The Joy of Chant
- Details
-
Published on Thursday, 02 September 2010 13:34
Ask a kid what's fun to do and it's unlikely you'll get the answer, "Learning Gregorian chant." But about 40 kids in Ave Maria are having a ball learning to sing the medieval liturgical music.
They're doing it using a type of instruction called the Ward Method, which uses exercises and fun to learn music.
At their first practice Wednesday night in the choir loft of the Ave Maria Oratory, it was hard to tell who was having more fun - the kids or their teacher, Jennifer Donelson, who energetically worked the children through a program of both physical and musical exercises to develop their sense of pitch and rhythm. (right, Dr. Donelson tosses a tennis ball back and forth to students as part of the lessons)
Dr. Donelson is so enthusiastic about the class that to do it, she's driving once a week across the Florida panhandle from her home near Ft. Lauderdale, where she teaches music at Nova Southeastern University.
"I have been wanting to do this for the last five years," Dr. Donelson said. "I love the chant and the method so much I couldn't wait any longer."
A Ward Method session is not a typical choir practice or music class. The kids go through a number of physical and singing activities, repeating them several times, so they stay interested and engaged.
"It's a method designed so that someone not trained in music can learn," Dr. Donelson said, adding that she was delighted by the response from the Ave Maria community.
"I was hoping for 15 students, and got many more than that," she said.
Ave Maria resident Monica Dix said she was thrilled to see how much her two daughters, Bella, 7, and Gigi, 5, enjoyed their first class.
"The kids were so into it," Mrs. Dix said. "I wasn't sure how they would react, but when I watched the class I thought, ‘Wow' -- the kids were so focused on Jennifer and what she was teaching. They were excited for the whole 30 minutes and they all wanted to sing."
The Ward Method was developed in the early 20th century by Justine Ward, an American convert to Catholicism who wanted to support and promote the reform of sacred music begun by Pope Pius X. The method quickly spread in the U.S. and in Europe and was widely used in Catholic schools to teach music. Since the Ward Method focuses on learning to sing sacred liturgical music, Gregorian chant in particular, it was largely abandoned after the Second Vatican Council but Dr. Donelson said it has been gaining in popularity lately along with a revival of interest in Chant and traditional sacred music.
Dr. Donelson teaches two groups at Ave Maria, a half-hour class for children aged 5-7, and an hour-long class for 8-12 year olds.
The children will perform as a group at four Masses during the next nine months, the first one being on Christmas Eve in the oratory.
Fr. Tatman, pastor of the Quasi-Parish of Ave Maria Oratory, is looking forward to it. The parish has not had a children's choir, relying largely on the Ave Maria University choirs, which are not available during much of the Christmas season and at many other times of the year, so he said he was pleased to have the quasi-parish sponsor the classes.
"This is building now, and will go on from year to year," Fr. Tatman said.
"I heard some beautiful voices at the first practice. It will be a great joy to celebrate Mass with them."
