Chant Practicum Schedule
21 June 2010
Monday:

07:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. …… Arrival and check-in
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. …… Lunch (for those who have arrived)
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. …… Lecture: Role of Gregorian Chant in the Liturgy
3:55 p.m. – 4:40 p.m. …… Lecture: The knowledge & skills needed to sing Gregorian chant
4:45 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. …… Preparation for Office of Vespers
5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. …… Vespers
6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. …… Dinner
7:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. …… Practicum: Latin Pronunciation
7:50 p.m. – 8:20 p.m. …… Practicum: Preparation for office of Compline
8:30 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. …… Compline

22-26 June 2010
Tuesday—Saturday:
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. …… Missa Cantata
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. …… Breakfast
9:30 a.m. – 9:40 a.m. …… Terce
9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. …… Solfège exercises
10:45 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. …… Practicum
12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. …… Sext
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. …… Lunch
1:30 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. …… Practicum
3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. …… None
3:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. …… Practicum
5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. …… Vespers
6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. …… Dinner
7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. …… Practicum (optional)
8:30 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. …… Compline

27 June 2010
Sunday
10:00 a.m. Mass at St. Francis of Assisi (Lincoln)
12:30 Brunch (OLG Seminary)/Departure

Syllabus

Chant Practicum
Syllabus

1. Purpose of Liturgy, Chant
2. Pronunciation of Latin
3. Breathing
4. Legato sound
5. Uniform Sound
a. Breathing (how, when)
b. Head sound
c. Group sound (listening, blending)
6. Neums
7. Interpretation
8. Solfège
a. Reading proficiency
b. Intonation
9. Rhythm
a. Definition
i. Platonic
ii. Aristotelian
b. Application
i. Rules for counting
ii. Manipulation of tempo, dynamics
iii.Greater rhythm (phrasing)
c. Chironomy
10. Phrasing
a. “Greater rhythm” structure
b. Dynamics
c. Tempo
d. Adjustments to standard interpretations
11. Schola practice procedure
12. Psalmody
a. Praying the Psalms with Chant
b. General structure/mechanics
c. Rules for fitting cadences to recitatives
d. The tones in particular

Details

Where: Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, Denton, Nebraska
When: 21-27 June 2010
For whom: lovers of chant who can sing but would like to develop their knowledge and abilities
Cost: $250
What to bring: Liber Usualis and Graduale Romanum (bring both or whichever one you own)

Attention, ladies!

As the Chant Practicum will take place at OLG Seminary, women who wish to attend will have to be housed elsewhere: either in private homes or at the newly constructed Camp Gargano, about a 15-minute drive from OLGS.

About the instructor

Fr. Robert Fromageot was born into a family of gifted musicians, himself learning to play the flute. While attending Thomas Aquinas College, he joined the schola and was introduced to the chant theory rooted in the scholarship of Dom Andre Mocquereau and Dom Joseph Gajard. Upon graduating he attended the chant practicum offered at Catholic University of America by the late Dr. Theodore Marier. Shortly thereafter he entered Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, where he was able further to develop his chant skills. Since being ordained, he has frequently been called upon to form and direct scholas. He currently resides at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, the FSSP apostolate in Lincoln, Nebraska.