Teaching Gregorian Chant to Children
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    We have a small, but rather talented Children's Choir with a very capable children's choir director. This past year, the children managed a few of the easier Lenten Introit Antiphons out of the Simplex and did VERY well with the ICEL Chants in English.
    How would you proceed with developing the choir's experience with chant? What techniques have you used? Which chants?
    We also have a liturgy choir at the elementary school which consisted of six 4th grade students got which I am responsible. They have VERY little experience with chant. Where would you start?
    I'm sensing there will be opposition, particularly from the school community. Suggestions for gently incorporating a chant to round out their repertoire? I'm sure the argument that it is "unsingable" will be my primary obstacle.

    Thanks in advance!
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    http://musicasacra.com/music-pedagogy-for-children/wings/
  • Aristotle EsguerraAristotle Esguerra
    Posts: 1,187
    Start with simple litanic forms first: Kyrie, Agnus Dei, etc. Sheet music optional.
  • donr
    Posts: 971
    I would start with the Mass Ordinary as Aristotle has suggested but then I would go to doing a the Communion Antiphons, then the Offertory and the Introit out of the Lumen Christi Missal or the Simple English Propers or By Flowing Waters. They are easy enough to learn and will build confidence. Then move them on to something they know already, for example Adeste Fidelis, then something harder and go from there.
    Kids are very absorbent so they will suck it up more quickly than us old farts do. Take it slow but be ready with lots of stuff to do just in case.
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,503
    Have them listen, listen, listen...
    Along with the excellent suggestions above, I would try simple chants including:

    Ave Maria, Salve Regina, Tantum Ergo, Pange Lingua, Hodie Christus Natus Est, Panis Angelicus, Ubi Caritas, Veni Sancte Spiritus, In Paradisum, Veni Creator Spiritus...

    There are others. Listen to them on Youtube or Naxosmusiclibrary.com and find the ones you`ve heard or have pretty melodies to start. If you think the tune is catchy, so will they and then you can move to harder things with ease because the Latin won`t seem foreign.

    I think The Parish Book of Chant is rather useful. It is easy to follow for a beginner.


  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I've been following a similar method.

    Started with simple mass ordinaries and the responses at mass. I've been using some of the ad libitum communion antiphons and some of the common chant hymns such as Tantum Ergo, O Salutaris Hostia (to the tune used for Jesu Dulcis Memoria), Adoro Te Devote. The seasonal marian antiphons should be in there, but other ones such as Sub Tuum should also be learned.

    Stuff like Veni Creator Spiritus would be especially useful if you're in a situation where there are regular votive masses of the Holy Spirit. I think the real trick is to start with stuff that is going to be used regularly.

    But if you want to look for a corpus of gregorian chant, look to Jubilate Deo, which was intended to be the basic corpus of chant that all Catholics should know:

    http://www.ceciliaschola.org/pdf/jubilateb.pdf
  • Musicteacher56
    Posts: 621
    I have a small children's choir that is doing beautifully with chant. I started them out with the ICEL chants and went from there. They are now singing Ave Maria, Salve Regina, Ecce Panis and Panis Angelicus. They are also familiar with Adoro Te Devote and Laudate Dominum. Much to my dismay, they are far superior to the adults at this point.
    Thanked by 2noel jones, aago Earl_Grey
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    Much to my dismay, they are far superior to the adults at this point.


    I can't fathom what is dismaying about this.

    Perhaps it's that darn autocorrect again, and you really meant:
    Much to my dismay It will surprise absolutely no one that
    Thanked by 5Arthur Connick JulieColl Aristotle Esguerra Gavin Earl_Grey
  • Musicteacher56
    Posts: 621
    Dismay in the sense that the adults are so stubborn about it, while the children are open and free.
    Thanked by 4noel jones, aago donr Aristotle Esguerra Adam Wood
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    Be positive.

    Much to my dismay delight
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I just remembered that I managed to teach a group of altar servers at the Guild of St Stephen conference to sing the Latin Pater Noster and Credo I. Many of them had no exposure to latin before. In fact we had a quick lesson in basic latin pronunciation as we learned each section.

    Lots of encouragement as we went along helped a great deal. Kids love to be told that they are doing well and they respond when you show them confidence in their ability.

    Adults are generally stubborn and resist anything new to them.
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    Thanks! Great suggestions. Last year, I started teaching them the Ave Maria since the words are somewhat familiar and they did quite well. I'm hoping to get them to the point where THEY start asking for chant to be included in the Mass rather than me programming it and upsetting everyone....
    To that effect, have you had to work with your DRE on the "Family Mass"? I have a very outspoken DRE that would resist any chant at the Family Mass, I think, making it difficult for me to convince the Pastor that it should be included. We already use it during Lent exclusively for the Introit at all Masses and there is no room for negotiation on that, but as far as any other Masses are concerned, have you run into this problem or a similar one?
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,189
    In 20 years the children will be the adults and someone will be laying down the next course of stone of the new foundation.
    Thanked by 1DougS
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