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Christmas with the Cathedral Singers (Sing Amen! The Podcast: Special Christmas episode)
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Merry Christmas!
If you have found your way here in some part of the calm after the Christmas storm, welcome. I hope your celebrations of the Nativity were full of beauty and prayer and lovely music–and that you got a nice long nap after. 🙂
This playlist is a companion to the first Christmas playlist we released on December 20 (if you haven’t heard that one, especially if you prefer more contemporary-style music to the old-school carols, please go check it out!), and if I did it right, this one released right about midnight on Christmas Eve/Morning. This is a collection of some of my favorite cuts from the various recordings the Cathedral Singers made over their many years of singing under the direction of Dr. Richard Proulx. (I was fortunate enough to sing with this group for several years, including on the Catholic Christmas Classics recording featured in this collection, so I have a special fondness for all of this music.) And I miss him still–he was an incredible musician with boundless creativity and intelligence (Richard was generally the smartest person in whatever room he was in) and a delightfully sly sense of humor…those of us who knew him as more than a name attached to a great volume amazing music for assemblies and choirs will, I think, always remember him fondly.
So please enjoy this! It’s another one where I get all the talking out of the way at the beginning and just let you listen to gorgeous music for a while, and as usual you can always find the list, with links to where to find recordings or sheet music, here at the website.
Wishing you all a blessed and holy Christmastide! Thank you again for your support of this podcast over its first six months, and we’ll see you next year!
–Jennifer
Music heard on today’s podcast:
O Come, All Ye Faithful G-7462 (arr. Richard Proulx)
As recorded on Catholic Christmas Classics, vol. 8 (CD-590), Richard Proulx, conductor
Gabriel’s Message, G-6463 (Basque carol, arr. Richard Proulx)
As recorded on Catholic Christmas Classics, vol. 8 (CD-590), Richard Proulx, conductor
Gaudete, G-3056 (arr. Robert J. Batastini)
As recorded on In Sweet Rejoicing CD-323), Richard Proulx, conductor
For Unto Us a Child is Born, G-2979 (Jacob Clemens non Papa)
As recorded on In Sweet Rejoicing CD-323), Richard Proulx, conductor
For Unto Us a Child is Born, G-6464 (George Frederic Handel)
As recorded on Catholic Christmas Classics, vol. 8 (CD-590), Richard Proulx, conductor
Is it Far to Bethlem City, G-2908 (Giovanni Gastoldi)
As recorded on Rejoice in the Lord (CD-290), Richard Proulx, conductor
Away in a Manger, G-6238 (Traditional carol, arr. Larry Harris)
As recorded on Catholic Christmas Classics, vol. 8 (CD-590), Richard Proulx, conductor
What Child is This?, G-6463 (GREENSLEEVES, arr. Richard Proulx)
As recorded on Catholic Christmas Classics, vol. 8 (CD-590), Richard Proulx, conductor
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, G-2376 (Polish carol, arr. Richard Proulx)
As recorded on Rare Beasts and Unique Adventures, vol. 2 (CD-468), Richard Proulx, conductor
Psallite, Unigenito, G-2136 (Michael Praetorius)
As recorded on In Sweet Rejoicing CD-323), Richard Proulx, conductor
Puer Natus in Bethlehem, G-3034 (Gregor Joseph Werner)
As recorded on In Sweet Rejoicing CD-323), Richard Proulx, conductor
Fum Fum Fum, G-5062 (Catalan carol, arr. Anne Heider)
As recorded on Catholic Christmas Classics, vol. 8 (CD-590), Richard Proulx, conductor
En Natus Est Emmanuel, G-2137 (Michael Praetorius)
As recorded on In Sweet Rejoicing CD-323), Richard Proulx, conductor
Angels, We Have Heard on High, G-6462 (French carol, arr. Richard Proulx)
As recorded on Catholic Christmas Classics, vol. 8 (CD-590), Richard Proulx, conductor
‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime, G-4611 (French folk song, arr. Sally Ann Morris)
As recorded on Catholic Christmas Classics, vol. 8 (CD-590), Richard Proulx, conductor
Joy to the World! G-9190 (G. F. Handel, arr. Richard Proulx)
Silent Night/Night of Silence, G-5622 (Daniel Kantor, arr. Marilyn Biery)
(Silent Night, Stille Nacht, was first performed on December 24, 1818 in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria.)
