Thursday, August 14, 2014

Sacred Music Colloquium at Notre Dame...

This colloquium poses tremendously interesting questions which whirl around points of theology and beauty, between personal taste and communal beliefs.   As I research the concept of formation and specifically liturgical formation, I wonder what is it about music that is formative?  Style is less important, substance is essential.  Can all styles hold and convey the depth of substance which is the Faith?  I look forward to this colloquium and wish it great success.


More from the organizers:

What constitutes great sacred music? Should we prefer the historical repertories of chant, polyphony  and baroque cantatas that have been recognized for their beauty and spiritual refinement? Or do we embrace the music of the people and of the times?  Do we judge the quality of sacred music on the basis of its intrinsic beauty or for its capacity to promote congregational participation? Should liturgical music have a separate style than music for everyday life?  Can we question the role of contemporary popular styles and of publishers' anthologies if they appeal to the congregation?
 
A distinguished group of composers, scholars and conductors will examine these topics from their individual perspectives, to ascertain if the beauty and spiritual inspiration of sacred music can emerge from different models, practices and performance contexts.

The discussions will be complemented by readings of new works of sacred music proposed by emerging composers and conductors registered in the colloquium. Young composers will be able to discuss their scores privately with the master composers of the conference.

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