I have been reading all of the recent posts, and finding them all very
intereting. I can't even figure out which lines of whose post I feel like
quoting - they all have a ring of understanding in my mind.
I started singing Gregorian chant, the fairly simple stuff, in 4th grade at
a southern Illinois parochial school. The Vat. II changes happened late in
my 8th grade year. I had been playing the accordion also since 4th grade,
and picked up both the organ and clarinet upon entering HS. Even with the
Viet Nam War going on (I was in the second year of the lottery) the only
thing I wanted to study was music. My HS band director had encouraged me to
attend the Summer Band Program at Northwestern U., and that lead to my
attending college there - for just 1 1/2 years. You see, I decided that I
didn't want a degree after all! I loved the "college experience" - but the
top of that list was the NU Marching Wildcat Band! (And that under John
Paynter himself!) What I noticed, while possibly experiencing my first bout
of "depression" (we didn't really hear much about that back then) was that
1) I was NOT learning about playing the organ at church (especially RC), and
2) my fellow organ students, working on anything less than their doctorate,
were ending up with full-time jobs completely outside of music in order to
subsidise their often prestigious church position. So, I decided to pursue
building pipe organs.
Years later, I attended one, (and only one) AIO Convention. It was not for
the Organ Builder exam, although I left Houston even earlier than people who
were going to take test. No, I was going to spend a couple of days change
ringing in the Boston area before making my way out to the convention. That
convention was a lot of fun, especially late at night in the bar! I also
got to hear Methuen, the Hammond Museum, and a number of other important
organs. The convention was only a convenience. I had already been told
that holding the AIO certificate would not increase my income - only
possibly be used as a "ticket" into another company at a later date. I
dropped my membership in the AIO immediately.
Through all these years, I have continued playing in RC parishes - for over
16 years at one in Houston. The Diocesan Office of Worship once had a
2-year training program for Pastoral Musicians - one that would include a
certificate at the end. I always supposed that this would eventually lead
to a "weeding out" of applicants for RC positions. I'm not sure whether or
not that's the case today. The bottom line was that they had no one
teaching anything that I even remotely wanted to learn. I was doing what my
Pastor needed done, and we had a good working relationship. I was also
learning new things, and new music - but always of a liturgical (i.e.
practical) type. I only play the organ - NEVER the piano! Diocesan
programs like this one, I'm afraid, were only another modernist
"inculturation" scheme.
Even within the last couple of years, with the Traditional Latin Mass making
a comeback (remember, I didn't start playing the organ until that was
forbidden!) I had thoughts once again of taking the time, energy and money
to get some sort of a degree. I heard that there was a prestigious RC
university that was offering a new degree program - Master of Sacred Music.
I also heard that, with successful completion of 1) interview, 2) audition,
3) entrance exam, they would consider a candidate with no prior,
undergraduate degree. I had many communications with musicians and priest
at many levels of expertise. I found that I would not get any help with
Gregorian chant (much less the accompaniment thereof!), and that the people
running this program were pretty much against chant and the Latin Mass -
only occasional Latin within choral repertoire. I was so sorry to hear
that - yet another modern RC inculturation scheme. Most of the people I
talked to considered that I either had no need of a degree, or that I would
have to be crazy to follow such a dream!
My parents taught me that education was to be a life-long experience. I
have tried to make it so. I have joined a RC musicians organization, and
have set goals for myself, the chief of which is to learn the melismatic
chants in the Liber Usualis WITH good modal accompaniments. The second goal
is to develope my improvisation skills - mostly in a quieter, meditative
style - but NOT just slushing around on the Dulciana chorus!
Two of my three sons are following a musical career: Joshua is professional
bagpiper, and is in demand most of the time. But his degree from The
Citadel is in Civil Engineering, and both he and both of his parents hope
that he will find the best pay in that field. Andrew is still in HS, and
has made All-State in Texas every year. He should be able to get a full
scholarship to a music school - but I'll not hold my breath at his making a
TOTAL living at it, especially just at the end of college. Only the future
will tell. The middle son, Phillip, is attending a local techincal college,
and thinks he may want to be an architect. But he's also looking at the
prospects of getting a CAD position before going on to another 4-5 year
university. Also, my ex-wife has completed a 5-year on-line teaching degree
program. So I'm the only one who has no degree, nor any intention in that
direction.
Life is to short to wade through so much B*!!S7!+, and developing filters
against collegiate political correctness. That's all bad enough in the real
world! Or is even that part of the college experience - developing
psycholigical filters for the rest of one's life?
Stephen M. Collins
Charleston, SC
http://smcollinsus.blogspot.com/
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