Diocese choirs, musicians receive training

The Office of Divine Worship presented three workshops in the Deaneries of Alice, Corpus Christi and Kingsville to 120 parish musicians, including directors of music, organists, pianists, choir members, cantors and guitarists. Twenty parishes participated in the workshops.

"Part of the success of this first round of workshops was due to the music deans I appointed throughout the diocese to be in contact with each and every parish within their deaneries," Director of Music Lee Gwozdz said.

The topics covered:

• a review of Sing to the Lord - music in divine worship,
• progressive solemnity,
• the importance of the responsorial psalm proclaimed from the ambo,
• how to chant the verses of the psalm,
• the need for cantor/song leaders at all our Masses to engage the assembly in song,
• the need to prepare music for the assembly–that repetition of selected pieces is required to enable our assemblies to sing,
• review and singing of our diocesan acclamations,
• music for confirmations at the Cathedral–to alert directors of religious education that music will be given in advance to all being confirmed so that they may participate in song during confirmations at the Cathedral,
• copyright laws,
• orders of worship,
• music for musicians,
• projected texts on screens, and
• music in Spanish - preparing for the new Spanish roman missal, which will contain new music for the ordinaries in Spanish.

All participants received copies of "Sing to the Lord" (both in English and Spanish) as well as complimentary handbooks on "being a music minister" and the "role of the cantor."

"A lot was covered in the two and half hour workshops," Gwozdz said. "Our next workshop will be skills sessions at Del Mar College in the winter/spring for choir directors, singers, organists, pianists, guitarists and ensembles that sing for Spanish Masses, including Mariachi's."