As a child, I remember my father telling stories of his childhood and growing up in northern Minnesota in a devout Catholic family. His family loved to tell the stories of uncle Pope Pius X and how my grandmother’s grandfather ran away from home to save his future family from having to be nuns or priests. One of my favorite stories that my father used to tell was about they earned mass points as children.
Read MoreMy daughter likes to ask questions. A lot of questions. So many that we final bought her an Echo dot so she could ask Alexa several of her burning questions. A few weeks ago, while I was practicing a piece at home, she asked why we had preludes and postludes in worship. Perhaps you have wondered the same thing.
Read MoreThis summer, July 8-15, several of our youth and adult choristers, together with choristers from Saint Mary’s, Arlington, and Saint Andrew’s, Burke will make a pilgrimage to England where they will be the resident choir at Lincoln Cathedral for the week, as well as sing services at Sheffield Cathedral and St. Botolph’s, Boston. Most Cathedrals in England have an adjoining cathedral school and during school holidays, visiting choirs are invited to be the resident choir. Lincoln Cathedral has had a tradition of daily worship since 1088, one in which our singers will take part.
Read MoreI love the season of Lent! It’s not just that it provides us with a time for the spring cleaning of our souls, or that it has some of the most beautiful music of any of our liturgical seasons. For me, Lent is anything but a sorrowful and sad season, but quite the opposite. There is a quiet joy that pervades. What I love most is that this season is about undergoing a transformation. Lent provides the structure for self-examination in the midst of our chaotic world. It provides that opportunity to re-order our lives, to put our focus and energy into that which is truly important - our faith in God…
Read MoreOne of the reasons I chose my profession over others was because I loved to sing. But more than just loving to sing, I loved to sing with others, especially when it involved hymns. As a young child, I was immersed in the great four-part Lutheran hymn singing tradition. It was both mystical and robust and it made a lasting impression on me. And though I didn’t realize it in my youth, it was something that I physically felt and profoundly holy experience. I still do today.
Read MoreMy first experience with Evensong was an online broadcast from Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. I was fresh out of college serving a large Lutheran congregation in North Dakota which served as the center of music and arts for a large area. I started listening because I was curious about this Episcopal service that had such a cool title. But mostly I was looking for repertoire ideas, and wanted to hear some good organ playing. I didn’t think it was possible to worship remotely, so I wasn’t prepared when I found myself captivated and moved by this service. The music was glorious, but what I found especially moving was how the profound mystery and presence of God emanated throughout the service in a different way than it did in our Eucharistic liturgy.
Read MoreOn Christmas Eve at 9:30pm, as a prelude to our Festival Eucharist the Saint George’s Choir will sing Bach’s famous Cantata 140, “Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme” (Sleepers, Wake!). It is a truly glorious and beautiful work packed with rich symbolism that probes the mysteries of our faith. I love how Bach accomplishes this in an adventure-filled journey complete with a chase scene of Hollywood proportion, gorgeous love duets, and a festive bunny hop.
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