As recorded on Catholic Christmas Classics, vol. 8 (CD-590), Richard Proulx, conductor
A Christmas Playlist (Sing Amen! The Podcast, episode 12)
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So! It’s almost Christmas, the calendar year is drawing to a close, and musicians everywhere are deep into the work of the season! First, as this year ends, a huge thanks to those who have followed this blog and podcast through our first six months. Despite a bit of a lull as the holiday season hit (it’s just me over here, and sometimes things get overwhelming!) we are just getting started—as I write this, I’m looking at the calendar for the year to come, and we have interviews and conversation on some very cool topics—we’ll be taking with Scott Riedel about worship space acoustics and sound, Lori True about weaving messages of justice into our music, Phil Koncyk and Bob Batastini about forging a healthy multicultural and multilingual worshiping community, Kate Williams on the new resource she has put together for families grieving miscarriages and infertility, Bridget Jankowski about body mapping and the healthy use of our body, and several more—and of course, lots of great music. So please stay with us—2019 will be a great year!
We will actually have two Christmas music podcasts–this one releasing today, and then a special “Christmas with the Cathedral Singers” episode that will release on Christmas morning itself; it’s perfect for listening to on the way home from your Christmas Day liturgies before your annual Christmas Day nap (if that’s how you roll), or any time during the festive season when the rest of the world has taken their Christmas trees out to the curb, but we liturgical types are still partying hard until the Epiphany!
Enjoy–and peace be with you! Blessings for 2019!
–Jennifer
Music Heard on Today’s Podcast:
Theme Music: The Holly and the Ivy (arr. Cotter)
As recorded on Winter Grace (CD-206)
The Wexford Carol, G-5208 (arr. Callanan)
As recorded on Star Child (CD-471)
Go Where I Send Thee, G-5557 (Spiritual, arr. Uzee Brown, Jr.)
As recorded on Guide My Feet (CD-600), James Abbington, conductor
Dream a Dream, G-6653 (True)
As recorded on There is Room For Us All (CD-639)
Gaudete! G-9499 (de Silva)
As recorded on Love, Burn Bright (CD-1014)
En un Pesebre (Peña)
As recorded on Diciembre en México, CD-322
Like a Whisper in the Heart, G-5231 (Moore)
As recorded on Like a Whisper in the Heart (CD-558)
Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow (Spiritual, arr. Joubert)
As recorded on 46 More Hidden Treasures from the African American Heritage Hymnal (CD-711)
Journey On, G-5914 (O’Brien)
As recorded on The Word is Born, CD-532
A Weary Couple, G-9703 (Alonso)
As recorded on Encounter, CD-1037
Alegría, G-7614G (Puerto Rican carol, arr. Alonso)
As recorded on Heaven and Nature Sing (CD-770)
Friends in Christ, Rejoice, G-8757 (Rory Cooney)
As recorded on Like No God We Had Imagined, CD-965
Will you Come and See the Light, G-9273 (Haas)
As recorded on With Gratitude (CD-1006)
Silent Night (German Carol, arr. Petrunak)
As recorded on Infant Holy, CD-466
God Comes Tomorrow: Music for Advent and Christmas (Sing Amen! the Podcast, episode 11)
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I’ve mentioned before that one of my favorite things here at GIA is going through the back catalog and wandering the not-right-off-the-presses areas of the warehouse, because there are so many treasures there—sometimes we get caught up in the allure of whatever is shiny and new and forget how much amazing stuff is still out there from years gone by.
