Ministry Monday: The Podcast by NPM

In a few weeks we will celebrate the holiest days of the year, the Triduum. No matter the musical resources you use or in which camp of the style wars your community finds itself, most of us will incorporate one or more of the chants traditionally sung during Holy Week.

Now, today’s episode isn’t a conversation about what chants you should or shouldn’t use, or a discussion about why chant is important, though both of those are important topics. Instead, we’re providing a short “chant clinic” designed especially for those communities who might not often sing chant during the rest of the liturgical year, but who will be incorporating chant during the Triduum. How do you get your choir to shape chant melodies instead of plodding through them like a heavy march? How do you effectively lead a congregation not accustomed to chanting? What about that soloist who will be singing the Exultet?

To help us out, we’re joined once again by Dr. Andre Heywood, a master conductor, clinician, and choral scholar. In one of our most-downloaded episodes, Andre joined me back in Advent for a conversation about vocal health. Now during this Lenten season, he joins us with tactics you can start using right away to improve the quality of chant in your celebrations.

SHOW NOTES

For more information about Andre Heywood, visit The Saint John’s Boys’ Choir.

The recording of “Pange Lingua” (Fr. Ricky Manalo) is published by OCP. The recordings of “Parce Domine/Ubi Caritas” (arr. Jeremy Young) and “Jerusalem, My Destiny” (Rory Cooney) are published by GIA Publications.

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode.

All content of this podcast is property of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.

You and I both know how busy this time of year is. I’ve said it on this program before, and you are feeling it out there, working and rehearsing and planning and more. So, I won’t belabor the point. What I will say, however, is that we are here to help. One of the most consistent comments NPM hears from members is how valuable it is to be connected to other people doing similar work. It doesn’t feel so lonely or isolated, and it is helpful to discover best practices and to learn from one another.

So, over the next three weeks, we will be presenting Advent episodes meant to connect, to share, and – in some cases – to triage. You’ll hear practical tips, suggestions, and ideas. Most importantly, you’ll hear from other pastoral musicians working in the “trenches,” just like you.

To kick us off, we are beginning with Andre Heywood. An exceptional choral conductor and in-demand clinician, Andre will share with us his tips for choral vocal health during this time when extra singing meets “cold and flu season.” We’ll also hear an original Advent reflection from Luke Rosen in this week’s Ministry Moment.

SHOW NOTES

For more information about Andre Heywood, visit The Saint John’s Boys’ Choir. For more information about Luke Rosen, visit his website.

The music you heard in today’s episode: “Come, Emmanuel” (Tate), “Prelude: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (Tate), and “Christ, Circle Round Us” (Schutte).

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode.

#058: Chant Clinic, Lent Edition (with Dr. Andre Heywood)

#042: Vocal Care, Advent Edition (with Andre Heywood, ft. Luke Rosen)