I found myself in an interesting discussion with a brilliant young composer I know. He asked about the non-Solesmes methods of interpreting chants. I referred him to a discussion I started some month ago, but that led to the thought that there might be more sacred music learning opportunities in the summer than we all might know about. There is, for instance, a simply spiffing Byrd festival in Portland every year that might interest some. I don't think I have ever seen it mentioned on this website, even though some people we know are involved. Maybe it gets mentioned on ChantCafe. I don't find the 2013 dates posted, although am sure they are, but check the Cantores in Ecclesia website for news.
I should check to see if St. Meinrad does something. Anything anyone know for sure on Laon/St. Gall? Or anything else, for that matter, that might interest folks on this list?
I'll be posting more about it once all the information is up on the program's website, but I'll be serving as the music director at this month-long summer institute for young people. We'll be chanting the propers and ordinary all summer, along with some polyphony, and there will be opportunities for private study in chant and talks on the liturgy and sacred music. Ecclesia Institute at University of Mary in Bismarck, ND.
The Saint Meinrad chant workshops with Fr. Columba are here. I took the two weeks of workshops in 1998, and they were fantastic, as was the experience of living in a Benedictine place for two weeks and praying with the monks. As for Laon/St. Gall, I left the workshops with a much better understanding of the markings and how to interpret them, not to a scholarly level of course, but I knew the meaning of the main markings and where to go for guidance on the rest.
I had a St Meinrad experience very similar to ScottK's, in 2007. It was wonderful to be in that monastic environment, and Fr Columba Kelley knows more than I'll ever be able to pick up in five lifetimes. But he's kind and gracious about it.
St. Meinrad's is wonderful and Fr. Columba is a remarkable man. I am an oblate of the monastery and attended the chant workshop 2 summers ago. Cannot say enough good things about it.
To participate in the discussions on Catholic church music, sign in or register as a forum member, The forum is a project of the Church Music Association of America.