This CD of music by John Bell of the Iona Community is one of those for me, and it’s one I like to pull out every Advent to help pull me into the season. God Comes Tomorrow is this lovely assortment of music for Advent and Christmas—chorally rich and lovely, accessible to the ear, melodically gorgeous, and with the sense of spare and un-encumbered writing that I love so much about John’s work. (The phrase “Less is more” has become a cliché; if you want to hear it in action, in a non-cliché way, go and listen to John Bell’s music.) It’s more than 20 years old, but to my ears this music still wears well.
One of the things I think I like best about John Bell’s music is how, in this world of sometimes hard-and-fast division between classifications of “traditional” and “contemporary,” this music seems to both bridge and transcend these divisions. And I love the idea that Christmas music doesn’t need to be huge and grand and triumphant all the time—these lovely gentle carols with John’s elegant and often subversive texts are a wonderful palate-cleanser from the cultural excess of the season that’s about to be thrust upon us.
So I hope you enjoy these—these are my 9 favorite cuts from a much longer CD, and in this time when things start getting more and more frenetic and we can so easily get bogged down in all the Stuff we have to do (or is that just me?), I pray that we might all remember:
He will come when we’re least expecting him, when agendas have been set,
And the deadlines have been finalized, through which needs are seldom met—
Though for us it’s out of season, God decides the place and time.
(John Bell, “He will Come”)
Peace and good will to all! Wishing you all a joyful close of our liturgical year, and a joyful and rich Year of Grace to come!
–Jennifer
Music heard on today’s podcast:
from the collection God Comes Tomorrow, G-5485 by John Bell
As heard on the recording God Comes Tomorrow, CD-494
Advent
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, G-5489
He will Come, G-5486
Two Advent Hymns (Comfort, Comfort now my people), G-5493
Lift Up Your Heads, G-5494
Christmas
Two African Christmas Carols: Good News for Everyone and Poor Folk Hear Him Gladly, G-5487
Fae Heichts o’Heiven, G-5498
(Note: The octavo for “Fae Heichts o’Heiven” contains both the Scots dialect and a standard singable English translation for those who wish.)
Cloth for the Cradle, G-5495
Sing Gloria, G-5488
SingAmen! the Podcast, with Jennifer Kerr Budziak
Sound by Jim Bogdanich
SingAmen! opening music: Promenade, by Bob Moore (from Let Every Instrument Be Tuned for Praise, CD-491, from Liturgical Suite #4, G-4789.. ©GIA Publications, Inc).
SingAmen! closing music: Amen, (from More Sublime Chant, CD-459, The Cathedral Singers, Richard Proulx, conductor. ©GIA Publications, Inc.)
Of Soulful Saints and Saintly Souls: a Choral Sampler (Sing Amen! the Podcast, episode 10)
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(**UPDATE**
This episode was completed and recorded before the tragic events at Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday. Thus what brief narration and commentary I give on the episode does not address the tragedy of eleven people who lost their lives nor the countless numbers who grieve them. And even now, it becomes harder and harder to find words to address the senseless violence and hatred that seems to take more and more of our brothers and sisters each time we turn around…which is why, I suppose, we turn to music, to say what words cannot. So for all of those lost, and for all those who grieve…if all we can do is sing, sing their journey and sing their memory and sing the better world we wish we could have made for them, then that is what we must do, and continue to do…)
Somehow, October is nearly over, and November, with its inexorable push to longer nights and shorter days and years ending, is upon us. And it’s the week when, as a church, we turn to thoughts of our own mortality, and of those who have gone before us. This year is particularly poignant for me personally; last autumn at about this time I was traveling back East as often as I could get away in order to spend time with two people who were very dear to me and who were at that time facing big setbacks in their ongoing battles with cancer…we lost them both within a week of each other shortly after the new year. So I am listening to the music of these feasts with different ears than in years past, and finding in it a comfort I had not fully realized I needed…
This is one of those musical samplers that’s not particularly of use to people trying to plan music for parishes, since it’s basically launching mere days before the feasts it connects to (although I know I’m putting a bunch of these into my “hope chest” to maybe use next year)…but it’s also important for us to remember that sometimes we the ministers need ministering to just as much as anyone else. So I hope something in here can touch the hearts of all of us who this year are holding especially close to our hearts the memories of saintly souls and soulful saints we’ve had to let go of here on earth.
