Welcome to Grace Episcopal Church




Music at Grace Church Danny Catalanotto, Minister of Music Dr. Kent Kester, Music Committee Chair The Christian Church has always played an important part in supporting and promoting the Arts, as well as being a source of musical education for children and adults of all ages. We at Grace Episcopal Church are no exception to this and music, supporting the liturgy and preaching, is at the very heart of our weekly worship. In addition to this, our concert series, Music of Grace has been promoting concerts, recitals and workshops in the Silver Spring area for over twenty years. Our mission is to enrich and enhance the corporate worship experience through sacred music. Key to this task is the sharing of time and talent. The success of this music ministry is due solely to the dedication of gifts, musical and non-musical, by its participants. Recognizing the integral role music has in our faith community... we embrace the discipline of training and practice we commit to the continued development of our talents and seek to learn of God in a way that music uniquely affords The Music Committee and staff invite you, and friends of Grace Church, to experience sacred music from an active point of view. Take a look at the pages that follow to see where you may best serve and receive from the church in its worship. There’s a place for you! Opportunities include: The Parish Choir Junior Choir (Grades 3-8) Music of Grace Grace Choir Program The Handbell Choir (Grade 5 through Adult) Sunday School Music Music Committee The Parish Choir Generally, this choir sings weekly (September-June) at the 10:30 a.m. service as well as at other occasional services such as on Feast Days and occasional concerts. The choir sings a wide variety of music, ranging from a capella anthems from the 16th century to contemporary pieces in a number of different styles. The choir is entirely voluntary and our members range from those who simply enjoy singing to those who have had formal vocal tuition. New members are always welcome – contact Danny Catalanotto at 301.585.3515. Junior Choir (Grades 3-8) The Choristers sing weekly (September-June) at the 10:30 a.m. mass as well as at other occasional services and in occasional concerts. Singing is something you never grow out of: it is with you for life. For this reason we rightly believe that our children’s choirs are a very real way of building for the future. For this reason we encourage them to learn about the music of their faith. Choristers at Grace follow the internationally recognized scheme published by the Royal School of Church Music – A Voice for Life. Children enter the choir through a period of orientation as a Probationer. Probationers are taught the basics for participation, including: voice discovery, use of the hymnals, how to process, and the like. After a few weeks, potential members will begin participating on Sunday mornings before being admitted to full membership of the choir. Once admitted, there follows seven levels of training and testing: Light Blue Ribbon Dark Blue Ribbon Red Ribbon Yellow Ribbon In addition to all of this choristers get the chance to socialize before and after rehearsals, to meet choristers from other churches through annual Choir Festivals, and through workshops, summer camps and training days organized by the RSCM. Parents interested in registering their children as Choristers at Grace should contact Danny Catalanotto, Minister of Music, at 301.585.3515 or dbcat1@yahoo.com. Music of Grace 2007 - 2008 25th Anniversary Celebration Celebrating 25 Years “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” In 1857, the Diocese of Washington commissioned the founding of Grace Church, Silver Spring parish. During the ensuing years, Grace grew from a small rural church to a large, urban, multicultural parish. Twenty-five years ago, Organist and Choirmaster, David Judge Wilson, presented the first “Music of Grace” Concert Series described “as a series of musical events to give glory to God for his blessings and share our talents with our parishioners, friends, and neighbors in the community through vocal, instrumental and dramatic presentations.” As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Music of Grace” we recognize the vast number of lives touched by the ministry of music. A large number of boys and girls were trained in it’s youth choirs, and several professional musicians came up through the choirs of Treble Boys, Junior Girls and Senior High. A mainstay over the years, the Adult Choir has had the opportunity to learn a large repertoire of music, ranging from requiems to anthems, operettas to musicals. The music ministry has also been blessed by the gifts of numerous instrumentalists, both from our own parish as well as the larger Silver Spring community. Singing at the large festivals of the church year, or at quiet evensongs at the close of the day, the choirs of Grace Church have been faithful witnesses to the adage that “when one sings, one prays twice.” Now under the direction of Danny Catalanotto, we are delighted to present this exciting program celebrating the 25th anniversary of the “Music of Grace.” As in years past, this program continues to present a wide range of musical offerings, from the religious to the secular, classical to contemporary and solemn to joyous. We hope that you will be able to join us in celebrating the rich tradition of music at Grace Church by attending the events described in this brochure. As always, your financial support of “Music of Grace” is vitally important and we hope you will make a gift in honor of this special anniversary year. Information about supporting “Music of Grace” is included with this brochure. Sunday, September 30, 2007 4:00 p.m. St. Augustine Gospel Choir A Concert in Honor of the Reverend Janice Robinson St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church has the unique distinction of being considered the "Mother Church of Black Roman Catholics in the Nation's