Of course, KLS, but I wouldn't trust the responses proferred by our current regime out here for all the snow in North Carolina.

Where did I suggest "sending" our responses?
Here.

I believe the bishops' conference has requested the input of the individual dioceses on this one. This just crossed my desk the other day. It should take some time and effort.

My first installment:

These responses are based only upon this responder’s knowledge of regional and diocesan practices in Central California, and California (Metropolitan of Los Angeles) in general.

1. What institutions are there that are dedicated to the field of sacred music (Episcopal Commissions, Diocesan, State, etc.)?
*There is only one of which I’m aware, and it is a brand new start-up, not quite off the planning stages. This would be the Institute for Sacred Music being formulated by Abp. Cordileone (San Francisco) and Fr. Samuel Weber. They have had their inaugural event, an EF Mass in Marin. But I don’t think the actual program has begun its duties as of late February 14.

2. What engagement has the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy in the field of music? Does it include experts in Sacred Music?
*In the Fresno Diocese, there is no formal commission. Rather, the priest/director of the OoWorship has personally appointed what are designated three individual DM’s as “Mentors,” with one of them more or less functioning as the president/liason to directors throughout the diocese when there are diocesan events and Masses to assist.

3. At the diocesan, regional, or national levels, are there structures for musical, liturgical or spiritual formation for the various roles in animation (animator of the assembly, psalmist, organist, composition, etc.)?
*The two major “structures” for musical/liturgical formation are the National Assn. of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) and the Church Music Assn. of America (CMAA, the “older” of the two as its origins go back to the Caecilian Society of the 19th century.) The secular American Guild of Organists (AGO) has influenced Catholic practicum for many decades, as has the American Choral Directors Assn. (ACDA) and the Choristers’ Guild (CG, tho’ it’s leanings are towards Protestant forms.) Other institutions of note include the academic guild “Adoremus,” The Latin Mass Society (branches in various locales), The Liturgical Institute based at St. John’s College, MN., the Center for Liturgy, St. Louis, MO., Liturgical Institute of Mundelein Seminary, IL., the North American Academy of Liturgy, Notre Dame Institute of Liturgy, IN., and other collegiate centers.
Locally, there are no formal structures in our diocese. There have been perhaps two liturgical/musical formation events in the last quarter century in this diocese.
Occasionally, regional events occur in some metropolitan areas such as San Francisco, Sacramento and San Diego. Recently a CMAA affiliated group presented a basics of chant workshop in Fresno, the first of its kind apart from local scholas that sing at Fresno’s only EF Mass in one parish there. Forty-seven people attended, a very positive indication of interest within this particular diocese.

4. What structures are there to promote the pastoral care of artists in their musical activity (in theatres, concert halls, conservatoires?)
*California is very enriched territory for the arts, including demonstration of sacred arts in secular situations from major metro centers to small towns 100K or lower populations. It would be too lengthy to try to list them all, but from world-class to extremely professional organizations of performing arts companies dot the entire state.

5. How are those who have an academic musical formation prepared to integrate into the liturgy?
*In California, none to extremely few. There are no extant degrees (under or post-grad) with emphasis and diplomas in sacred/liturgical music either in Catholic private universities nor in the denominational private colleges. If those schools offer degrees in music, they model themselves after secular public/private colleges emphasizing MusEd, MusPerf., Composition and Theory, MusTech, MusBusiness, etc. The musicological curricula that deals with the history and timeline of the evolution of formal sacred music arts deals with its relationship to other scholastic aspects of the degree program and not the pragmatic understanding of the function of liturgics. In some of the denominational college music departments, such as exists at Fresno Pacific U. (A Mennonite College), they have instituted broad programs in what they articulate as “Contemporary” worship practices focusing upon youth and young adult ministries. And one can receive a degree in that area of study as one might receive a degree in Jazz Studies at USC or other specialized schools within colleges.
It is interesting to mention that the absence of degree programs in Sacred Music coincides with the long-time existence of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley CA, with many orders overseeing advanced degrees (FST, Claretians, Domincans, Jesuits et al), none of them in practical application of musical formation to my knowledge.

6. What formation is given to those who are given responsibility to ensure the interior adhesion and exterior participation of the faithful, through the way of behaving during liturgical functions, gestures to be carried out, etc.? *No response.