Peace!
–Jennifer
p.s. make sure you listen all the way to the end–in a moment of whimsy, I put at the end of this mostly reflective podcast Richard Proulx’s gently humorous account of the “Choirmaster at the Pearly Gates”…it always makes me smile. (Note: please do not take this piece as in any way reflective of thoughtful Catholic theology, or attempting to negate the promise of forgiveness and grace as free gift; it’s church musician humor, nothing more. 😉 )
Music heard on today’s podcast:
For All the Saints G-4540 (arr. John Bell)
As recorded on The Last Journey, CD-381 by the Cathedral Singers and John Bell
Sancti Dei Omnes (All you Saints of Heaven) G-3793 (arr. Richard Proulx)
As recorded on Let All Together Praise, CD-335, by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers
The Cloud’s Veil G-4664 (Liam Lawton)
As recorded on Catholic Irish Classics, CD-915 by Liam Lawton, with Theresa Donohoo
Precious Lord G-7155 (by George N. Allen and Thomas Dorsey, arr. Nathan Carter)
As recorded on Great is thy Faithfulness, CD-999, a Tribute to the Life and Published Choral Works of Dr. Nathan Carter
Come to Me, O Weary Traveler, G-9135 (Sylvia Dunstan and Paul Tate)
As recorded on Life is Changed, Not Ended, CD-1044, by Paul Tate
Gospel Canticle of Simeon G-9721 (Michael Joncas)
as recorded on Deep and Lasting Peace CD-1047, by Michael Joncas
Lord our God, Receive your Servant G-4538 (John Bell)
As recorded on The Last Journey, CD-381 by the Cathedral Singers and John Bell
The Choirmaster at the Pearly Gates, by Richard Proulx
As recorded on Spirit of God Unleashed, CD-405
Full text:
The Choirmaster stood at the pearly gates
His face was worn and old,
He stood before the man of fate
For admission to the fold.
“What have you done,” Saint Peter said
“To gain admission here?”
“I’ve been a Choirmaster, sir,” he said,
“For many and many a year.”
The pearly gates flew open wide
Saint Peter touched the bell.
“Come in,” he said, “and choose your harp
You’ve had your share of hell.”
Anonymous (20th century, quoted from A Guest at Cambridge, 1998)
SingAmen! the Podcast, with Jennifer Kerr Budziak
Sound by Jim Bogdanich
SingAmen! opening music: Promenade, by Bob Moore (from Let Every Instrument Be Tuned for Praise, CD-491, from Liturgical Suite #4, G-4789.. ©GIA Publications, Inc).
SingAmen! closing music: Amen, (from More Sublime Chant, CD-459, The Cathedral Singers, Richard Proulx, conductor. ©GIA Publications, Inc.)
Living Real Radio with John Angotti
(If you are reading this in an email, be sure to visit the website! CLICK HERE)
Hello everyone,
If you’re not familiar with the music of John Angotti, you’re missing out! Not only is he a great singer, songwriter, pianist, and performer, but also a great public speaker. Well-respected by many, John has a unique way of sharing his faith and pulling people together to discuss the tough issues head-on. I want to take this opportunity to share something new that John has been spearheading: Living Real Radio. I asked John if he would share the vision of this new project on Setting The Tone.
—E.B.
LIVING REAL RADIO
by John Angotti
A couple of months ago, one of the parishioners from St Philip’s in Franklin, TN, Leann Didier, and her husband Tony, approached me and asked what I would do with a one-hour show, Sunday mornings on their radio station: the Hippie, 94.5. I jumped at the opportunity because I’ve always felt that, as a Catholic Artist, we need to be heard on secular radio. Christian radio is set up for those who already believe and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, but the mission of Jesus is to go out to those who don’t believe or struggle with faith. The question has always been for me: how do we reach and invite the unbeliever, or those whose faith is weak, or the doubter into our places of worship where we can share our faith stories? Using the airwaves to accomplish this mission is one way for sure.
