The following guest post was provided by NCEA’s Corporate Partner, American Federation Pueri Cantores.
Music matters. Historically balanced excellent music is an integral part of our Church’s liturgy. If we do not teach it to our students and parishioners, who will?
Click here to view our 2017 Festival Schedule
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The STREAM educational initiative emphasizes this spiritual and academic priority. Pueri Cantores, the national student music organization of the Catholic Church, is uniquely positioned to blend the Religion and Arts components of this initiative and, as a corporate partner of NCEA, provides no/low cost, high quality music resources to all Catholic Schools.
Every year, Pueri Cantores organizes Festivals for Catholic school and parish youth choirs across the country. Students in grades 4-8 sing historically balanced music in a large combined choir at traditional Festival Masses held in cathedrals and grand churches with pastors, bishops and cardinals presiding at the liturgies. Designed specifically for high school students, the National Catholic High School Choral Festivals and are organized as traditional choral music festivals, not involving a liturgy, with an emphasis on sacred music. Here you can observe and feel, in performance, rehearsal and conductor clinics, the students evangelize each other and build artistic skills at the same time.
Online webinars and National Conductor Summits are available to advance conductor education and provide more opportunities for professional growth. These events offer practical, take-home information from leading conductors in the Church, as well as, the opportunity to expand their network and share strategies and ideas with colleagues. Professional Development Credits are offered to participating school conductors.
To learn about more choral opportunities for both singers and conductors, visit the AFPC website at www.pcchoirs.org.
About Pueri Cantores: Bringing together youth choirs throughout America to sing the Peace of God.
Pueri Cantores is an international Catholic choral organization that provides opportunities for school aged youth choirs from all backgrounds to participate in liturgical music. From local choral festivals in cities across the U.S., to International Congresses in Rome with the Pope, Pueri Cantores aims to enhance the lives of young singers through musical experiences conducted within a nurturing environment. Participants have the opportunity to travel, rehearse rich sacred music, learn from nationally renowned youth conductors, sing in large ensembles in beautiful and historic cathedrals and churches, and meet fellow singers from around the world. Participation in Pueri Cantores can be a formational and transformational experience through the Liturgy for both singers and conductors. Young people of all faiths and beliefs are welcomed.
Pueri Cantores is dedicated to:
- Enhancing spiritual well-being of singers through the performance of sacred, spiritual, and patriotic music
- Raising the level of music education and professional training for students and conductors of youth choirs in Catholic parishes and schools.
- Becoming a community resource through performances in religious, cultural, and community settings
- Developing cultural compassion through travel and the building of national and international friendships
- Creating collaborations between schools, churches, businesses, families and communities
- Elevating education in the arts resulting in choral excellence, spiritual growth and academic enrichment
- Providing information through curricular and repertoire guidelines, newsletters and a website
- Attracting professional choral directors to instill those values and goals embraced by the organization
- Increasing choir participation to achieve 400 choirs involving 10,000 children
