From Our Director’s Desk

Dear friends of the Catholic Institute of Sacred Music,

It’s been an amazing first summer!

Almost 100 students joined us from around the country, Canada, Japan, and Mozambique, as well as from the Bay Area here in California.

28 students in our auditioned, mixed-voice choir sang for Lauds, Mass, and Vespers daily in our Choral Institute, directed by Prof. Christopher Berry and Dr. Donelson-Nowicka, accompanied by improvisations at Mass by Organ Improvisation students mentored by Dr. Christoph Tietze.
Dr. Frank La Rocca’s Composition students premiered short works for parish choirs, sung by the students of the Choral Institute
Students presented strategic plans for their parish music programs they produced in Parish Sacred Music Program Management
Introduction to Chant students sang Lauds daily, as well as a Votive Mass of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, all while preparing to sing and conduct three chants for their final exams with Dr. Donelson-Nowicka
Chironomy students each prepared and directed a complete chanted Mass Ordinary and Proper for their final exams
Gregorian Rhythm students presented two different interpreations of chants to their class with Dr. Charles Weaver
Students in History and Principles of Sacred Music wrapped up over two months of study and discussion, turning in their term papers and final exams
After an intensive study of the History of the Roman Rite with Fr. Nicholas Schneider, students turned in a series of concise essays, exercising their scholarly abilities to summarize and synthesize what they learned
After a masterful seminar studying and singing Chants of the Divine Office with Dr. William Mahrt, students have turned in their final exams
Wrapping up two months of intensive Latin study with one of the finest Latinists in the world (Dr. John Pepino), students demonstrated their knowledge of the language in the Psalms
Student teachers, trained in the first level of the Ward Method, gave teaching demonstrations to their fellow students in Dr. Donelson-Nowicka’s class

We can’t wait for next summer!

In the meantime, we hope you’ll be able to join us for in-person and online workshops, lectures, and seminars, as well as our first conference this upcoming November!

Dr. Jennifer Donelson-Nowicka, Director, Catholic Institute of Sacred Music

Read a Reflection by Dr. Charles Weaver on his Advanced Chant Seminar