Thank You, Father Z

Just when I needed it most, as I'm in the midst of the details of working with our new pastor to move our music ministry to our long-abandoned choir loft. (See: The Schizophrenic Choir Director)

A perfect post.

The good Father says in not so many words how I'm feeling:

The problem with putting a choir in front of everyone’s eyes (let’s not even contemplate putting them in the sanctuary where the clerical choir belongs) is that it gives the impression that the choir is performing. It gives also the wrong sense to the musicians (if they can be so called) as well.

It seems to me that making the choir too easily visible in the church places to much emphasis on their physical presence and appearance rather than on the prayer they contribute in the form of sacred music. Having the choir up front is just another distraction. Even for the members of the choir it is a distraction. [This is true. It's going to be a lot less pressure and a lot easier to do the mechanics of our work in the liturgy from the loft.

Moreover, in most older churches, the building’s acoustics will favor the positioning of the organ and choir in the choir loft. [This is certainly the case in our church.] A choir can usually sing without amplification when they are in a choir loft, thus avoiding yet another layer of artificiality in the sacred action.

Again I say: Thank you Father Z!

The Schitzophrenic Choir Director

That's me: The Schitzophrenic Choir Director.

For the last 8 years, I've been a music director here at my home parish. For nearly all of that 8 years (save the last 2+ months), it was under our former pastor.

I have been happy to assimilate what I have known and experienced in liturgical music: contemporary influences from the 9 PM SLU Mass Choir and the Folk Choir at Notre Dame; our own parish's guitar Mass heritage; my own keyboard playing; a background in commercial music radio and programming; influences from both contemporary Catholic music publishers and traditional Catholic music organizations.

For 8 years, we've worked hard and built a fantastic (yes, I'm partial) ensemble and overall music ministry. Within those 8 years, we also built a splendid, new, large choir area in the front of our sanctuary.

But I've always been torn in two directions.

I've enjoyed what we've done and built. And I've seen its positive impact on our parish worship and parish life.

I'm also very traditional in my own personal liturgical preferences. As I've read about work on the "reform of the reform" elsewhere, there were many times I longed to integrate more traditional music and liturgical influence into my work in the parish. But I always stay allegiant and obedient  to my pastor, and I was blessed  that my past pastor was also a friend. And so I remained true to his direction in liturgical planning and work.

Our new pastor, however, is much more traditional in nature and preference. I like him a lot so far... he has a fantastic, fun personality and a great sense of humor. And he approaches liturgy with an unmatched dignity and reverence, and it shows.

Among the changes we're working toward is a move of our music ministry back up to the choir loft. Now I'll admit, I haven't sung in the choir loft at our church since I was in grade school, so I've been studying it much more in depth as we plan and prepare for the move.

On Tuesday night, I walked through it with the members of our ensemble. They're taking this all quite well.

We have our work cut out for us, but I'm really looking forward to this very positive first move for us into the choir loft.

I'm excited.

And maybe I'll be able to be less "schitzphrenic" over time.

As I reflect on that, move in that direction, and have things come up in that regard, I'll blog about them here.