of Chant School Podcast info. Read/Listened to Dr Mahrt.

Essentially, what do I need to study to get the necessary skills, theoretical knowledge, and competence to do this job well and not feel like an imposter? Sorry for the lack of clarity and rant]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/21052/teaching-organ Sat, 29 Jul 2023 18:34:02 +0000 monasteryliturgist 21052@/forum/discussions
I am also looking for beginner pedal exercises. ]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/20780/looking-for-advanced-studies-in-gregorian-chant-pdf Tue, 28 Mar 2023 12:50:32 +0000 OMagnumMysterium 20780@/forum/discussions
I saw the CMAA shop offers a reprint of Justine Ward's "Advanced studies in Gregorian Chant", and I thought it looked interesting. At a glance, it looked like all the CMAA reprints are also available online as pdfs, so I was going to read it online first before buying it, but for some reason I can't find that one in the "resources" section. If anyone could tell me where I could find a free pdf of the book, or the reason why one isn't available, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks!]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/20062/the-catholic-choirbook-choir-training-guide Tue, 21 Jun 2022 02:43:06 +0000 hillperson 20062@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/18355/beginners039-intonation-training-apps Sun, 16 Aug 2020 20:46:48 +0000 Geremia 18355@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/19626/seeking-organ-teacher-in-southwestern-indiana-area Tue, 11 Jan 2022 05:17:49 +0000 StimsonInRehab 19626@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/19406/vocal-pedagogy-for-psalm-tone-recitation Fri, 15 Oct 2021 13:23:45 +0000 liampmcdonough 19406@/forum/discussions
There is a certain fragility to the musicality of psalm chanting that I am finding impossible to teach, no matter how often demonstrated. Part of me wants to think that people just aren't concentrating hard enough on the proper technique, because the melodies are deceptively easy. Or maybe you have to grow up steeped in this stuff to understand what the right sound is?]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/19168/beethoven039s-irish-works Fri, 09 Jul 2021 11:59:34 +0000 Don9of11 19168@/forum/discussions Irish Songs, WoO 154, for voice and piano trio | Beethoven

Here is my question: what does WoO mean? For example if you do a Google search for WoO 154, it brings back several hits of Beethoven's works. Is it WoO (capital "O") or is it (zero)? I've seen it both ways?

I was thinking it was and acronym for wood instruments?

Any help would be appreciated]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/19113/the-solfege Fri, 18 Jun 2021 19:55:07 +0000 AugustinusLondinii 19113@/forum/discussions
My other question concerns round notes, as we sing a considerable amount of polyphony in our choir. My ability to use the Solfège, even for C Major on the Treble clef, seems to be much inferior for the modern five line stave than the four line chant stave. Is this just because I am much more used to the chant stave? and is the solution just more practice? I also have trouble picking up the right note for entries in polyphony. Is there a structured method for improving this? Thanks very much in advance for answers.

]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/13986/some-artwork-neumes-and-notes Sun, 10 Jul 2016 10:55:42 +0000 bonniebede 13986@/forum/discussions Feel free to use it if you need large pictures of notes and neumes.
Cheers
Bonniebede
Update 1 11/07/2016 more neumes.]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/19010/summer-offerings-including-online-from-the-st.-gregory-institute Wed, 12 May 2021 11:57:12 +0000 Nicholas_Will 19010@/forum/discussions PENTECOST TERM COURSES


The Saint Gregory Institute of Sacred Music is pleased to announce a number of faculty appointments and its Pentecost (Summer) Term course offerings (May 17 – August 20), including two online options.

• Organ Improvisation with Dr. Ann Labounsky and Dr. Benjamin Cornelius-Bates, Wednesdays, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
• Composition Forum* with Luke Mayernik and guests (including Dr. Peter Latona, David Conte, Michel Guimont, and others) Fridays, 3:00-4:30 p.m. via Zoom
• Organ Class with Rebecca Rollett, Dr. Neil Stahurski, and Nicholas Will
Tuesdays, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
• Counterpoint* with Dr. Vincent Rone
Thursdays, 8:00-9:30 a.m. via Zoom

*online courses

More information, including fees, can be found at https://saintgregoryinstitute.org/courses. Last day for registration is Friday, May 14.
]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/18593/reina-sofia-school-of-music-music-studies-in-madrid Thu, 17 Dec 2020 19:03:05 +0000 chonak 18593@/forum/discussions
The range of specializations does not list organ, but for students in piano, voice, or composition, there are programs.
http://www.escuelasuperiordemusicareinasofia.es/en/admission-process
]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/18304/the-benedictines-of-stanbrook-abbey Thu, 23 Jul 2020 22:08:42 +0000 tomjaw 18304@/forum/discussions https://archive.org/details/grammarofplainso00stanuoft/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/GregorianMusicAnOutline

https://archive.org/details/the_day_hours_of_the_church/page/n1/mode/2up

I have the expanded 5th edition of the last book!]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/2053/minimum-repertoire-for-children Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:29:36 +0000 Jeffrey Tucker 2053@/forum/discussions St. Edward Catholic Church, Newark, explaining the rationale of his Minimum Parish Repertoire that is part of the school curriculum.

]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/17949/study-projects Thu, 26 Mar 2020 14:26:11 +0000 Kathy 17949@/forum/discussions https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/15455/sacred-music-apprenticeship-program-at-sjb Thu, 19 Oct 2017 22:22:10 +0000 JamesSenson 15455@/forum/discussions
The idea stemmed from the lack of trained musicians at the parish-level, both cantors and organists, in *all* parts of sacred music: hymnody, psalms, Gregorian chant, and polyphony. In addition, perhaps the most important piece that unites all of it is the practical and spiritual formation.

