Welcome to the web site of the Music Department of Christ the Redeemer! Here you will find information about all aspects of musical life at Christ the Redeemer. Have a look; there is something here for everyone! Please direct any questions or comments to Felipe Gasper, Director of Music, at <music (at) ctrcc (dot) com>.

Job opening: Principal Organist

Our vibrant, young parish of 4,100 families seeks a talented, experienced professional organist to serve as the parish’s principal organist. The parish is growing rapidly and will soon complete construction of a new 1,500-seat worship space. This position entails accompanying 3 Sunday morning Masses and 2 mid-week choir rehearsals, in addition to accompanying weddings and funerals and other services on occasion. The position includes particular privileges for weddings and funerals. The parish’s choral and congregational repertoire emphasizes music normally accompanied with organ. (See “seasonal music plans” below.) The ideal applicant will possess a degree in organ performance, Colleague-level AGO certification, or equivalent experience and knowledge of organ repertoire; familiarity with Roman Catholic liturgy; and a warm, engaging personality.

The position entails an average of approximately 10 hours of work weekly; remuneration will be based on AGO salary guidelines for ¼-time employees.

Résumés may be submitted to Felipe Gasper, Director of Music, via email at music (at) ctrcc (dot) com or via postal mail at:

Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church
c/o Principal Organist Search Committee
11507 Huffmeister Rd.
Houston, TX 77065

The position is open from 9 June 2008 until filled.

Please see the full job description for this position.

Music Department mission statement

The Second Vatican Council taught that “liturgical worship is given a more noble form when the divine offices are celebrated solemnly in song.”^* For this reason, inspired by the accounts of singing in Sacred Scripture and a love of sung Roman Catholic liturgy, the music department of Christ the Redeemer strives to support and to nourish the parish’s musical life by all means available.

^* Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, §113.

Music ministry

For the purposes of fostering the congregation’s sung participation in the Mass and of executing liturgical song whose nature and function is ministerial rather than congregational, Christ the Redeemer has established a number of music ministry programs that serve our liturgies:

Parish Choir

The principal choir of our community sings primarily at the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass and at major parish events. Rehearsals are on Thursdays from 7:15 - 9:00 p.m. in the church. The choir’s schedule varies from year to year; they generally do not meet from Body & Blood Sunday until late August. Membership is open to singers of high school age and up.

There is no audition or prerequisite to read music in order to join; however, the choir’s repertoire is substantial, and music reading skills are highly beneficial. Many choir members have learned to read music well during the course of normal rehearsals. Absolute “re-choirments”, however, are a love of music, a desire to sing, and a commitment to the choir’s ministerial role in the life of our parish. Our rewards are many, and our retirement plan is “out of this world”!

• 2008-9 choir calendar
• Choir policies and procedures
• Practice recordings
• Instructional handouts:
  • rhythms
  • note names
  • keyboard diagram
  • choral singing how-to

Choristers of Christ the Redeemer

This choir is for 3rd - 8th grade students. They lead the music on Sundays, solemnities, and at other special parish gatherings. Members learn basic voice and choral techniques as well as liturgical and catechetical lessons. Adult assistants, with or without musical experience, are needed. Rehearsals are on Tuesdays from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. in the church. The Choristers generally do not meet from Pentecost until the start of the school year.

• 2008-9 Choristers registration form
• 2008-9 Choristers calendar
• Choristers policies and procedures
• Practice recordings
• Instructional handouts:
  • rhythms
  • note names
  • keyboard diagram

Cantors

Cantors serve an important role in the life of our parish. A cantor’s first ministry is to sing proclamatory texts such as verses of songs in responsorial form. In addition, cantors are prime motivators of the assembly’s singing. A successful audition is required to serve as a cantor, and training is on an individual basis. Cantors are normally expected to prepare their music individually, to sing as members of the Parish Choir or of the Contemporary Ensemble, and to minister as cantors on a year-round basis.

• Cantor policies and procedures

Contemporary Ensemble

This group ministers through the use of drums, guitars, and other instruments. Members are both young people and adults. We sing every Sunday at the 5:00 p.m. Mass. Practice is every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the church; instruments arrive to set up at 6:45 p.m. Sunday setup is at 3:30 p.m., and warm-up begins at 4:00.

• Mission and policy statement

Handbell Ensemble

This ensemble is new at Christ the Redeemer for the fall of 2008! Our parish raised funds to purchase a beautiful 3-octave set of Schulmerich handbells, and it is this ensemble’s privilege and ministry to offer the sound of handbells at major parish liturgies.

This ensemble is active during the fall, winter, and spring. Members should generally have prior musical experience and be in 5th grade or higher. Adults are welcome, too! Rehearsals are generally on Monday nights from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

• 2008-9 Handbell Ensemble calendar

Recordings of dialogues in the Mass

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal teaches us that the foremost parts of the Mass to be sung are “those to be sung by the priest or the deacon or the lector, with the people responding, or by the priest and people together”. (§40) For the purpose of aiding Christians in this manner of liturgical participation, Christ the Redeemer makes publicly available these recordings of sung dialogues of the Mass, made from the official liturgical editions:

In addition to these, the Church Music Association of America has made available similar recordings of many of these texts, in both English and Latin.

