Hispanic Ministry
  • Claire H
    Posts: 368
    As the recently-hired Music Director of a parish that is about half Hispanic, I would be thrilled to see a lecture/workshop and/or forum planned into the Colloquium for musicians serving Latino communities. There are many issues and dynamics often encountered when working with these people, their language, and their musical exposure/experience.

    Can the Colloquium staff consider this idea? And is there anyone else out there who would also benefit?
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Claire,

    Congratulations on your appointment! There are some on the Forum who have an interest, but it helps to have a a person like you who is active in a parish to really focus on what is needed. Some of the best comments and questions come from those out in the chant trenches.

    For directors who are interested in working with Hispanic singers, there is a link on www.basicchant.com for my first beginning book in Spanish - for free download or purchase printed and bound and, for those teaching a class.choir in English and Spanish I have a dual-language version facing-pages PDF I would sent out on request.
  • Claire H
    Posts: 368
    Thank you, Frogman. :) I'll have to check that out.

    Some of the most significant challenges I am encountering are lack of formal musical training (although the Latinos can often play/sing quite well by ear, they rarely know how to read music), a general absence of experience in any hymns/chant (most of their native music is quite "folksy" in style), and often, a fear of singing Latin (although pronunciation is actually way more natural for them than for English speakers, and once they start they can do it quite well). Also, their inability to read music tends to make them very intimidated to learn anything new. As one could imagine, the repertoire is rather limited. And perhaps others have noticed that often, Hispanics sing with great gusto, but without much tone or intonation. :]

    Please, I'd like to hear from anyone else who works with Hispanics. What challenges have you faced, and how did you address them? What successes have you enjoyed, and how did you achieve them?
  • henry
    Posts: 241
    I've been working with Hispanics for many years. Yes, there is a lack of musical training and their music is "folksy", but that might be because publishers like OCP feature a lot of that music. Some of their old traditional hymns "Bendito, Bendito"; "O Buen Jesus"; "Altisimo Senor" are very traditional. My choir is also opposed to Latin, but over the years they have yielded to singing some, especially in bilingual liturgies (Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, etc). As far as learning anything new, I'm afraid I have to teach it phrase by phrase in rote style. I too have noticed how off key they are sometimes, especially unaccompanied. Over the years, though, with the organ they have fallen into line. Best of wishes in your work.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    I'm sure that the off-key is due to the rather wide pitch swing in much of the popular music on Hispanic radio, which is used as an ornamentation. Recently recordings in modern singing style as we know it have been popping up as well.
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