Oh my! You sound like you will be a real blessing at a very lucky church!

I would, if I were you, find the church in your area with the BEST music program - (lots of Gregorian Chant, polyphony, propers... etc. etc.). This might be a drive. Then, attend Mass there or, if you have the time, join the choir. I think you can start learning and helping right away if you like.

The only thing I would say is that being a musician at church has often been a distraction to my own presence at Mass and sometimes hindered my prayer life and relationship with our Lord in the Eucharist. As a neophyte, you may want to just spend time in prayer, developing that relationship until you come into the church in the spring. Or, if you have the time, add attending an extra mass during the week or on Sunday to your schedule, just to grow in the love of our Lord.

Welcome!

Move to Phoenix, AZ. The weather is lovely and we'll put you to work.

" . . . Phoenix, AZ. The weather is lovely . . ."

Except that it's so not a dry heat during monsoon season, which is very humid.

A visit pilgrimage (or two [or three]) to Walsingham in Houston wouldn't hurt.
Solemn high mass (sometimes pontifical) is every Sunday and Solemnity at 11.15am, and on every week-day solemnity at 6.30pm

Devouring accounts of liturgical history and development, such as Jungman and others, would give you good academic tincture.

There is a plethora of good liturgy for view on the internet.
Ditto literally any music that you could want to hear.

Membership in notable (meaning them that sing exquisite sacred music) choirs and scholas, whether they be accomplished or not, will teach you immensely about sacred music and the liturgy which it adorns; not to mention friendship with like-minded folk and the knowledge and manners of thinking that come with such holy camaraderie.

By all means get degrees from the best professors you can get to and afford. There is no substitute for the systematic assimilation of historical academic knowledge and the intellectual polish that accompanies it, adding to the authority and spiritual depth of all your learning from all sources within and beyond university walls.

Never miss an opportunity to attend sacred concerts of famed choirs regardless of what church they hail from. The best are English, American Episcopalian, and Lutheran, though one does encounter every now and then an admirable Catholic choir of some renown.

Attend Fr Columba Kelly's annual summer workshop at St Meinrad's Archabbey in Indiana. There is no greater tutelage about chant to be had from anyone or any organisation or 'Association' in this country - some that is more popular, maybe, but none that is more academically and musically defensible with respect to the historical paleographic record of western liturgical chant. (With chant especially, learn to distinguish between 'what everybody is doing' and what represents a historically objective and desirable paradigm.)

More with respect to chant: in addition to Fr Columba's tutelage, obtain, devour, and inwardly digest Dom Cardine's Gregorian Semiology - this should be your default frame of reference for any authoritative chanting. Anything else is made up child's play.

Sing every day. If you say the daily office, sing it. When you pray, sing your prayers. Let Musicality shape even your everyday speech. Cultivate a musical mind. Think music always - let even your thoughts be mentally sung. (Keep Calm and Sing Everything.)

(Perhaps more later.)

All the above advice is good, but since it sounds like you were specifically asking for a reading list and no one has yet to mention any books, I'll offer the following titles to get you started:

Assuming we are talking about the Ordinary Form, the most essential would be the General Instruction of the Roman Missal for the most current edition of the Roman Missal. This will explain the Mass step by step with all the possible options and variations on what to sing where. This will also acclimate you to church-speak before reading other Church documents on the Liturgy.

Also the Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) from Vatican II & the most recent statement from the USCCB on sacred music Sing to the Lord: Music in Dive Worship

Selected books:
The Spirit of the Liturgy by Pope Benedict XVI
The Musical Shape of the Liturgy by William Mahrt
Catholic Music Through the Ages by Edward Schaeffer

This is just a start. There is much more, but this would be a good starting point.

There is a wealth of things to read on MusicaSacra.com including historical documents which are no longer particular law, but offer perspective and an historic context. Many of the Popes from the last 100 years starting with Pope St. Pius X wrote extensively on liturgy and sacred music. Most of their writings can be found for free on the Vatican website.

The Adoremus Bulletin is another good online source for liturgical commentary and there are also many good short articles on CanticaNova.com

I can't thank you enough for your advice! I feel so blessed to have found an online community that is able to answer my sacred music questions so directly. Just yesterday I got in touch with a music director that is looking for cantors so that will be a great way to jump in - I hope!! (As long as she is willing to give me any and all cues and a good prep beforehand!) Thank you for all the specific reading lists and ideas of how to get involved. I am incredibly excited that there is a sacred music workshop at St. Meinrad because I live in Indiana!!
I have three young children so I have already been attending two masses occasionally so that I can really soak in everything without having to worry about keeping the kids quiet and focused. This is a learning curve for them as well!

Thank you again!! God Bless