The Search Is Over

(no, not the old Survivor song!)

Many of us have been on the lookout for a replacement keyboard for Kathy; the one she's been using has been giving out almost since she first had it. Well, I was checking out some yard sales in Sparks and found this gem in good condition, a Casio SA-39:

It's a little longer and wider than the keyboard she has now, but it weighs about the same, so it's still quite portable. If we can find an adapter to go with it (and I see some online), even better. And it doesn't have that annoying run up the scale when it's switched on.

Oh, the folks who sold it to me were Catholic, and when I told them I was buying it for Kathy, I told them about Regina Pacis also. They seemed interested, so I hope they're looking at this page and come hear us next season!

The Church Music Association Of America

(Second in a series about the links from the RPC site, found on the left of the screen)

We owe a huge debt to the CMAA, which puts on the annual Sacred Music Colloquium that Kathy goes to each year and many of us have attended as well. Our good friend and mentor Dr. William Mahrt is the president of the CMAA. As I type this, the site is full of notes about this year's just-completed colloquium in Indianapolis. It also has lots of audio files from this and prior colloquiums (colloquia?).

I thought the CMAA was a fairly new creation from those who wanted, like Regina Pacis, to see sacred music (chant and polyphony) restored to the liturgy; actually, the CMAA has been around since 1874. Still, this one sentence from their "About Us" section sums up their existence: "No cathedral and no parish need be without sacred music." The overwhelming majority of Sunday Masses in the Reno-Sparks area will remind you that such a dearth unfortunately persists.

Through the CMAA site, you can:

• Subscribe to the Sacred Music Journal, edited by Dr. Mahrt.
• Read the latest thoughts about the state of chant and sacred music in the Chant Cafe.
• Read about the greater issues of sacred music and the liturgy in New Liturgical Movement.
• Participate in the interactive Musica Sacra forum. I recommend "lurking" for a while before posting.
• Download PDF files of both music and related articles and literature free of charge.