Organ Accompaniment of Gregorian Chant, Parts I & II
Online lectures with Q & A via Zoom, with Dr. Horst Buchholz

Part I: To Play or Not to Play, That Is the Question (approx 90 minutes, including Q & A)
Examining organ accompaniment of chant, styles and principles, plus tips to craft your own.
Monday, March 23, 2026 at 7 pm Chicago time

The subject of chant accompaniment is a topic of lively discussion in the chant community. When might one wish to accompany chant? What does accompaniment do to the chant? These and other questions will be investigated, especially with regard to the relationship of organ support to congregational singing.

The bottom line: there are many ways to accompany chant depending on the situation, and there are a number of critical factors that will determine your success. We will explore these factors: whether or not to play the melody, how to determine chords and inversions, alternatim singing of schola and congregation, use of organ stops, manuals and pedals (or manuals only), observations about male and female voices, and improvisation.

Lecture will provide items of interest to beginning and experienced organists alike, and study materials to “take home". Several demonstrations will be included.

Part II: Techniques for crafting your own organ scores (approx 90 minutes, including Q & A)
Monday, April 20, 2026 at 7 pm Chicago time

Part II builds upon the basic techniques of chant accompaniment learned in Part I, expanding with harmonic coloring and transposition of chants. Freer forms of organ accompaniment (e.g. without melody) and melodies in the left hand (tenor cantus) will also be examined.​

prerequisite: completion of Part I

https://www.chantacademy.com/lecture-series
Bundle both Parts I and II for a reduction in tuition.
info@chantacademy.com