Malolos Composers gather for Liturgical Music Seminar

Malolos Composers gather for Liturgical Music Seminar
Msgr. Andres Valera explains Marian doctrines during a liturgical music seminar held at the Risen Lord Parish in Lawa, Meycauayan City, Saturday, May 20. Rainier Policarpio

MEYCAUAYAN CITY, Bulacan, May 23, 2017—In time with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the promulgation of the Musicam Sacram this year, the Diocesan Committee on Liturgical Music (DCLM) in Malolos conducted a seminar on liturgical music.

Themed “Musicak at Liturhiya: Awit kay Maria,” the seminar was organized to train composers on how to properly create music in accordance with the instructions of the Church liturgy.

Participants from across the diocese gathered at the Risen Lord Parish in Lawa, Meycauayan City on May 20 to attend the half-day seminar.

In an interview with CBCP News, DCLM Chairman Fr. Allan Antonio said that the committee’s goal is to encourage more composers to write songs intended for liturgical celebrations.

To further this objective, the diocesan committee is also organizing a liturgical music competition titled “Likhawit Liturgical Song Writing Contest.”

“Liturgical songs written in Tagalog are very limited,” the priest said. “We are hoping that the contest will help in reducing such need.”

In the first part of the seminar, Ferdz Bautista, a recognized liturgical music composer, talked on the right discipline that should be considered in writing liturgical songs.

“There is no absolute artistic freedom in composing songs intended for the liturgy, especially the mass,” Bautista stated. “There are norms that should be followed in the Church.”

“Our aim is to set a prayerful atmosphere and help the people experience Jesus in the liturgy,” he added.

For his part, Msgr. Andres Valera, Episcopal Vicar for the Northern District of the Diocese of Malolos, talked on some basic Marian theology, notably about Mary as “Theotokos” or “God-bearer”.

Valera also explained the context of some liturgical texts being used by the Church during Marian feasts.

Meanwhile, Antonio said that they have also scheduled a separate seminar that will focus on liturgical music for weddings and funerals on June 10 at the same venue. CBCPNews