‘Music in the Eucharist’ workshop inspires attendees
By Josh Low
Following his concert on 8 November, musician Stephen Kirk ran a workshop for parish musicians the next morning at the Cathedral Centre in Hobart on Saturday 9 November.
Titled ‘Music in the Eucharist’, his workshop covered various aspects of the liturgy and the role of music in drawing those at Mass into deeper participation with the celebration of the Eucharist.
During the workshop Stephen emphasised the importance of music in evangelising through the Mass. He said that music should always serve, and never dominate the liturgy, and that music should be chosen “with an eye to reflecting that the whole liturgy is a single act of worship”.
Stephen said he hoped participants at his workshop would take away a deeper understanding of the power, beauty and majesty already present in each and every celebration of the Eucharist.
“I hope they can come away with a deeper understanding of how powerful a transformative encounter that the liturgy itself can be for people, and some practical understanding of how we can use music to bring those things together.
“By doing so we can really unlock for people that transformative encounter with Christ that the liturgy should always be,” he said.
George Town parishioner Geoffrey Madden said he appreciated the way Stephen balanced the various aspects of the liturgy, while providing practical help and suggestions for music.
“One of the things which stood out to me was his commitment to matching the music to the liturgical flow, keeping us aware of the need to keep an eye on where the priest is up to in the Mass and how the congregation is going.
“He also reminded us about what we’re doing at Mass – which is something very special.
“It was all very practical – yes, he went back to the meaning of the liturgy and referencing the documents, but the way he also took it further and presented things that covered the practicality of what musicians face while at Mass was very salutary and what I was impressed with,” he said.