To actualize the latent potency of the human singing voice, and impart a real musical understanding and literacy for use in the Traditional Roman Liturgy.
The Ideal
(Final Cause)
The Palestrina Choir school is a concept dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the traditional choral music of the Roman Catholic Church.
Organized and actualized according to Scholastic principles of causality.
The primary focus is the promotion of correct, healthy and beautiful singing through the principles of traditional Bel-Canto[1] vocal technique fused and united to musical pedagogy that most efficiently promotes musical literacy and understanding.
Accomplished by a synthesis of ancient and modern pedagogical approaches applied to all aspects of choral art. The primary ideal is rooted in the pedagogical writings of the eleventh-century Benedictine monk Guido D’Arezzo; whose principles were the foundation of western musical thought and pedagogy.
The ancient principles are applied and harmonically synthesized with the psychology of how musical knowledge and skills are acquired as expounded by contemporary disciplines such as: ‘Music Learning Theory’ of Dr. Edwin Gordon; conducting and choral pedagogical approaches of Dr. James Jordon of Westminster Choir College; and the Solesmes method of Gregorian chant as presented through the curricula of Justine Ward, among many others.
The emphasis, whether in the rehearsal hall or voice studio, is placed on perfecting the fundamentals of Choral art and musical understanding. The primary ends are the training of quality choristers to render more perfect glory to Almighty God and edification of one’s neighbor
Click for: Foundational Principles
Click for: Example of Medieval Song – Organic, fluent and natural singing.
Notes:
[1]Bel-Canto: Italian, “beautiful singing.” A style of singing characterized by brilliant vocal display and purity of tone. Reid, Cornelius L., A Dictionary of Vocal Terminology, An Analysis, (Huntsville TX, Recital Publications, 1994), 18.