The 5th annual Musica Sacra Florida Gregorian Chant conference will be held at Ave Maria University Feb. 15-16.

The conference opens Friday afternoon at 4:00 pm, with a keynote lecture ("Towards a new culture of liturgical music: Why we should think of doing things differently") by Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth. In the evening, Feb. 15, at 7 pm, a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be celebrated, at which the Ave Maria University Chamber Choir will perform William Byrd's Mass for Four Voices and the Gregorian chant Propers will be sung by the AMU Women's Schola Gregoriana.

Saturday's events include Workshops in singing Gregorian Chant in English, incorporating Gregorian Chant into parish life, instruction for Priests and Deacons in Chanting the Mass in the New English Translation, Church documents & sacred music in the 20th and 21st Century; and a choice of participating in scholae for experienced and beginner singers.

The closing Mass Saturday evening will be a sung Mass in English in the Ordinary Form with music provided by conference participants. Bishop Frank Dewane had been scheduled to preside at the Mass but will not be able to do so due to illness.

The conference is open to all. Advance registration is required, with details at the Musica Sacra Florida website here.