7. In the course of ordinary formation of the clergy and religious men and women, what attention is given to musical formation?
*Anecdotally, it seems like almost none from the two major seminaries, St. Patrick’s in Menlo Park, and St. John’s in Camarillo, CA. Both of these, however, have distinguished faculty who specialize in the area of musical and liturgical praxis formation for priests, Dr. Bob Hurd and Dr. Paul F. Ford, respectively. But, as I’ve understood from conversations and observance in two major dioceses over four decades, few graduates have any solid understanding of even some of the most basic terminologies, histories and philosophies that they bring to the management of their liturgical resources at the local level after ordination.
But it seems that oversight is slowly being remediated among younger generations of prospective clergy who are very interested in researching or (dare I say) recovering the full contents of the Sacred Music treasury to hopefully apply to their own leadership abilities upon ordination and assignment as celebrants and parochial vicars.

Thanks, Arthur for 1 and 3 errata. Question 4 in your interpretation then makes no sense to me with the qualifying venues in parentheses.
I'm not empaneled in our diocesan "Music Mentors" cohort, so I just wrote this stuff out for posterity, didn't actually think anyone would actually read it. ;-)

No. 6 refers to those persons - most beloved of some contributors to this forum - who are the animateurs/animatrices de la musique, namely, the hand-waving microphone huggers music leaders of the liturgical assembly.

Song leaders, in other words.That's a relief. The euphemistic language had me fooled. I thought they were getting ready to trot out the liturgical police.

Thanks for the clarification. Reminds me of a Latin Mass I used to attend where there was a person designated for such a task who sat in the front row, and people were encouraged to watch to see when to sit or stand. The only problem was that the otherwise exemplary designated role model NEVER spoke or sang the parts of the Mass and never even opened his/her mouth during Mass at all, so there was a great deal of confusion over whether vocal congregation participation was encouraged or not.

aggiornimento

keep an open mind, and everything will roost there.

aggiornimento

I don't think stuffiness is a good choice, either.

There's a difference between opening the window and knocking the house down.

I am surprised and disappointed by this document. It seems very shallow, and simply asks the wrong questions. Does this question really need to be asked?:
14. Is there space in the different musical expressions (rock ‘n’ roll, pop, musical,
ambiental music, experimental and electronic etc.) for a dialogue that can lead to a
redefinition of sacred music? Indeed of liturgical music?
Many of the questions just don't seem to make sense, perhaps it is the translation. I don't understand what they are getting at with "musical animators". Is that really where the church is at? I don't know where this document is coming from, it seems to begin at a very slanted stance. Problematic is a question such as: "Is Gregorian chant used on festivals" -- what about the rest of the liturgical year?
Well, I suggest that we respond to it though, after all, they have asked for it.

Also posted this at PTB, but didn't get any hits:

I can’t make head or tail of the paragraph on concerts:

“As with other cultural initiatives, any concerts should respect the clear guidelines laid down by the Magisterium (cf. particularly, The Congregation for Divine Worship on Concerts in Churches), and show a spiritual character that places them clearly in the sacred context. In fact, if similar initiatives are to be a valid means to safeguard the traditional sacred music patrimony, stimulating an enriching encounter with civil life, and promoting the spiritual elevation of believers and non-believers, not for this should there be a general opening, but something motivated by cultural goals.”

Particularly the end of the paragraph – “not for this…”
Not for the reasons just listed? Or does it mean that even with these reasons, the opening should not be general? But what does that mean practically – is there a difference between a general opening and one motivated by cultural goals?

I’m intrigued because we have so few guidelines for concerts outside of the CDW document mentioned from the 80′s. This institute seems to have something to say on the matter – I just can’t make out what it is. Any insights from other translations?

I agree with you there, melo. There is good that can come from discussing this. I apologize if I sounded like I am trying to shut down any discussion on it. I just want to dispel any idea that they have asked for our input.

melo

you were confused about my remark concerning aggiornamento.

This best explains it:

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2014/02/what-does-it-mean-to-be-traditional.html

mahrt

I imagine that most of what you would compose if not all would most likely be my own outlook. Are you going to post your finished report so we can all see it before you send it in?

Next set of my responses.

