1. Expert Advice on Liturgical Music Planning Angela Westhoff-Johnson

2. Liturgical Music Preparation Prep a ra tion The action or process of making ready It’s never too early to begin!

3. Liturgy Preparation You must have the following resources: Ordo: a calendar of the liturgical year Lectionary: the scripture readings Today’s Liturgy: OCP’s quarterly publication for liturgy preparation

4. Liturgy Preparation Breaking Bread with Readings/ Today’s Missal (EVERYTHING is there to prepare a liturgy!) Respond & Acclaim

5. The Big Picture Planning Begin choosing repertoire by thinking seasonally: Advent Christmas Lent Easter Ordinary Time Add a few new pieces to each season every year. Think future…what pieces will stand the test of time and remain in the “ repertoire ” for many years.

6. Think Topically There are themes or topics that reoccur throughout the liturgical year: Shepherd Love Holy Spirit Marian Always need Eucharistic music

7. Think Ritually Initiation (acclamations that can be used throughout the year) Funeral Eternal Life Sequences –Easter –Pentecost –Body and Blood

8. Detailed Preparation Sit with the Lectionary readings to assign repertoire to specific Sundays/days

9. Prepare Liturgies Way Ahead of Time

10. Selecting Service Music (Mass Settings) “Liturgy is something sung…….The Assembly sings their liturgy. That is the way things are supposed to be. They don’t sing during the liturgy. They sing the liturgy.” (Gabe Huck, 1989, Liturgy Training Publications) How many Mass settings each year? Do you change seasonally?

11. Consider a choral Alleluia during Easter

12. Communion Antiphons (Walker)

13. Introduce New Music How to Introduce NEW MUSIC to your assembly? Repetition, repetition, repetition!!!

14. Gathering Use one song as the Gathering for an entire season “ Advent Gathering Litany ” (Michael Prendergast & Rick Modlin) Breaking Bread 56

15. Communion Each year add 1-2 communion songs into your parish’s repertoire Choose communion songs with plenty of verses “ Come to Me and Drink ” (Bob Hurd) Breaking Bread 355

16. Choral Do a song with just the choir a few times, then the assembly will learn it! “ Restless is the Heart ” (Bernadette Farrell) Breaking Bread 683 Create your own tradition

17. Well-Planned Choir Director The Well- Planned Choir Rehearsal TL124 article

18. The Well-Planned Choir Rehearsal 1) Rehearsal lineup – Cathedral 1 st first rehearsal 2) Prepare the room 3) Create a seating arrangement 4) Take attendance 5) Start on time 6) Start with vocal warm-ups

19. The Well-Planned Choir Rehearsal 7) Incorporate sight-singing into each rehearsal 8) Use time wisely 9) Balance standing and sitting 10) Be positive and upbeat 11) Set high standards 12) End rehearsals on time!

20. Questions?

21. Liturgical Music Preparation Resources Contact us for more information! sales@ocp.org 1-800-548-8749 ext. 7000 Webinar follow-up Questions Video and article Next Webinar License to Sing: Navigating the world of copyright October 29 th at 9:00 am PDT Survey