I approached our communication person and my good friend, Greg Walton, who is also a Catholic artist with Spirit and Song, as well as Robert Fedducia, who is a Catholic speaker and dear friend, to be co-hosts with me. I wanted to invite Jamie Rose Plum, a mother and singer at St Philips, for her perspective, too, but she was unable to make the first recording date. Instead, I asked Julianne Staley, our youth minister, to sit in. It worked out well because we now had the voice of the youth with us. That’s been the team for the last 8 weeks.
The mission of the radio show had two objectives: one was to promote Catholic artists and Catholic music, but the other was to talk about issues of faith that are real and current in the lives of all those around us, especially the youth. I didn’t want this show to be an apologetic, though it’s almost impossible to not have some of that. I didn’t want to talk about Catholic doctrine, but rather more about how faith matters in our lives. I want to reveal through real life issues how our Catholic faith makes a difference and is relevant through the trials of everyday life. I felt this format would be a softer approach to those who don’t ‘do’ church, or to those who ‘question’ church or ask, “How is this relevant in my life now?”
Guests on the show have been our parish priests along with Catholic artists like Sarah Hart, Josh Blakesley, Mathias Michael, and Dana Daniel. We’ve also had international singing star from Croatia, Tajci Cameron, who is now a Catholic artist. We’ve welcomed members of the Annie Moses Band, internationally acclaimed artists who all became Catholic at the same time as one family. We’ve played music from other Catholic artists as well as other songs on the pop and CCM side.
One of the ways to obtain our goals is to entertain our audience. Some may get upset with the word entertain, but, if you look up the definition of entertain, it means ‘to hold one’s attention.’ In a world that is constantly trying to entertain us, we are trying to focus everyone’s attention on God and share how our Catholic faith can aid all people in the trials and tribulations of living real, authentic lives.
Tune in to Living Real Radio on podcast, iTunes, or 94.5 Nashville online (or live Sundays 8am–9am) as we talk about real issues in real time.
—J.A.
Sing Amen! The Podcast, Episode 7: How to Love Wedding Music Ministry (Interview with Mary Prete)
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Complaining about weddings is probably the single favorite pastime of church musicians when they get together. (Okay, even as I read what I just typed, I have to acknowledge that many of my friends and colleagues have a much longer list of things and people we all love to complain about, but let’s just accept that this one is pretty high on the list. 😉 ) I’m honestly not a wedding-complainer, though–I have always really enjoyed sitting down with couples and helping them discover the musical possibilities for their wedding liturgies, and then being there with them to help them realize their vision for the day. And in my experience, they are generally really lovely, cool, smart people. Of course I have my war stories; we all do. But overall–it’s a pretty great thing to be part of. And I’m one of the least romantic people you will ever meet. (Just ask my husband.)
This podcast episode is edited down from a long conversation I had some months ago with my good friend Mary Prete, who was instrumental more than a quarter-century ago for developing one of the first and I suspect longest-running Wedding Fair programs around, at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago’s West Loop. What struck me about her approach to wedding ministry was not just the way she applied her business-brain (she has a really good one) to the challenge of marketing and strategizing to get people to these fairs, but also the deep underlying sense of ministry and outreach with which she approaches the whole process of meeting and working with engaged couples to help them plan for their wedding liturgy.
Have a listen!
Music heard in today’s podcast:
Covenant Hymn (Gary Daigle and Rory Cooney) G-4017
As recorded on Praise the Maker’s Love CD-292
SingAmen! the Podcast, with Jennifer Kerr Budziak
Sound by Jim Bogdanich
SingAmen! opening music: Promenade, by Bob Moore (from Let Every Instrument Be Tuned for Praise, CD-491, from Liturgical Suite #4, G-4789.. ©GIA Publications, Inc).
SingAmen! closing music: Amen, (from More Sublime Chant, CD-459, The Cathedral Singers, Richard Proulx, conductor. ©GIA Publications, Inc.)
