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Music and Liturgy
 The formation program at TC is appropriately enhanced by a liturgical music program directed by Gerald F. Muller, DMA. Dr. Muller, working in collaboration with a member of the formation faculty, Dr. Muller is responsible for music preparation related to all prayer and liturgical activities and celebrations held throughout the year. These activities may include, among others: the Opening Day liturgy and Eucharist in August; the annual Alumni Days reunion vespers service and liturgy in October; candidacy and the installation of ministries ceremonies in the fall and winter, respectively; and, the spring diaconate ordination held in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.Under his direction, the seminary Schola has continued to enhance the prayer and worship life of the seminary community, growing to include more than 20 members. As an adjunct to their formation, the Music Program provides the needed training so that individual seminarians can further develop their musical talents and abilities in preparation for ordination and priestly formation and as choir members, cantors, psalmists, organists, and in other musical areas. Seasonal performances have also been scheduled routinely over the past several years at TC and, particularly, during Advent and Lent - the 'Advent Lesson and Carols' and recent Tenebrae service on Palm Sunday - to showcase the range and abilities of the seminarians and their musicianship and to provide liturgical and ritual experience. In addition, seminarians perform at Masses for the homebound filmed throughout the year in the Crypt Church at the Basilica in Washington. Other daily formational activities include sung vespers during the week and participation at week day Masses for the entire near 100 member seminary community. The Schola of Theological College also performs at the annual March for Life liturgy and Eucharist celebrated at the Verizon Center in Washington in January each year which is celebrated by Washington archbishop Donald W. Wuerl. In September 2008, the Schola released its first compact-disk recording, Music of the Ages, a collection of liturgical hymns, chant, and songs of the liturgical seasons of Christmas, Lent and Easter performed each year at TC. Summer Liturgical Music Workshop Set In August 2009, under the auspices of the music program at TC, a two-day workshop for liturgical musicians will be held at Theological College in Washington, D.C. The workshop, entitled 'Spirituality of Music and Mysticism', to be held Sunday, August 2 thru Tuesday, August 4, will focus on the interconnectedness of the aesthetic and acoustic nature of liturgical music, ritual and worship. Topics and issues to be discussed include: applying current church directives; challenges of the 'individual' and 'community' aesthetic; adopting language changes; standards of musical perfection; liturgy planning, and the importance of the Word; and, establishing an English 'chant apostolate.' Local and nationally renowned musicians and liturgists including: Reverend David D. Thayer, S.S., Ph.D., director of intellectual formation at Theological College, liturgist and educator; Gerald F. Muller, director music at TC and principal organist at St. Hugh of Grenoble Church in Greenbelt, MD. Dr. Muller is an accomplished musician and conductor and previously served as director of music at The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C. from 1980 to 1997. He studied at Juilliard School of Music and received an AB degree from Niagara University in New York. He holds a master and doctorate degree in music composition from The Catholic University of America. Other workshop leaders are: Lawrence Harris, director of the Canadian Symposium on Music in Liturgy, teaches chant, solfège, and choral music in Ottawa, Canada. He is a graduate of the St. Joseph College of Indiana in Rensselaer, IN and Carleton University (Ontario), and the University of Toronto in Canada. He has also served as a visiting professor of Gregorian chant at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA; Russell J. Weismann, university organist and director of liturgy and music at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He holds degrees from Yale and Duquesne universities and completed post-graduate studies at Carnegie Mellon University. He previously served as associate music director for St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh and as a teaching fellow at the Renaissance Musicology at Yale School of Music. He has participated in the London Organ Academy and has studied sacred music traditions of Mexico and Sub-saharan Africa. The 'Spirituality of Music and Mysticism' workshop is designed for those currently employed as pastoral musicians and those involved in liturgy. The cost of the two day workshop which includes: meals, workshop materials and ALL liturgies is $185.00. Overnight accommodations at the seminary (single, air-conditioned rooms) are available for an added charge of $100.00 for two nights including breakfast and parking. For more information and to register, contact the Music Office at Theological College at (202) 756-2736 or via e-mail at: gmuller@theologicalcollege.org. |
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