Webinars & Classes

A Primer on Gregorian Chant

This webinar workshop is offered for anyone interested in learning how to read Gregorian notation and how to sing and play freely from that notation. It is particularly useful for liturgical musicians, and for therapeutic musicians who would like to expand their repertoire of un-metered music.

The workshop will cover the fundamentals of reading Gregorian notation, the eight Gregorian modes, sources of repertoire, possibilities for composition and improvisation using the underlying principles of Gregorian chant, and the use of this music as therapeutic repertoire.

I loved the way you affirmed our freedom to play with these, to improvise with them, to create our own from texts that are prayers for us. To use language or no language. To harmonize, to repeat. I have been thirsty for this kind of support, and you poured it out. LB

What a gift, and what a great experience. I am very excited to put into practice what I learned. I am inspired. AB

Session length - 5 hours – 5 MHTP CEUs

This webinar is being offered next on Saturday, October 5, 2024, 11AM to 4PM EDT. See Products to register. Registration deadline: October 2, 2024.

An Introduction to St. Hildegard of Bingen & Her Music

St. Hildegard of Bingen was a 12th century "Renaissance" woman, whose visionary experiences inspired her music and writings. She composed the earliest liturgical drama and mystery play, as well as over 60 beautiful and unusual pieces of music.

In this workshop, you will learn about her fascinating life, her philosophy of music, the requirements of sung prayer, and particularly her unusual and therapeutic use of intervals and modes. You will learn how to approach the songs vocally and instrumentally, and will learn to sing and/or play several short pieces of her music. Her music can be an inspiration for your own compositions and liturgical or therapeutic work.

Session length - 3 hours - 1.5 MHTP CEUs

This webinar is being offered next on Saturday, November 9, 2024, 1PM to 4PM EDT. See Products to register. Registration deadline: November 6, 2024.

The Voice & Chant: enhancing your therapeutic presence with your voice

This webinar workshop is directed at therapeutic musicians and liturgical musicians.

Are you a therapeutic musician who is primarily a singer? Are you a therapeutic musician who sings, and would like to add voice to your certification, and/or integrate your voice into your work with patients? Are you a liturgical musician who would like to understand how you can use your voice to enhance your ministry and prayer? Would you simply like to use your voice as part of your self-care, and understand how tone and singing affects the body/mind?

Simple chants from different cultures can provide a lovely vehicle for enriching your repertoire, focusing your intentionality, deepening intimacy and connection, and facilitating healing or prayer.

This workshop will cover these topics:

Why the voice is a vehicle that can intensify the possibility for greater intimacy and healing as you serve. How therapeutic singing differs from “performance” singing Exploration of the vowels & consonants, and how sounding them affects the body/mind Beginning exploration of intervals and how they affect the body/mind. Exercises that will help you embody the therapeutic voice. How chants can be used to open up possibilities for improvisation on your instrument. Chants from diverse cultures that you can use in your therapeutic music practice

Session length - 3 hours - 3 MHTP CEUs

Saturday, September 21, 2024, 1PM to 4PM EDT. See Products to register. Registration deadline: September 18, 2024.

Using the principles of gregorian chant for creative composition

This webinar is open to therapeutic musicians with a basic knowledge of Gregorian chant who wish to enhance their repertoire by exploring the possibilities of composing simple chant modeled on the arrhythmic qualities of Gregorian chant.

In this webinar, we will review the unique structure of Gregorian Chant, and explore how it offers a template for composing with text and modal music. You will learn how the monastic Orders of the Christian church apply these principles to the singing of the psalms via the modal psalm tones; hear how the psalm tones are used to express the mood of a psalm for the changing liturgical seasons, and then discuss the compositional possibilities these examples offer to us. We will discuss creative composition, especially the composition of music and chant that can enhance the relaxation response. Students will then be guided to apply what they have learned, creating a composition during the webinar that they might use in their therapeutic music practice.

Session length - 3 hours - 3 MHTP CEUs

This webinar is being offered Saturday December 14, 2024, 1PM to 4PM EDT. See Products to register. Registration deadline: December 11, 2024.

Therapeutic Music and the End-of-Life Vigil

This workshop is primarily for Healthcare providers, particularly hospital and hospice workers and volunteers.

It introduces clinicians and volunteers to the profession of Therapeutic Music, and covers the ways in which live music, when provided skillfully by a therapeutic musician, can create a healing environment. The presentation covers how the elements of music may be used non-intrusively to honor the patient’s immediate experience, enhance comfort and safety, and assist the mind/body in letting-go.

Session length - 2-4 hours, depending on need

An Introduction to the Labyrinth

This workshop is an introduction to the labyrinth, a unicursal path --- as pictured above -- for prayer and ceremony that has been present in many cultures and in varied forms since the Bronze Age. Labyrinths are most known by their presence in churches, especially the Gothic cathedrals. We will explore the history of the labyrinth with many images, as well as how it was and continues to be used for prayer and meditation.

Sessions: Webinar - 90 minutes. On-site (at a labyrinth) - 3 hours. This option may include harp music accompanying walking the labyrinth.