Dr_Haze

Tips for New Parish Music Directors
I have three degrees in music, culminating with a doctorate in my field, but due to my age, many older folks within the Parish still aren't taking me seriously now after three years on the job. I had ten years accompanying experience on piano …

Comment by Dr_Haze February 3 permalink
Sang “Hail Mary: Gentle Woman” at a funeral today…
Not at all. Parish politics still come into play for long-time parishioners, but I take pride in the fact that we have a parish that offers proper music for a mass of Christian burial in both Latin and English. We still give families some choice, bu…

Comment by Dr_Haze January 25 permalink
Sang “Hail Mary: Gentle Woman” at a funeral today…
I'm working at a Parish that was used to having families choose every musical selection of the funeral, and after having to plan and play the music for several funerals where the music was both embarrassing and awful, I followed the advice of a…

Comment by Dr_Haze January 19 permalink
Generational Conflict between a young music director versus an aging and diminishing volunteer choir
Thanks so much for the thoughtful and helpful comments. Our pastor just recently joined our Parish. He was not prepared for this situation, as he himself is not at all musical as a priest, and he came from a Parish where there hadn't been any f…

Comment by Dr_Haze December 2025 permalink
Electric/analog organ/sound system help!
An electric organ of any kind should have its own amplifier, and not be plugged into anything else. While my church has a real pipe organ, in the past I have used a nord stage keyboard and motion sound amplifier with a 3-D woofer effect for that aut…

Comment by Dr_Haze December 2025 permalink
Seeking Wisdom: Navigating Parish and School Politics as a Dual Music Director and Teacher
Thanks, I have done exactly that. I've submitted a calendar with all the school liturgies with music, and every month I will share the Ordos with school and parish staff in the interest of transparency and constructive oversight.

Comment by Dr_Haze August 2025 permalink
Seeking Wisdom: Navigating Parish and School Politics as a Dual Music Director and Teacher
I'm in DC, and the Archdiocese of Washington has an Office of Worship that I've contacted. So nice to know they are there! I expressed my concerns and gave a summary of what's happened over the last year. First they thanked me for tak…

Comment by Dr_Haze August 2025 permalink
Contemporary Sacred Polyphonic Composers?
For practical reasons, the average age of folks in my choir is above 60, the oldest being 94, several in their 80's, and making their way from our warm-up room to the loft stairs is time consuming and hazardous, but I'm not putting them in…

Comment by Dr_Haze July 2025 permalink
Contemporary Sacred Polyphonic Composers?
Paul Jernberg. His harmonies are beautiful and quite accessible for adults and children. Ive taught his setting of St. Michael’s prayer to many school children, and our Parish sings the Mass of St. Philip Neri currently. There’s a long form and simp…

Comment by Dr_Haze July 2025 permalink
I would like to know if you have an advanced choir in your parish
I inherited an adult choir comprised of dedicated amateur singers some of which had been part of the group for upwards of 50 or 60 years. They sing at every 10 AM Sunday mass between September and June every year. Dedicated and motivated, they were …

Comment by Dr_Haze July 2025 permalink
Seeking Wisdom: Navigating Parish and School Politics as a Dual Music Director and Teacher
I was just starting to really love the work I was doing at the school and parish. I was feeling more welcome and accepted by the students and parishioners, and more importantly the parents and singers in the music ministry. The principal really took…

Comment by Dr_Haze July 2025 permalink
Seeking Wisdom: Navigating Parish and School Politics as a Dual Music Director and Teacher
…

Comment by Dr_Haze July 2025 permalink
Seeking Wisdom: Navigating Parish and School Politics as a Dual Music Director and Teacher
I should’ve mentioned - that in lieu of a proper candidate search interviewing multiple candidates, one of which being a former Vice Principal who went to the school as a child and whose mother taught there for years, also having two children of her…

Comment by Dr_Haze July 2025 permalink

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About

Username: Dr_Haze
Joined: July 2025
Visits: 34
Last Active: February 3
Roles: Member
Posts: 15
Thanked: 47