Capital." The church can trace its history back to 1858, when with the help of President Abraham Lincoln, a group of emancipated Black Catholics set up a school to educate their children. It is out of this heritage that the St. Augustine Gospel Choir has established a legacy of African American based liturgical music. This special concert of African American spirituals, hymns and contemporary gospel music will honor the tenth anniversary of Janice Robinson as Rector of Grace Church. A festive reception will follow the program. Sunday, November 4 5:00 p.m. All Saints Day Evensong & Faure Requiem The Music of Grace Series has long included an annual service commemorating All Saints Day. Past programs included performances of requiems by such famous composers as John Rutter and Malcolm Archer. This year’s program will once again feature the hauntingly beautiful requiem by Gabriel Faure. Following another tradition of the Music of Grace program, this concert will especially commemorate departed parishioners and friends of Grace Church. Sunday, December 2 4:00 p.m. Service of Advent Lessons & Carols Another long-standing favorite of the Music of Grace Series is the Service of Lessons & Carols. Originated at King’s College, Cambridge, England, the first Service of Lessons and Carols was held on Christmas Eve in 1918. Created by Eric Milner-White, this beautiful service is unique to the Anglican Church. The service of Advent Lessons & Carols, a variation of the traditional Christmas service, will include anthems, readings from the Old Testament prophets and hymns as we move from the darkness into the promised light of the nativity of Christ. Sunday, January 27, 2008 4:00 p.m. African American Generations Grace Episcopal Church presents the renowned Gospel quartet, The Sensational Nightingales, in a special concert celebrating Black History Month. Speakers from several generations will share experiences followed by music covering over 100 years of Gospel Music. Sunday, March 2 4:00 p.m. Armonia Nova - A Lenten Concert The Armonia Nova ensemble of instruments and voices perform medieval and Renaissance music of Europe on period instruments. The Ensemble is noted for its ability to achieve an historically authentic performance so that listeners may hear the music as it might have sounded when it was newly created. Armonia Nova is also known for capturing the emotional content of the music and for bringing an intensity and immediacy to the performance while maintaining the purity and clarity of tone so essential to music of these early periods...qualities which will no doubt enhance the special program of music appropriate to the season of Lent. Saturday, April 12 7:00 p.m. The World Children’s Choir Grace Church is blessed by a richly diverse parish family. That diversity will be celebrated by The World Children’s Choir concert as their music embraces the interests of all children, as it promotes cultural diversity and positive international relations by asking all people to work together to create a peaceful, healthy world for children. The World Children’s Choir believes “that working together to produce beautiful music...enables children to create friendships based on mutual understanding and respect. By bringing together children from many cultures and nations in song today, we can sow the seeds of a more peaceful world tomorrow.” Admission to this concert is by ticket only ($10.00 unreserved/$5.00 students and seniors) Sunday, May 18 5:00 p.m. 25th Anniversary Celebration The final concert of the 25th anniversary of Music of Grace will be a gala celebration of music and memories. Be sure to mark your calendars for this very special concert. Grace Episcopal Church Friends of Music of Grace 25th Anniversary Celebration Music of Grace is entirely self-supporting, and receives no financial assistance from Grace Church. The series relies on the generosity of those who support it through donations. Please consider whether you can support this important part of the life and outreach of Grace Church (PDF). All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Gifts in the following categories are acknowledged in the program of every concert throughout the season. Other gifts will be gratefully received. Checks should be made payable to ‘Grace Church’, with ‘Music of Grace’ written on the memo line. Summer 2008 - Early Childhood Music Classes Introductory Classes for parents and kids are held throughout the summer months—the schedule is below. All are welcome—class sizes are limited, so please call ahead and let us know you are coming. Saturdays: 10:00 a.m.: Ages 4-5 11:00 a.m.: Ages 6-7 June: 21 July: 12, 19, 26 August: 16, 23, 30 Call today! 301.585.3515 between 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or 301.661.9294: after 4:00 p.m. on weekdays or on weekends. Verifiable Musical Skills Taught All our Grace kids learn to read notes and understand complex rhythms using fun games and activities. There is singing and instrument playing, and basic piano keyboard knowledge and score reading are taught at every class. Performance Grace kids are not “cute” performers. They develop strong musicianship through frequent ensemble performances. Innovation The Grace program is different! Other early childhood music education schemes are enrichment programs and seldom teach kids to read and count and understand musical material. The Grace program was developed by Danny Catalanotto, M.S.M., a leader in the field of early childhood music education. Early Childhood Music Classes at Grace Church Mr. Catalanotto, Minister of Music at Grace Church, is a gifted teacher, but also a concert level pianist who believes that young children can learn music on a high level with little stress in a fun and nurturing environment. Music for 4 and 5 year olds Pre-K and Kindergarteners Our program for four and five year olds presents musical concepts in ways that very young children can understand and easily work with. Notes and rhythms are presented within games and fun