Saint Gregory Institute of Sacred Music

by Gary D. Penkala

Some wonderful sacred music education is happening currently in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Saint Gregory Institute of Sacred Music is a top-notch, comprehensive series of courses, which can be pursued individually, or combined to earn a Certificate in Sacred Music.

The Institute was founded by CNP Composer Nicholas Will, former Director of Liturgical Music at the Pontifical North American College (Rome) and current Music Director, Organist and Lecturer at Mount Saint Mary Seminary (Emmitsburg MD).

Prof. Will has the necessary energy, talent and experience to coordinate this massive, useful project. His extensive experience as a university professor and director of parish, cathedral, and seminary music programs has given him a thorough knowledge of the Church's tradition of sacred music, an intimate familiarity with the issues facing parishes and church musicians today, and the desire and skills to improve the state of Catholic sacred music in the United States.

He has assembled an array of brilliant church musicians as the Institute faculty:

• Fr. Stephen Concordia, OSB — a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe PA and Director of the Saint Vincent Camerata
• Dr. Benjamin Cornelius-Bates — an organist, improviser, and composer with international competition experience and a commissioned work at the AGO National Convention in 2018
• Dr. Ann Labounsky, FAGO, ChM — Chair of Organ and Sacred Music at Duqesne University (Pittsburgh) and an internationally-noted scholar on Jean Langlais
• Dr. Alan Lewis — an organist and composer, currently Director of Music at Calvary Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh); former President of AAM
• Luke Mayernik, AAGO — a composer and organist, published by Universal, E.C. Schirmer, Hal Leonard, Oregon Catholic Press, Walton Music, and others
• Rebecca Rollett, AAGO — an organist and harpsichordist, Artistic Director Emerita of the Pittsburgh Camerata
• Dr. Vincent Rone — Director of Music at Archangel Gabriel Parish (Pittsburgh) and music faculty at Franciscan University of Steubenville
• Dr. Neil Stahurski — Director of Music Ministries at the Church of the Assumption (Bellevue PA) and accompanist for the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, the Children's Festival Chorus of Pittsburgh, and the Saint Vincent Camerata; Adjunct Professor of Music/Organ at Franciscan University of Steubenville
• Richard Teaster — voice faculty of Carnegie Mellon University's School of Music and School of Drama and Director of the Pitt Men's Glee Club
• Fr. Nicholas Vaskov, STL — Director of the Shrines of Pittsburgh and Pastor of Christ our Savior Parish (Northside) and an accomplished musician

Talented guest speakers in the Composers' Forum include:

• Dr. Peter Latona — Drector of Music at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Washington DC)
• Dr. David Conte — Composition Chair at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music
• Laurence Rosania — Director of Liturgy and Music at the College of the Holy Cross (Worcester MA)
• Kelly Dobbs-Mickus — Editor for MorningStar Music Publishers

The Institute runs a full year of coursework, divided into three terms:

1. Saint Gregory Term [September - December]
2. Epiphany Term [January - April]
3. Pentecost Term [May-August]

A broad spectrum of relevant courses are offered, most covering 14 weekly sessions:

• Composition Forum
• Conducting II
• Conducting III
• Counterpoint
• Gregorian Chant I
• Gregorian Chant II
• History of Sacred Music
• Liturgical Organ Playing I
• Liturgical Organ Playing II
• Liturgy
• Organ Class
• Organ Improvisation
• Organ Lessons
• Organ Lessons
• Voice Lessons

Tuition fees are extremely affordable. For example, Liturgical Organ Playing I meets for fourteen 90-minute sessions, costing $300 (that's only about $20 per class!).

The curriculum for a Certificate in Sacred Music is arranged over a full year.

"The program is designed to equip musicians with the skills and knowledge necessary for the execution of Roman Catholic music at a professional level. Students, in time-honored fashion, learn the various aspects of the craft through individual and group instruction from master musicians and teachers. Additionally, they will take part in monthly liturgical performances (Mass and the Divine Office in both Forms of the Roman Rite) in the beautiful and historic Shrines of Pittsburgh, thus gaining a familiarity with a portion of the Church's vast treasury of sacred music in the liturgical context in which it was conceived."

The web site recounts:

We believe in the power of sacred music to transform our Liturgy, our Church, and our culture. With that in mind, the Saint Gregory Institute of Sacred Music was founded in 2019 to equip current and future church musicians with the knowledge, skills, and passion necessary to bring about authentic renewal in Roman Catholic sacred music. Grounded in the traditional music of the Roman Catholic Church, we seek specifically to reclaim elements of that tradition which have been neglected in recent generations and to foster a greater awareness and appreciation of them by all.

The Institute is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a beautiful, revitalized city with magnificent and historic churches, including the gothic-designed Saint Paul Cathedral in downtown Oakland, with its 4-manual von Beckerath organ. Knowing both the city and many of the highly-qualified instructors, I can enthusiastically recommend this program to church musicians eager to boost their competence.

Article written 07 May 2021