Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Fr Chad Ripperger, Dr Peter Kwasniewski, Msgr Alberto Turco, Dr William Mahrt, Dr Edward Schaefer, Fr Mark Bachmann OSB, Mr Nicholas Lemme… these are the speakers of the online International Gregorian Chant Conference, Sept 25 – Oct 2, hosted by the Gregorian Chant Academy. How did I manage to organize an International event like this with such amazing, world renowned speakers, especially considering I have never organized anything in my life before? Good question. I have no idea. Actually, I do think I know how and the only explanation I give is: a little miracle. God willed it and He helped make it happen.
“Our help is in the name of the Lord.”
At the beginning of 2022, I was on the verge of shutting down the Gregorian Chant Academy as I was having great difficulty making it financially feasible and could not continue to juggle it with my (then) woodworking business. But before shutting it down, I thought it might be best to consecrate the Academy to Our Lady and let her take over.
Shortly after doing so, the idea came to me to launch a website (why didn’t I think of that before?) and begin an online masters course. As soon as I did this, the course very quickly sold out and has continued selling out each registration period since (new registration is currently open). Now, suddenly, I could close my woodworking business and make the Academy my full-time job. Ave Maria!
Then another idea came to me… there seem to be many sacred liturgy and sacred music conferences every year, and there are chant workshops by great Professors around the world… but there doesn’t seem to be any National or International conferences specifically dedicated to just Gregorian Chant. So, if no one else is doing it, I may as well try to organize such an event and make it online so it is cheaper and easier for everyone to “attend.” But how? Thankfully, I was already acquainted with Dr Kwasniewski (he and I are both Oblates of the Benedictine monastery in Norcia, Italy), so I shared with him the idea and invited him to be the first speaker. As he thought it was a great idea, he gladly accepted the invitation and continued to give me very helpful advice and contact info for inviting the other guest speakers. By God’s grace and the help of Our Lady, no one turned down an invitation and all have been extremely gracious.
Deo gratias!
Below you can find the lecture topics of each of the speakers (one per day). After each lecture, there will be a 45 min LIVE Q&A session. Please take note of the four details below. For additional information and to register, visit https://www.GregorianChantAcademy.com/conference.
1) Lectures and Q&As will remain available for viewing after the event for anyone who has registered but is unable to attend during the actual times of the event.
2) Free Admission to all priests/religious. Simply email Christopher Jasper at [email protected] indicating you are a priest/religious, would like to attend, and what diocese you belong to.
3) Referral Rewards: Get three others to sign up and get the full price of your ticket refunded back to you. Simply have the referrals mention your name as the referent when they register.
Schedule of Speakers and Lectures
Sunday, 09/25: Dr Peter Kwasniewski, PhD (Professor of Philosophy and Theology, composer/director of sacred music, prolific author and freelance writer): The Liturgical and Spiritual Primacy of Gregorian Chant in Sacred Music
Monday, 09/26: Dr Edward Schaefer, DMA (Founder/Director of the Collegium Sanctorum Angelorum and translator of “Gregorian Modes” and “Gregorian Chant: A Guide” by Daniel Saulnier): The Nature of Rhythm: Mocquereau and Beyond
Tuesday, 09/27: Fr Mark Bachmann, OSB (choirmaster at Annunciation Abbey, Clear Creek, Oklahoma): Beauty and Benefits of the Solesmes Method
Wednesday, 09/28: Mr Nicholas Lemme, B.M. (Professor/Director/Composer of sacred music at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, FSSP): How to Analyze and Prepare a Chant for Mass & Improve Your Schola
Thursday, 09/29: Dr William Mahrt, PhD (Professor of Medieval & Renaissance Music at Standford Univserity and President of the CMAA): The Form and Function of the Alleluia and Its Melisma
Friday, 09/30: Mgr Alberto Turco, PhD (Professor Emeritus of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome, Director of Nova Schola Gregoriana and In Ducli Jubilo, and intimate associate of the monks of Solesmes for over 40 years): Recitatives and Psalmody: the Basis for Modality and Gregorian Aesthetics
Saturday, 10/01: Fr Chad Ripperger, PhD (Exorcist, Philosopher & Theologian, founder and superior of the “Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother”): Gregorian Chant and the Spiritual Life
Sunday, 10/02: Bishop Athanasius Schneider (Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan): The Importance of Gregorian Chant in the Renewal of the Sacred Liturgy
