As the summer winds down, catch up with the latest (eighth!) season of Square Notes: The Sacred Music Podcast! The show is on its annual summer hiatus because of the Catholic Institute of Sacred Music’s summer graduate program; season nine will launch in the fall with new episodes. The timeless topics of the past season are well worth the time, whether you’re a church musician, casual appreciator of sacred music, or a Catholic who just wants to know more about the Church’s perspective on sacred music. The podcast is distributed via all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, and Podbean.
Here’s a list of this past season’s topics and guests:
- Episode 1 – Building a Beautiful Homeschool Curriculum for Art and Music – with Elizabeth Lemme
- Episode 2 – From Puebla Cathedral to Today’s Spanish-Speaking Pews: The Legacy of Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla – with Fernando Gil
- Episode 3 – The Art of Organ Improvisation: Insights from Martin Baker
- Episode 4 – From Chant to Counterpoint: How to Improvise Polyphony – with Dr. Charles Weaver
- Episode 5 – Lenten Reflection for Church Musicians – with Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone
- Episode 6 – What Did American Sacred Music Sound Like in the 19th & Early 20th Centuries? A Snapshot from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York – with Salvatore Basile
- Episode 7 – Developing Great Vocal Technique for Singing Chant – with Dr. Rosemary Heredos
- Episode 8 – Chant Accompaniment, Organ Building, & Fundraising for Organ Projects – with Chris Berry
- Episode 9 – Is Beauty a Transcendental, Why Beauty Matters, and Can We Be Wrong About Beauty? Philosophical Questions Every Church Musician Should Consider with Dr. Margaret Hughes
- Episode 10 – All About Sarum: Ceremonial, Chant, Sources, and Processions from Medieval England – with Dr. Christopher Hodkinson
- Episode 11 – Learning & Living Gregorian Chant as a Monk – with Fr. Mark Bachmann, OSB, Choirmaster of Clear Creek Abbey
- Episode 12 – Caring for Temples of the Holy Spirit: The Busy Church Musician’s Guide to Nutrition, Health, and the Immune System – with Dr. Lizbeth Alter
- Episode 13 – A Masterclass in the Magisterial Compositions and Style of Palestrina – with Thomas Neal
- Episode 14 – Conflict Resolution, Work-Life Balance, and Avoiding Burnout As a Church Musician – with Angela Rosson
- Episode 15 – The Solar Horarium & Monastic Fast According to the Rule of St. Benedict, Plus Praying the Chant & Making Beer – with Fr. Augustine Wilmeth, OSB, Prior at the Benedictine Abbey in Norcia
