Abbot Marc Crilly of St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, Massachusetts, sent us some news:

Announcing the 2025 New England Sacred Music Workshop!

New England Sacred Music and St. Benedict Abbey are pleased to invite you to a two-and-a-half-day sacred music workshop in beautiful Still River Massachusetts! This workshop is designed for advanced singers and directors who wish to delve further into neumatic interpretation, and for intermediate singers who are looking to broaden their understanding of the repertoire.

Rehearsals and classes will be taught by faculty with a breadth of experience teaching and directing sacred music in monasteries, cathedrals, and parishes of all sizes. Lauds and Vespers will be chanted each day with the monks. In addition to all of the chant propers, participants will sing a polyphonic ordinary and several motets at the two Masses: one Friday evening at St. Benedict Abbey, and one on Saturday at noon at the magnificent St. Cecilia Church in Leominster.

Faculty:
- David Hughes (Denver, Colorado): Advanced Chant, Polyphony
- Samuel Schmitt (Bridgeport, Connecticut): Refresher Chant
- Pedro d'Aquino (Brooklyn, New York): Organ Improvisation

Speakers:
- Bishop Robert McManus (Worcester, Massachusetts)
- Father Robert Pasley (President, Church Music Association of America)
- Mark Langley (Lancaster, Massachusetts)

Cost:
- $200 per participant (Includes all workshop materials and six meals. Does not include lodging.)
- We are eager to encourage students and parish choirs to attend. To that end, there will be a generous 50% discount per person for any parish which sends more than five choristers, or any school (secondary or college) which sends more than ten students.

Lodging:
Saint Benedict Abbey is unable to provide lodgings for participants. If you are local, we suggest you commute to and from the Abbey.

Otherwise, the following hotels are in close proximity to the Abbey:
- Nashoba Valley Inn & Suites (nashobavalleyinn.com)
- Boxboro Regency (boxbororegency.com)
- Hilton Garden Inn Devens (hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rooms/?ctyhocn=ORHDCGI)

Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to write us at info@newenglandsacredmusic.org.

Contact:
- For further information, please write info@newenglandsacredmusic.org.
Registration:
- Please register at the following link: newenglandsacredmusic.org/register
We look forward to having you join us!


On the 16th, 17th and 18th of October, we are hosting a Sacred Music Workshop, which will especially deal in Gregorian chant, but will also include organ improvisation on chant themes and some polyphony. You can read the details of the event on the following Facebook page:  

https://www.facebook.com/events/1419834659083271/

And here is the registration form:

https://newenglandsacredmusic.org/register

We hope you will be able to join us as we praise God through the beauty of the Church's treasury of sacred music.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Abbot Marc

[ PS: For GPS or hotel-search purposes, the address of the abbey is: 252 Still River Road, Harvard, MA 01451 ]