My small humble schola
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    I just had to share my excitement with you. My small humble schola is featured in a local news. (You see "The Parish Book of Chant." in the picture.)

    http://www.theviewnewspapers.com/news/13259/chant-classes-reclaim-prayerful-singing/

    Sorry the article says 'performance,' and 'choir master... who?
    I wish I had a chance to review the article before they published.

    Mia Coyne
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    A lovely plug for local chant (and PBC), Mia. Don't feel you have to apologize for the term "performance". It has been disparaged by some for connoting the operatic excesses of an earlier liturgical age. Nevertheless, in my humble opinion, any group that deigns to organize itself, train itself, and distinguish itself in a particular liturgical function is, quite necessarily, "performing" that function, even (I would say, especially) if that function is the singing of liturgical chant. Even amateurs can benefit from the special demands of the performer's ethos. And when it comes to music, Lord knows our churches could stand a good dose of it today.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Very nice article. Congratulations! I do wish they had not said that chant was more complex than modern music. I find that it is much simpler. It's not easy, but it's simpler. In the end, if a person doesn't sing chant very well, they probably don't sing anything else very well either.

    Keep up the good work.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    Congratulations, Mia! This is great publicity for all of our small humble scholas. They did a nice job with the article and pictures, too.
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    This is such a wonderful story - and image too!

    blogged on NLM
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    Richard, you know who else agrees with you on the term performance? Fr. Ruff. He makes a long argument along your lines in his book.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Thanks all, and thanks Jeffrey for featuring it in NLM.
    I think the term 'performance' boils down to for whom we perform. Doing our job professionally well is in a sense is performing, but I just got the modern perception of performing on a stage for people and for entertainment. I think it depends how you interprete it. Not a big deal.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Why does "performance" have to have a "to whom"? Chant is performed, but not in the manner one might perform music. Rather, I look at the word "perform" as in performing a service, or performing one's duty. For a pedantic dictionary quote:

    1. To begin and carry through to completion; do: The surgeon performed the operation.
    2. To take action in accordance with the requirements of; fulfill: perform one's contractual obligations.
    3. a. To enact (a feat or role) before an audience.
    b. To give a public presentation of; present: My theater group performed a three-act play.

    I tend to think in terms of #2 with the liturgy. The music is there, it must be done! Perform the chant!
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    I really like that definition, Gavin. Thanks. I'm really learning a lot.
  • janetgorbitzjanetgorbitz
    Posts: 964
    Congratulations, Mia... and what an inspiration to the rest of us! Keep up the good work!
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    Congratulations, Mia! Yes, the PBC does photograph nicely. And at the risk of sounding like the former employee of the Ford Foundation that I am, the photo shows diverse singers. Chant (and all quality liturgical music) is seen in many circles as something for weird white people over 50. Ha!

    And congratulations to every small schola everywhere. We did Vespers last evening for the Feast of the Presentation and had more than 40 people in an unheated (except for votive candles) chapel on a very cold (by Florida standards) night. And they loved it!

    Everyone should look to their local papers for publicity. Most religion pages are dominated by Protestant news because the Protestants send in their articles. Go thou and do likewise. Send a picture. Chances are good you'll make it in there. More people read the local paper than your church bulletin (and that includes the folks who go to your church!).

    Mary Jane (a virtual marketing machine since ain't nobody going to do it for me)
  • janetgorbitzjanetgorbitz
    Posts: 964
    What a great idea! The schola in S'port is singing every week for the Holy Hour on Wednesdays at the cathedral... and they've been asked to sing a few chants for the Christmas Vigil Mass!
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Makes me wonder how many priests would be amenable to chant once they find a group that can do it.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Thanks Janet and Mary Jane. Cannot wait to see you all next summer at the 'Colloquium.' I hope you guys all can make it. Our schola also sings at the Little Sister's Nursing Home once a month. It's a good place to sing chants, and they do appreciate it. "Life after chant boot camp" (chant Intensive workshop) continues... So many things to talk about and hear from each other. ( we are also quietly planning to invite our favorite priest in our parish to go to Priest Workshop (we are planning to pay for it and get some donations from friends) Hope he accepts it. Then, we will have EF Mass available as our Pope wishes.)
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