1. Sign of the Cross
2. Entrance greeting (form A:      form B1:      form B2:      form C: )
3. Penitential rite (conclusion):
4. Gospel greeting: (1st melody:      2nd melody:      3rd melody: )
5. Gospel conclusion: (1st/2nd melody²:      3rd melody: )
6. Before Eucharistic Prayer: (1st melody:      2nd melody: )
7. Before Sign of Peace:
8. Concluding greeting: (1st melody:      2nd melody: )
9. Solemn blessing: (form A:      form B: )
10. Prayer over the People: (form A:      form B: )
11. Dismissal: (form A:      form B:      form C: )
12. Alleluia dismissal: (form A:      form B:      form C: )

¹The English translation of the Mass does not contain official melodies of the Sign of the Cross or of the dialogues before and after the Gospel. The audio clips here were adapted from the Latin originals.

²The Gospel dialogues are paired such that both the first and second greeting melodies should be sung with the same conclusion melody.

Additional congregational music practice resources

The following are links to audio files and music scores that anyone can use to practice some of the music that the congregation sings at Christ the Redeemer. If you would like to sing more confidently from the assembly when learning new hymns and other melodies, just click the links below!

• “All praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine” (ENGELBERG – MIDI   MP3:    notation)
• Gloria from A Community Mass (recorded by the CtR choir)
  © 1977 GIA Publications, Inc. Used with permission.
• Proulx/ICEL Alleluia (recorded by the CtR Choristers)
  © 1980 GIA Publications, Inc. Used with permission.
• “Lord, Who at Thy First Eucharist” (UNDE ET MEMORES – MIDI   MP3:    notation)
• Proulx Agnus Dei (recorded by the CtR Choristers)
  © 1975 GIA Publications, Inc. Used with permission.

Is something not here that you think should be?
Send an email to Felipe Gasper, Director of Music, at <music (at) ctrcc (dot) com>.

Seasonal music plans at Christ the Redeemer

Congregations frequently sing parts of the Mass in addition to the aforementioned dialogues. For the parts whose text does not change from day to day (traditionally called the “Ordinary” of the Mass), such as the Gloria in excelsis, there exists such a variety of quality musical settings that parishes typically vary music for these parts of the Mass with the liturgical seasons. In addition, congregations also frequently are asked to sing during the processions of the Mass, where texts may be taken from a variety of sources such as hymns, Sacred Scripture, or the day’s assigned liturgical chants.

For the purpose of assisting congregations to a fuller participation in the liturgical singing at Christ the Redeemer, plans for music that varies by the liturgical season are made available below. In some cases, references are made to worship aids which are distributed in pews but are not made available online.

Summer 2008
Easter 2008
Triduum 2008
Lent 2008
Advent & Christmas 2007 including Ordinary Time after Christmas season
Fall 2007 (revised 15 November 2007)
Summer 2007
Easter 2007
Triduum 2007

Church documents concerning liturgical music

The following is a non-exhaustive list of Church documents concerning liturgical music.

Additional links

The following are links that are of interest concerning liturgical music:

Music department staff

Felipe Gasper, Director of Music, oversees all aspects of music at Christ the Redeemer. He directs the parish choir and the Choristers, trains cantors, plans music in cooperation with the Director of Liturgy and the clergy, oversees the contemporary ensemble, prepares seasonal worship aids, and supports the musical education and formation of Christ the Redeemer parishioners. He also frequently serves liturgies at Christ the Redeemer as cantor or as organist.

Felipe grew up in southern Illinois and began music ministry at St. John’s Catholic Newman Center while an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After completing bachelor’s degrees in voice performance and choral music education, he pursued a master’s degree in choral conducting at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, during which he served as Director of Music at Our Lady of the Rosary parish in Cincinnati. Felipe came to Christ the Redeemer in February 2007.

In addition to his ministry at Christ the Redeemer, Felipe sings professionally in Houston Chamber Choir.

Principal Organist: POSITION OPEN (see above)

Mark Dolce, Contemporary Ensemble Director, directs the Contemporary Ensemble at Christ the Redeemer. He works with the Director of Music to select appropriate music for Masses at which the Contemporary Ensemble ministers and is principal guitarist in the ensemble.

Mark began his music ministry in 1969 playing in a “folk” ensemble in Port Arthur, TX and moved to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Houston in 1981, where he led one of the parish choirs. In 1999 he moved to St. John Vianney parish in Houston, where he directed music for the Life Teen Mass. Mark has directed the Contemporary Ensemble at Christ the Redeemer since May 2006.

In addition to his music ministry, Mark has worked with Confirmation students at his previous two parishes and continues to serve in this function at Christ the Redeemer. Mark and his wife Sandy have two children, sons T. J. and Charles.

Michael Geisheker, Assistant Accompanist, accompanies the 5:00 p.m. Saturday evening Mass and is the principal pianist in the Contemporary Ensemble. In addition, Michael accompanies at baptisms and in various other capacities at Christ the Redeemer. He also accompanies frequently in other venues in the Houston area.

Michael began his music ministry in his home town of Milwaukee, WI. After moving to Houston in 1986, he became a school teacher and assisted with music at St. Michael’s parish and at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish. He has been working at Christ the Redeemer since April 1998.

In addition to his music ministry, Michael and his family contribute in many other ways to the life of the parish, including Knights of Columbus and Vacation Bible School.