SEEK Conference Music
  • Hi Colleagues:

    Does anyone know what liturgy and music is like at the SEEK24 conference in St. Louis? Is it quality, beautiful, reverent, and sacred? Or an abomination to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?

  • Diapason84
    Posts: 79
    The promotional material gives off a sense of very contemporary, and there’s at least one photo of two young people standing in the orans position, surrounded by multicolored lights. Make of that what you will. I am open to being corrected.
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    There are five big Masses during SEEK. Three of them feature praise bands, so while the music is probably very well done (given the very experienced band members), it's probably not what MaestroMark (or many of us) would like to experience at a Mass.

    Contrarily, the other two Masses feature a traditional choir, music selected and conducted by Adam Bartlett (whose name will be familiar to many forum-goers). Those Masses feature chant in English, in Adam's adaptations, as well as motets by esteemed composer Frank La Rocca and numerous traditional hymns.

    So they're offering two very contrasting modes of musical worship.

    There's probably music during Eucharistic adoration and other conference events, but I don't know what that music is. If I had to guess, I'd wager more praise band, perhaps toned down to "meditative".
  • Diapason84
    Posts: 79
    In terms of the praise bands, that’s unfortunate, as is the seeming equivocation by the event planners between appropriate music and inappropriate.
    Thanked by 2irishtenor tomjaw
  • Splenda
    Posts: 12
    I have attended a conference, and played organ with the choir at it as a college student. The masses with the choir are beautiful and the music is tastefully selected as stated above.

    At the masses with a more contemporary ensemble- they still often used some antiphons and more traditional settings of music. The masses still use noble music and are incredibly well executed. While a lover of chant and organ myself, and normally hesitant when I hear of that sort of ensemble, in no way did the music make me uncomfortable. It showed me that if done well, in the right setting, and within specific circumstances, can offer something beautiful to the Lord and be an encounter with beauty for those present. I think it is also important to note that these masses are celebrated in an event center or similar space- with long processions and unique logistical considerations.

    I have nothing but the utmost respect for the music that FOCUS uses at their conferences. As a former FOCUS student myself, they do a wonderful job of introducing college students to reverent worship and my attendance at the conference had a significant impact on my desire to work towards a renewal sacred music within a parish setting. Much of what I learned from Adam Bartlett working in music at the conference, has been applicable within my current parish music director job. What we learned there we were even able to take back and implement some of the antiphons at our campus student center. I know that this has been the experience of others as well- who were there the same year I was.

    We should commend FOCUS on the work they do to promote reverent liturgies with beautiful music. :)
  • PaxMelodious
    Posts: 440
    So they're offering two very contrasting modes of musical worship.


    It sounds remarkably catholic (small c intentional). It's great to see different styles co-existing.
    Thanked by 1a_f_hawkins
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,084
    One Mass video has been posted so far:
    https://youtu.be/H0yHVsaf6Vk?si=F7wisjBkD3Zmth2f&t=54

    Thanked by 1GerardH
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 622
    They skipped the Kyrie?
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,084
    From Adam's post:

    Similarly, about 90% of the people I talked with were either at Source & Summit parishes or had encountered the Source & Summit Missal in the pews at a parish before. Virtually all of the priests were saying that they were considering making a switch to S&S for their parishes. I am truly amazed as I reflect and consider how far we have come.

    Do any of you know about parishes using Source and Summit whose Masses are posted online? I'd like to sample some of those Mass videos regularly to see how Source and Summit's program is being implemented where it's being used.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,467
    One thing I did not see in the SEEK day2 video was much in the way of clergy or people singing, maybe one in twenty at best.
  • davido
    Posts: 942
    Hawkins: Sounds about average for your regular parish population
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,084
    I found one parish with weekly Mass livestreams that uses Source & Summit: Christ the King in Milwaukie, OR.

    https://www.youtube.com/@MonsignorJohnCihak/streams

    It's very hard to find parishes online that use S&S.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen tomjaw