exercises and then applied using pitched and rhythm instruments. The kids from our 2007-2008 classes of four and five year olds already know six notes on the staff and on the keyboard, as well as rhythms from whole notes through eighth notes and eighth rests. Our younger kids begin an association with the piano keyboard early on and begin to understand how to play their songs on the keyboard. Proper vocal technique is taught early on preparing our kids advanced concepts such as breath control, vowel shaping and proper vocal placement. This is truly innovative when compared to other early childhood education schemes. We sing, we dance around, we play games and our instruments and our kids love their music class! Music for 6 and 7 year olds First and Second Graders Our first and second graders cover all of the basic note reading and rhythm reading as our younger kids’ classes. We expand on all of the concepts and provide a generous amount of knowledge application for this age group. We call our ensembles of this age range a Chime Choir because our kids play a beautiful set of handchimes while actually reading their parts on a musical score. Our Chimers build their keyboard knowledge and skill using xylophones and a piano keyboard playing all of the notes and rhythms they have learned. We expand on their knowledge of vocal techniques for well controlled sounds and simply beautiful singing. The Chimers are just amazing young musicians! Grace Choir Program Adult Choir: meets on Thursdays at 7:45 p.m. in the music room in the church. Junior Choir: children in grades 3-8, meets on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in the music room in the church. Chime Choir: children in grades 1 & 2, meets on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. in the Undercroft of the church. Please contact Danny Catalanotto to sign-up before attending. St. Cecilia Choir: children in grades Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarteners, meets on Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. in the Undercroft of the church. This choir is for parent and child with both participating fully in rehearsals. Please contact Danny Catalanotto to sign-up before attending. St. Nicholas Choir: an additional section for the Pre-K & Kindergarteners and meets on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. in the Undercroft. Bell Choir: from grade 5 through adults, meets on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the balcony of the church. Music Appreciation Class offered to the parish at large. Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Undercroft of the church. Classes will begin on September 26th and last about an hour in length. No books or notes required. No registration, just come as often as you wish. The class covers the development of Western music with a special focus on liturgical music. Handbell Choir (Grade 5 through Adult) Our handbell choir meets on Tuesday evenings, September through May, at 7:30 p.m. in the church balcony. The choir plays at service several times each fall and spring. If you are single, a couple, or a parent and child, you will find handbell choir a fun way to serve the worship life of the parish. To join the handbell choir, please contact Danny Catalanotto at 301.585.3515, or by email at dbcat1@yahoo.com. Sunday School Music All children in Sunday School begin their program at 10.15am on Sunday mornings with 15 minutes of singing. This helps them to prepare hymns and songs to be sung at the monthly Family Mass (4th Sunday) as well as giving them a firm grounding in the roots of their faith and of the liturgical year through music. Adults willing to take a turn in teaching new songs to the children (under the guidance of the Minister of Music) are always welcome. Contact Danny Catalanotto if you would like to discuss this further. Music Committee This is the non-musical, administrative arm of the music program. Many of the unseen tasks that support this ministry are organized and performed by this small, dedicated group. Tending to the music library, coordinating choir trips, planning the Music of Grace series, repairing choir vestments, mailings, are just a few of the items we could use your help with! Contact Kent Kester (Chair) if you would like to involved in this area of ministry. The Organ Grace Church possesses an organ by the great American organ builder Aeolian-Skinner. This instrument is used regularly in concerts, and also plays a major role in the worship of the church. Overview Builder: Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Inc. Year: 1955 Opus: 1305 No. manuals: 2 No. stops: 31 No. ranks: 30 No. pipes: 1,715 Specification Great (unenclosed) 8' Principal: 56 4' Octave: 56 2 2/3' Twelfth: 56 2' Fifteenth: 56 III-V Plein Jeu: 204 Great (enclosed) 16' Quintade: 68 8' Bourdon: 68 8' Erzahler: 68 8' Kleinerzahler: 56 tc 8' Cromorne: 68 Tremulant Swell 8' Rohrflote: 68 8' Viola Pomposa: 68 8' Viola Celeste: 68 4' Koppelflote: 68 2 2/3' Nazard: 61 2' Blockflote: 61 1 3/5' Tierce: 61 III Cymbel: 183 16' Contre Hautbois: 68 8' Trompete: 68 4' Rohrschalmei: 68 Tremulant Pedal 16' Contre Basse: 32 16' Quintade: GT 16' Rohrbass: 12 SW 8' Spitzprinzipal: 12 8' Rohrflote: SW 4' Choralbass: 12 II Fourniture: 64 16' Contre Hautbois: SW 8' Hautbois: SW 4' Hautbois: SW According to the September 1959 issue of The Diapason, the principal stops of the Great are functionally mounted on the chancel wall. The enclosed Great and Swell are in spaced opening into the chancel. Somewhat apologetically, the announcement states "the acoustics of the church and the nature of the music indicated the need for a more 'progressive' tonal design." Contact Music of Grace For information on any aspect of the Grace Church music program, please feel free to contact the Music Office via e-mail or telephone at any time via the numbers below: Music Office Danny Catalanotto, Minister of Music Phone: 301.585.3515 Fax: 301.585.4309 Music Committee Kent Kester, Chair Phone: 301.603.0616