Sing Amen! The Podcast, Episode 6: A Contemporary Sampler
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Greetings all! Here is the contemporary sampler recording I said I would do, since I’ve been leaning more heavily in the choral direction for a while. And it is definitely a sampler; there is no real guiding principle for what is chosen here beyond it being songs I like, in an order that seems to hang together well, by a solid cross-section of composers. (And even with no repeats, there are of course quite a few composers–some of whose omission from this first contemporary music episode have had me waking at two in the morning with anxiety-laden thoughts, and who I hope are still my friends–I have not yet included on this podcast, but I’ll get to them as we go!) The idea here is half an hour or so (okay, closer to 40 minutes) of nice music you can just listen to and enjoy. We’ll get more focused later on as we go. It is still only early September, after all. 🙂
I mention this on the podcast as well, but please do bear in mind that while you will be hearing in this podcast the studio-recorded versions of these songs, this is all music created for use in liturgy (I’ve used most of them myself at one time or another), and they are singable and lovely, so I hope those of you who are responsible for putting songs on the lips of your assemblies give some of them a try.
I don’t have a whole lot I need to say about this–just listen and enjoy! See below for a list of where to find these songs if you’re interested. And have a great week!
–Jennifer
Music heard in today’s podcast:
One in your name (Ian Callanan) G-6956
As recorded on In Beauty We Walk CD-881
Note: This is a pod-only edit of the song, and it is not the one from the CD or the octavo, which contain the prayer for the blessing of water; this one is just for listening purposes and goes straight into the singing for the Rite of Sprinkling. The octavo has the full version.
The Lord is my Shepherd (Gary Daigle) G-8283
As recorded on To You Who Bow CD 998
My Only Desire (David Haas) G-9471
As recorded on I Will Bring You Home CD-1041
Recording artists: Hangad
Turn Around and Believe (Rory Cooney) G-8755
As recorded on To You Who Bow CD 998
Will the Circle be Unbroken (Tony Alonso) G-6914
As recorded on Songs from Another Room CD-648
Who is the Alien? (Lori True) G-6711
As recorded on There is Room for us All CD-639
New Heaven and Earth (Jeanne Cotter) G-9345
As recorded on Tender Hearted CD-969
Go out to the world (Chris de Silva) G-6930
As recorded on One Love, One Song CD-713
SingAmen! the Podcast, with Jennifer Kerr Budziak
Sound by Jim Bogdanich
SingAmen! opening music: Promenade, by Bob Moore (from Let Every Instrument Be Tuned for Praise, CD-491, from Liturgical Suite #4, G-4789.. ©GIA Publications, Inc).
SingAmen! closing music: Amen, (from More Sublime Chant, CD-459, The Cathedral Singers, Richard Proulx, conductor. ©GIA Publications, Inc.)
Sing Amen! The Podcast, Episode 5: In Time of Lament
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We had a different podcast all set for release today, but with the news out of Pennsylvania last week it doesn’t feel like what we need is information or input — we need time to lament and grieve and process, to deal with our sorrow, our anger, and sense of betrayal, our feelings of helplessness…words don’t get us very far in times like these, but being who we are, when words don’t cut it, we turn to music.
So today’s podcast is intended to be sort of a journey in music, hopefully a quiet time to just be still and let ourselves be ministered to a little. I won’t talk much on this one–in times like these, it’s better to remember that God can do whatever speaking each of us needs to hear in our hearts.
Peace be with you.
