Course: Liturgical Documents
What does the church say about music? In this course, The Vigil Project's Andrew Goldstein slowly walks you through key concepts found in documents from the Second Vatican Council and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Together we'll explore practical questions, like: What is the Church's vision for music in the Mass? Does the Church say anything about devotion, or music outside of Mass? What instruments or styles belong in the liturgy? How do I know if my own compositions are suitable for the Mass?
An important note: the documents can, at times, feel overwhelming or spiritually challenging. As you journey through this course, be mindful of the topics that lead you into a place of frustration. Take time to pray and journal: what about this topic led me into frustration? We have regular livestream sessions on the Catholic Musician Community to talk about these documents... bring these thoughts, questions, and frustrations to a live session so we can unpack them together! We can confidently say that you are not alone in feeling the frustration, and that the Lord is always at work in the midst of challenges such as these.
-
Selecting Music for Mass: Introduction (Episode 1)
Why should Catholic musicians know the liturgical documents? How do they help us answer practical questions about music in the Mass, as well as the church's vision for devotion? Course leader Andrew Goldstein provides opening context to this six part series on the liturgical documents.
Why should Catholic musicians know the liturgical documents? How do they help us answer practical questions about music in the Mass, as well as the church's vision for devotion? Course leader Andrew Goldstein provides opening context to this six part series on the liturgical documents.
-
Selecting Music for Mass: Sacrosanctum Concilium & Musicam Sacram (Episode 2)
Let's begin to understand what the liturgical documents say about music. This is the lengthiest part of the course... take time with it and digest it slowly!
Let's begin to understand what the liturgical documents say about music. This is the lengthiest part of the course... take time with it and digest it slowly!
-
Selecting Music for Mass: Sing to the Lord (Episode 3)
Now that we've learned from the Second Vatican Council, let's explore what the US Bishops have to say about music.
Now that we've learned from the Second Vatican Council, let's explore what the US Bishops have to say about music.
-
Selecting Music for Mass: Catholic Hymnody at the Service of the Church (Episode 4)
In 2020, the US Bishops released another document calling Catholic musicians to evaluate the lyrical quality of hymns.
In 2020, the US Bishops released another document calling Catholic musicians to evaluate the lyrical quality of hymns.
-
Selecting Music for Mass: What about style? (Episode 5)
As we near the end of the course, we ask some harder (but common!) questions about music, and leverage what we've learned in church documents to answer them! The first: what about style?
As we near the end of the course, we ask some harder (but common!) questions about music, and leverage what we've learned in church documents to answer them! The first: what about style?
-
Selecting Music for Mass: What about my music? (Episode 6)
In this final section, we look at the church's guidance for composers specifically.
In this final section, we look at the church's guidance for composers specifically.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Andrew Goldstein grew up in the choir loft and spent fifteen years as a church music director. He recently joined The Vigil Project team as the Director of Mission Advancement. He has a lifelong passion forchasing the good, true, and beautiful in the contexts of the CatholicChurch, as well as in the classical music world. He is the co-founder of Seattle’s critically acclaimed experiential music series: Emerald CityMusic. He has worked as an Artistic Administrator for California'sMusic@Menlo, Korea's Chamber Music Today, and a marketingconsultant for Molina Visuals. He is a proud dad of five daughters, andspends his free time flower farming with his wife, Eryn.