Last night I was invited by Wm. Glenn Osborne to hear three anthems that he wrote, using my hymn texts, as sung by the Shrine Choir, the professional octet at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe at their Thursday evening rehearsal.
What a thrill it was to hear them sing this fantastic music that Glenn wrote this month.
The SHRINE CHOIR is the professional choir-in-residence at the Shrine, directed by Dr. Wiliam Picher.
The SHRINE CHOIR is the professional choir-in-residence at the Shrine, directed by Dr. Wiliam Picher.
The Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine Choir is the resident professional choir-in-residence at Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine, the last great Marian shrine of the Second Millennium, which opened in 1993. The Shrine Choir was formed to minister to the many thousands of tourists who attend Mass at the Shrine, and to provide the very best in liturgical choral music. The Shrine Choir's members come from all parts of the United States, and all have extensive choral experience. In addition to singing regularly at Shrine liturgies on Sundays and Holy Days, the Shrine Choir performs concerts and other outreach ministries.
Dr. William Picher (director) was born to a musical family in Portland, Maine and began taking organ lessons with his father, Frank Picher, at the age of 7. At age 13, he began study of trumpet and has continued playing both instruments throughout his career, as well as composing, conducting and teaching. Dr. Picher holds music degrees from the University of Maine, Eastman School of Music and Catholic University of America. He as has served at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Portland, Maine), the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle (St. Petersburg, Florida) and as a member of the United States Navy Band in Washington DC. He has composed and arranged several published choral and brass works. In 2000, Dr. Picher was awarded the St. Jude Medal by Bishop Robert Lynch in recognition for his service to the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle and the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Currently, Dr. Picher serves as Director of Music/Organist and the Artistic Director of the Shrine Concert Series at Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine. Additionally, he is on the music faculty of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida.
Dr. William Picher (director) was born to a musical family in Portland, Maine and began taking organ lessons with his father, Frank Picher, at the age of 7. At age 13, he began study of trumpet and has continued playing both instruments throughout his career, as well as composing, conducting and teaching. Dr. Picher holds music degrees from the University of Maine, Eastman School of Music and Catholic University of America. He as has served at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Portland, Maine), the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle (St. Petersburg, Florida) and as a member of the United States Navy Band in Washington DC. He has composed and arranged several published choral and brass works. In 2000, Dr. Picher was awarded the St. Jude Medal by Bishop Robert Lynch in recognition for his service to the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle and the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Currently, Dr. Picher serves as Director of Music/Organist and the Artistic Director of the Shrine Concert Series at Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine. Additionally, he is on the music faculty of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida.
With a repertoire ranging from the ancient chants of the Church, to selections by contemporary composers, the Shrine Choir ministers at select 9:30 a.m. Sunday masses, along with other special events.
The women and men of the Shrine Choir have such wonderful voices, they truly did justice to Glenn's setting of my words.
You can read mead more about the Shrine Choir at their webpage:
http://www.maryqueenoftheuniverse.org/choirs.html
The names of the anthems are:
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"See a Baby! See a Manger!'
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"Babe of Bethlehem, Draw Near!"
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"God, We Would Hear the Angels Sing"
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Glenn wrote these anthems because he recently had a conversation with the school music director at St. Margaret Mary. She is looking for Christmas music for her choir to sing at the Pueri Canotres festival in Rome. Glenn had one Christmas text of mine already, but wanted to know if I had any others I could share with him. I sent him several, not knowing which might work best for his purposes. Immediately he set to work and has created three stunning anthems.
About Pueri Cantores: The basis of the modern International Federation of Pueri Cantores, founded in the twentieth century, was formed on a deep ancient Christian conviction that singing can be an instrument of worshipping God. It has been a significant element determining the musical form of Christian worship over the centuries. St Paul in his letter to Colossians encourages them to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as they sing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs with gratitude in their hearts to God (cf. Col 3:16). These words prove that in the early Christian consciousness there was a strong belief that people, through singing, not only worship God, but also professes their faith. Thus singing was a tool of preaching the Gospel and a means of spiritual and moral development of a believer. An ancient conviction that "music soothes the savage beast", and allegedly St Augustine's saying that "he who sings, prays twice as much", serve as a very convincing proof. Those early Christian ideas are fundamental to the present shape of the Pueri Cantores Federation.
I wish you could have heard the Shrine Choir sing them. And I wish you could have heard their enthusiastic reactions at the end of each piece.
Let me tell you about Glenn:
William Glenn Osborne is the Director of Liturgical Music for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando, Florida. Mr. Osborne works in conjunction with the Director of Liturgy to plan all major and secondary diocesan liturgical celebrations. He also serves as a consultant to clergy and musicians throughout the diocese on relevant liturgical, musical and personnel issues.
Prior to coming to Orlando, Mr. Osborne served as Director of Music and Organist at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany, NY. His duties included not only playing the organ, directing the choir and training cantors, but also organizing concerts and composing music for liturgy.
Mr. Osborne studied organ, improvisation, and composition in France, living in Aix-en-Provence and Lyon. Before studying abroad, he earned degrees from Westminster Choir College and the University of Notre Dame where he studied organ with William Hays and Craig Cramer, respectively. Mr. Osborne has given concerts in the United States, Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain, and Greece, and has placed in several national and international competitions.
With singer-songwriter Kim Harris, he composed Friends of Freedom to introduce children to spirituals, opera and the underground railroad. In 2006, he was commissioned by the Festival Celebration Choir in Albany, NY to compose a piece, “Festival Te Deum,” which premiered in honor of their 20th anniversary. In 2008, Mr. Osborne arranged pieces for papal liturgies during the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to New York City.
Glenn plans to take the anthems to the AGO conference in July and I plan to take them to the Hymn Society Conference the week thereafter. Maybe at one or the other, they will find a home with a publisher.