So after almost two years of discerning what to do, where last year we had one student serve as our "beloved guinea pig" to test our ideas, Lizzie and I came up with this program which serves our parish. We currently have four parishioners (two choristers, two chorister/organists).

Looking at this document, it would be great to have your input. It would be even more rewarding if there was a similar program out there that we are not aware of.

As said earlier, the focus is at the parish-level. We can easily see this go at a much bigger scale but for us right now, the focus is local.

Thank you!

James Senson
Director of Music
Saint John the Beloved Catholic Church
McLean, VA
jamessenson8@gmail.com]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/17162/need-help-to-find-a-good-course-for-a-bachelor039s-degree Wed, 22 May 2019 18:19:51 +0000 Neil 17162@/forum/discussions Thanks
Neil]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/17004/master-of-sacred-music Tue, 02 Apr 2019 14:20:39 +0000 Ally 17004@/forum/discussions The Master of Sacred Music at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX prepares students for employment as professional Church musicians. The UST Music Department offers an extraordinary educational opportunity for anyone wishing to study and pursue careers in organ and vocal performance, teaching, or church music. The program integrates the musical, liturgical, and pastoral dimensions to ground students professionally in liturgical music as a ministry. Graduates of the program will be prepared to work with clergy and congregations in a full or part-time capacity, as well as to teach. The MSM at the University of St. Thomas is based on Roman Catholic traditions and practice, but is open to and provides training for church musicians from a variety of Christian traditions and experiences.

The Master of Sacred Music program is situated within the Department of Music in the School of Arts and Sciences. The University of St. Thomas provides a philosophical and theological grounding in the Catholic tradition which permeates the campus. Students are exposed to a wide variety of intellectual and artistic experiences at the university, as well as the wealth of musical experiences to be found in a world-class city. Houston is home to a vibrant arts scene, and as the fourth-largest city in the United States, it boasts a rich sacred music tradition in its many historical churches and cathedrals.

The Master of Sacred Music at the University of St. Thomas is a 32 credit hour graduate degree. The core curriculum consists of seminars in sacred music history, liturgical studies, conducting, and a supervised practicum, with applied concentrations in organ or vocal performance, or choral conducting. A variety of elective courses are available, including Gregorian chant, organ literature, multicultural liturgy, and additional theological studies.

If you are interested in more information, please contact:

Dr. Brady Knapp,
Chair, Music Department
Director of Vocal and Choral Studies
knappb ( at ) stthom ( dot ) edu

or

Prof. Alexis Kutarna
Adjunct Professor of Sacred Music
(Liturgical Studies, Chant, and Practicum)
kutarna ( at ) stthom ( dot ) edu


*On a personal note, it has been a joy to teach in this program. I invite you to consider UST as a possibility for your graduate studies in sacred music. We have some exciting new opportunities for our students, and I would love to speak with you about it all! Please don't hesitate to contact me for curriculum information, organ internship/staff singer placement opportunities, or other questions.
In Christ,
Alexis
]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/16505/paper-continental-organists-and-catholic-church-music-in-ireland-1860-1960 Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:31:11 +0000 eft94530 16505@/forum/discussions
http://eprints.maynoothuniversity.ie/5088/1/Mary_Regina_Deacy_20140623124216.pdf

EDIT: added the http bits]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/15667/music-psychology-study Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:57:04 +0000 ViolinJames 15667@/forum/discussions
I'm a graduate student running a study on the effect of music on language processing. If anybody has 10-15 minutes spare, i would be really grateful if you could listen to some music clips and rate them for their emotional content. It's mostly film music with a few other odds and ends mixed in.

The survey is at https://www.psytoolkit.org/cgi-bin/psy2.4.0/survey?s=V6jYy

There is the opportunity to enter a draw for a £30 (or local equivalent) amazon voucher at the end.

Many thanks

J]]> https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/16188/preludes-and-postludes-suitable-for-good-pianist-starting-pipe-organ-lessons Wed, 04 Jul 2018 22:25:18 +0000 WillWilkin 16188@/forum/discussions
In broad outline, his immediate plan is to request access to the beautiful pipe organ at our parish (where we now sing together in the choir) for daily practice and, depending on the teacher, also for lessons. That request will be made jointly to the Pastor and the Music Director. He intends to find a teacher soon and has had an excellent 3-hour first lesson by a Dean of a local chapter of the American Guild of Organists, who is too busy until 2019 but can help us find another teacher.

As a mid-term goal, he wants organ lessons to give him not just technique and proficiency in the manuals and pedals, but also to learn a repertoire suitable as preludes and postludes to the weekly mass. That would give him opportunities to begin playing at various local churches, to gain experience and confidence, and also make professional and personal connections with the musicians and pastors in the area.

A more long-term goal will be to also play the hymns and other liturgical music suitable for the mass, first aspiring to be a substitute organist locally and eventually to become the organist and/or music director at a local church.

I want to buy him some sheet music that will be accessible to his level (now or soon), and suitable for preludes and postludes at mass. Here is my short list of works under consideration, I welcome any advice about this list or any other sheet music that would benefit him:

1) Pachelbel: Organ Works (Dover Music for Organ)

2) Buxtehude: Organ Works (Dover Music for Organ)

3) The Liturgical Organist, Vol 1: Easy Compositions -- Preludes/Interludes/Postludes for Pipe or Reed Organ with Hammond Registrations by Carlo Rossini

4) The Practical Organist: 50 Short Works for Church Services (Dover Music for Organ) by Alexandre Guilmant

5) Gregorian chant themes in organ music before 1750: Les themes gregoriens dans la musique d'orgue des origines a 1750, Claude Gay, Published by GIA Publications (1996) ISBN 10: 0941050769 ISBN 13: 9780941050760

Thanks MUCH for any advice, --Will.]]>