Mariachi, The Eucharist, and a String Composition

March 28, 2012 at 3:25 PM

I wrote this piece for the Sister's of St. Mary's 125th Anniversary Jubilee Mass in Beaverton, Oregon. We had one hour to rehearse and I had just met the second violinist and violist at that time. After some careful last minute edits, including eliminating a few strange fermatas and a two-measure transition, we were off!

During the hour-and-a-half long celebration Archbishop John Vlazny presided and the Sisters renewed their vows, saying: "I…vow to Almighty God…chastity, poverty, and obedience forever…." Vlazny offered gratitude to the sisters for their commitment to simplicity, service, and charity. A surprise Mariachi band paraded through the back door of the gymnasium after the service, into what would become the reception area decorated with tables filled with fruit-skewers, brownies, red punch, and snicker-doodles. And of course, about a hundred nuns and forty priests.

You can find the score, which I updated with edits, on one of my previous posts. The baby goo-ing in the background is my 6 month old son.