Music on today’s podcast:
Lament for the Innocent (Solas)
As recorded on Winter Solas CD-511
By the Waters of Babylon (Jewish canon arr. David Buley) G-5941
God Weeps (David Haas/Shirley Erinna Murray) G-6694
As recorded on God is Here CD-631
Kyrie (Marty Haugen) G-5651
As recorded on Gift of God CD-501
Lead me on (Brian Schmidt) G-7457
As recorded on Silence into Light CD-1026
Far Beyond (Liam Lawton) G-6803
As recorded on Sacred Land CD-662
Quietly, Peacefully (Lori True) G-6718
As recorded on There is Room for us All CD-639
Thuma Mina (South African)
As recorded on Honey from the Rock CD-1002
Love, Burn Bright (Chris de Silva) G-8714
As recorded on Love, Burn Bright CD-1014
How Can I Keep from Singing (Robert Lowry, arr. Gerald Custer) G-7227
As recorded on Inscape: Choral Music of Gerald Custer CD-754
I Will Lift up My Eyes (Tony Alonso) G-8675
As recorded on Pilgrim CD-929
SingAmen! the Podcast, with Jennifer Kerr Budziak
SingAmen! opening music: Promenade, by Bob Moore (from Let Every Instrument Be Tuned for Praise, CD-491, from Liturgical Suite #4, G-4789.. ©GIA Publications, Inc).
SingAmen! closing music: Amen, (from More Sublime Chant, CD-459, The Cathedral Singers, Richard Proulx, conductor. ©GIA Publications, Inc.)
Sing Amen! The Podcast, Episode 4: Dr. James Jordan, On Trust, Honesty, and Breathing in Front of Other People
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As promised, this episode of our podcast features a conversation with conductor, teacher, and author Dr. James Jordan–He is basically one of the giants in choral music and education right now, a professor at Westminster Choir College and conductor of the critically acclaimed Westminster Williamson Voices, the editor of GIA’s Evoking Sound choral music series, which we heard a small sampling of in our last podcast episode (so go back and check that out if you missed it!), author of a continually expanding collection of books and resources about music-making and conducting, and just a generally amazing human being. (Check out his author page at GIA to get a look at all the things he’s up to.) He is also conductor of The Same Stream, a fairly new choir of former Westminster singers whose first full length recording has just released, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. I first encountered his work through The Musician’s Soul, a lovely small volume that feels like a musician’s retreat in print form, and it completely changed the way I think about myself as a musician, a conductor, and a human being. (And the books just keep coming–The Musician’s Spirit, The Musician’s Walk, Evoking Sound, The Musician’s Breath, The Conductor as Prism, and now The Moral Acoustic of Sound…and those are just the ones I can see from my desk as I’m typing this; there are plenty more!)
Dr. Jordan obviously approaches his art, and the whole premise that honesty and authenticity and love and trust are crucial components to music making, from the perspective of a choral conductor, which is of course his world. But these ideas go way beyond choral singing and music direction, and I hope musicians of all stripes will find something to take away—because a lot of what Dr. Jordan talks about here in the context of choral singing applies to the work we do in our churches not just with our music ministers but also with our assemblies, to help them find their voices and their place in the shared music-making.
If you find any of this intriguing, you won’t want to miss Dr. Jordan’s conducting workshops at the GIA Fall Institute this October 11-13 at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago–please see the link to the right for more information. (Seriously, so much great stuff at this institute, I hope to see you there!)
Enjoy!
–Jennifer
Music heard in today’s podcast:
As I Walk the Silent Earth, G-8613
Text and music by Thomas LaVoy
Series: Evoking Sound
Recorded on: Hole in the Sky, by the Westminster Williamson Voices, James Jordan conducting
Note: please do follow the link above and see the composer’s notes on this gorgeous work, which he composed in tribute to this stunning chorus that he had sung with during his time at Westminster.
SingAmen! the Podcast, with Jennifer Kerr Budziak
Sound by Jim Bogdanich
SingAmen! opening music: Promenade, by Bob Moore (from Let Every Instrument Be Tuned for Praise, CD-491, from Liturgical Suite #4, G-4789.. ©GIA Publications, Inc).
SingAmen! closing music: Amen, (from More Sublime Chant, CD-459, The Cathedral Singers, Richard Proulx, conductor. ©GIA Publications, Inc.)
World Library Podcast Episode 7- A Conversation with Ed Bolduc
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We sit down with Ed Bolduc at the National Pastoral Musicians Conference in Baltimore, Marlyand.
You can visit Ed’s artist page here!
