Holy Trinity Church Ministry of Music

05/13/2026

People have asked me about the organ preludes and improvisations I have played for the past year or so during Mass. The organ preludes are part of the L'Orgue Mystique (The Mystic Organ) by French organist Charles Tournemire. Tournemire set 51 offices, one for each Sunday, based on the proper Gregorian chants of the traditional Latin rite to improvisation. Each office consists of a prelude (based on the entrance antiphon), the offertory (in the Latin rite, a more expansive gathering and prayer before consecration) the communion (the first part of the consecration litany, the post communion (the actual communion antiphon, and the postlude, usually from the responsorial psalm or alleluia. In each office, you will hear slight motifs from each chant within Tournemire's improvisation. I studied the French organ tradition from Dr. Ann Labounsky, at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, who studied in Paris with renowned French organist Jean Langlais. This tradition was begun at the Basilica of St. Clotilde by Cesar Franck (who helped restore the French Catholic faith immediately following the French Revolution), Charles Tournemire, Andre Marschal, and Jean Langlais. Each of these men were devout Roman Catholics. L'Orgue Mystique was specifically written for use in the liturgical Catholic liturgy, of which I have presented certain sections. This Sunday is the Feast of the Ascension. You will hear the prelude and the communion improvisations.

04/05/2026

Feeling quite satisfied and proud of the men and women of our Holy Trinity Mixed Choir. Our liturgies during this Holy Week have been eclectic and so prayerful. I am so thankful for each person that sacrifices time with their families to rehearse, sing, laugh, and then lead our parish in our worship experiences. I am so blessed. Your hard work polishing up the Mozart "Ave Verum," learning Jenkings' "Ave Verum," for Holy Thursday and the Lambillotte "Panis Angelicus" and Cesar Franck's "Panis Angelicus" at today's Easter Sunday Mass set a standard of excellence that I hope inspired our parishoners. The DuBois "Adoremus te, Christe" and followed by the Palestrina "Adoremus, te Christe" on Good Friday were exquisite. I have truly sensed the "brush" of the wings of Angels this Holy Triduum. This summer, I will enter my 27th year as Director of Music at Holy Trinity. It's been a lifetime of thrills working with all generations of musicians of all ages. Today, as I was getting into my car to prepare for the Easter 8am Mass, I found a simple package of "Peeps" at my porch door. I'm not a big fan of marshmallows! But to honor whoever thought enough of me to leave a simple gift, I indulged when I returned home after the 10am Mass. I love my community of Coldwater so much. It is my life. Thank you!

02/23/2026

This Facebook business is so confusing to me! But, I will give it an honest try to keep folks informed, enlightened, and explain our Ministry of Music at Holy Trinity. We are a teaching ministry. We simply teach what the Church actually teaches regarding the purpose of music at Mass. Unfortunately, there are those that will not agree with what I will share and what the Church teaches. Tragically, some are priests. Music and the Liturgy go hand in hand in a total expression of faith., leading our congregants in experiencing a relationship with the Holy.

My next post will explain what I play before and during Mass, taken from devout French organists who based their music on the proper Gregorian chants each Sunday. So, stay tuned as I try to explain and teach! Soli Deo Gloria!

05/31/2025

This Facebook procedure totality confuses me. I want to update, keep folks informed and carry on what I perceive as my Sacred Responsibility to teach, inform, and enlighten those interested in our Music Ministry at Holy Trinity. I promise to more devoutly inform what we do at Holy Trinity, and why we do what we do. I do not want to ramble on, as I feel a traditional homily coming forth! This weekend, we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord. The readings, antiphons, and hymnody all reflect that theme. Pay attention to the hymnody and the "parallelism" to the readings and theme of the day. Saturday's antiphons reflect the given "vigil" readings and the Sunday of the Day reflect the readings of the Mass during the Day. More regarding our liturgy coming forth! God Bless!!!

02/13/2023

Well now....methinks something sinister is approaching....

11/10/2022

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=516&fbclid=IwAR2PshsRrol8JcC-q7OOe911B4AfKh6UkP-I9jpj_K4ks80J1e5xrSJZNbI

Sacred Signs and Active Participation at Mass Essay by Fr. Folsom, vice-rector of Sant' Anselmo delivered as an address to the Adoremus Conference held in Los Angeles on November 22, 1997.

07/29/2022

Been giving quite a bit of thought to our choir directions in September. In Advent, the dialogues between the priest and the congregation will be sung again and we will be adding back the communion antiphon and psalm verses. I am giving serious thought to using Thursday evenings as a Cantor rehearsal only, giving training in proper vocal production and technique. I am thinking of making these cantor rehearsals mandatory. I am contemplating moving our Mixed Choir rehearsals to Wednesday evening, as it seems as though that day has the fewest scheduling conflicts. I want to incorporate more motet pieces, which would include English and Latin works that are a foundation of Catholic choral song. We will have more structure in our preparedness to allow us to polish what we already sing and venture into new song. We are also thinking of beginning a Family of Parishes Festival Choir, incorporating all 7 parishes in our Family of Parishes that would sing at major feast days (Christmas Midnight Mass, First Communion, Confirmation, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, etc). We want to draw people from our entire area into our Song, and prayer. Stay tuned...our First Rehearsal will be during the week of Labor Day in September.......

06/30/2022

I will be "back in the saddle" this weekend. I need cantors for Saturday 5pm, and Sunday 8am, 10am, and 6pm. Let me know who is willing!

06/21/2022

Fr. Recker's Final Mass at Holy Trinity is the 6pm Sunday, June 26. Singers needed. We will gather in the Music Room at 5:15pm to go over the music.

06/16/2022

While on vacation, I have been visiting other parishes, to see and hear how those parishes celebrate Mass, what worship resources they use, do they sing the dialogues and antiphons, and just all-round spying. This Sunday, at the Noon Mass is Fr. Walling's final celebration at Holy Trinity. I will be in the loft. I will need a cantor. Anyone interested contact me.

I will also play for Fr. Recker's final Mass at 6pm on June 26. Again, a cantor is requested.

I will be back from vacation on Friday, July 1.