8. Is Chant (e.g. Gregorian) used on Feast Days in the proper of the liturgy?

Chant forms emulative of strict “Gregorian or Latin” chant are sung at about five of eighteen Masses in our 4 parish conglomerate. These have primarily consisted of Adam Bartlett’s SIMPLE ENGLISH PROPERS, or Bruce E. Ford’s AMERICAN GRADUAL with an occasional use from Paul F. Ford’s BY FLOWING WATERS. We have in the past sung the Latin antiphons/verses from Richard Rice’s COMMUNIO collection, but they were transcribed to modern notation. Our pastor, just recently promoted to Vicar General for our diocese, was supportive of the use of Latin within the English or Spanish Masses, but preferred that to be in “doses” of polyphonic choral pieces from all eras sung by the choir. Occasionally through the last two decades the so-called “Jubilate Deo” collective Mass was chanted during Lent and sometimes Advent. We do have a very small schola that chants every other week at our second parish and who employ other Gregorian settings such as Orbis factor and de Angelis on occasion.
I’m not aware of any concerted effort or movement in the metropolitan cities such as Fresno/Bakersfield and the others along the Highway 99 corridor, up in the Sierras or in the desert portions of our diocese (outside of California City and the Norbertine Monastery in Tehachapi) that employ any chanted forms with any regularity. There are only two regularly scheduled EF/TLMasses scheduled on Sundays, one in Fresno and one in Bakersfield. There is a fine schola (associated with Una Voce, I believe) that provides chant for Missa Cantatas, and hymns for Low Mass in Fresno’s St. Anthony Padua Chapel.
The Fresno Diocese recently had its first chant seminar led by a schola from the Diocese of Monterrey, and will have a second upcoming in March 2014.

9. How do the dioceses look after and promote musical patrimony? Are there libraries and archives, and promotion of research in musicology?

I am unaware of any efforts by the diocesan Office of Worship and the subsidiary Music Mentors (three DM’s) who actively promote what CMAA or Adoremus Society would call the “musical patrimony” of the Church, namely chant and polyphony. It wouldn’t be surprising if the largest collection of pre-conciliar volumes reside in my office library, and that of Mr. Chris Allen in California City and Mr. Royce Nickel of Fresno, none of us members of the Music Mentors. Sometime about almost a decade ago, I was asked by the OoW director to provide Morning Prayer and Mass music ministry for the convocation of priests and deacons. I asked and was granted permission to use Gregorian chant for the Office and Mass Propers/Ordinary. I was heavily criticized by the older generation of pastors for that direction, and after two days and a chat with our late bishop, added some “sacropop” to the mix for the final Mass.

10. Are compositions of the pre-Conciliar patrimony used?

Definitely at parishes that have full-time directors, or part-time directors who are also choral instructors in the school systems will one be likely to hear such pieces. In our parish, the principle schola/choir not only can sing Latin choral repertoire, but also has a rich two-decade history of singing villancicos from colonial Spain and the Latin American traditions in Spanish. I would surmise from experience at some diocesan events that what little pre-conciliar music is chosen for use at worship is gleaned from the St. Gregory Hymnal, probably the mid-fifties edition. Outside of that, it is the rare choir who even sings the Mozart Ave verum, (never the Byrd), Palestrina’s Sicut…., Tallis’ If ye love me and other staples. I would also speculate that parish music budgets for choral music are spent upon octavos from the GIA Celebration series rather than the OCP Trinitas collection. It is difficult to assess, but I would say that most pre-conciliar music, save for the Office hymns such as the Big Gun Name hymns (NICAEA/GROSSER GOTT/HYFRYDOL etc.) have virtually been abandoned in the Fresno diocese.

11. How is the encounter with musical traditions in diverse cultures experienced? At a time of globalization sic and of new ecclesial movements is there a good equilibrium between in-culturation, welcoming and growth in cultural identity?

I would sadly have to state with surety that such events amount to a polyglot of musical nods, primarily and in order to Spanish, then Filipino, Portuguese, Hmong, Mien and Chinese languages, with the predominant bilingual format alternating English/Spanish.
Since 1987 I am unaware that the idea and reality of employing Latin even within the in-culturated setting has been done. If one considers “Life Teen” an ecclesial movement (such as with Charismatic Catholics) there are a smattering of diocesan parishes who are fully vested in the whole program. But so-called Praise and Worship Teams (or bands) whose repertoire is more focused upon the devotional forms of song, the Praise Chorus, is pervasive throughout the diocese, particularly in the Sunday evening Masses.
Attempts at our conglomerate four parish Church to “open,” for example, the invitation to the Dec.12th Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe via bilingual music, participation by known cultural groups such as Portuguese Lodges, Hmong traditional dancers and Mexican folklorico dancers and Mariachi Ensembles have all been employed, but yet the Anglophone community (of all ethnicities) seem to not want to participate in any perceivable numbers. That is not indicative of a “good equilibrium.”
Of course, there remains a bias that “equilibrium” among a polyglot language Mass is a fantasy that is justified when the common responses to collects and common prayers are virtually muttered incomprehensibly even if only in two languages. And it remains in question whether “welcoming and growth in cultural identity based upon ethnicity fosters or hinders the very nature of a true catholic/Catholic approach to FCAP.