Music

Royal School of Church Music

Psallam spiritu et mente
Sing with the spirit and with the understanding also.

Developed in England in the early 20th century, RSCM is an interdenominational, international organization that was formed to promote the highest standards in church music and liturgy and to teach young people leadership and commitment.

• www.rscm.com
• www.rscmamerica.org

RSCM Summer Courses

During the summer months RSCM offers several Summer Training Courses throughout the United States and Canada.  These courses are designed for choristers of all ages, abilities, and experience and provide opportunities for choral training and exploring wonderful choral music in a liturgical and concert setting.

Notes from Last Year's RSCM Course:

Bryant A., Trevin B., Morgan B., Ruthie S., Jordan W., and Cecelia Z. attended the Charlotte Course with Musical Director, James Litton.  Dr. Litton has held numerous positions which include The American Boychoir School, Westminster Choir College, St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City, Princeton Theological Seminary, Virginia Theological Seminary and The University of the South. A former member of the Episcopal Church’s Standing Commission on Church Music, he participated in the preparation and publication of The Hymnal 1982.

In their own words, here are some highlights from a few who attended:

Morgan B.: RSCM was a good experience for me. I made new friends. I liked rooming with my friend Ruthie. It was exciting to meet people from different churches. I loved the music for RSCM, especially for my first time there. I liked the dorm we stayed at. The food was excellent sometimes, but sometimes it was ok. I had an excellent time there.

Ruthie S.: At RSCM you get to sing five wonderful hours a day.  Yes, it seems a large number, but the time passes so quickly. Just when you think you’d be exhausted, you want to sing more because the music is so beautiful, your director is so energetic, and you get to sing with your friends, friends that are new and ok.

Jordan W.: While I heard nothing but exciting and promising things about RSCM from those who had gone before me, I was both excited and apprehensive to finally be going, too.  Dr. Litton was fabulous.  He was expressive, had a great sense of humor, was very kind, and a perfect musician.  The church where we performed was beautiful and had a giant stained glass window that portrayed all the Stations of the Cross.  It was so beautiful the sight of it stirred many feelings and it came to mean a lot to me.  The music was unbelievably beautiful and the words, the sounds, the voices…all of it seemed to bring me closer to God.  I had not expected to be so profoundly touched.  It felt as if a new awareness had sprung from within me. I absolutely loved RSCM and it meant a lot for me in many, many ways.

RSCM at St. John's

Participating choristers receive additional instruction and have the opportunity to earn colored ribbons representing their levels of achievement. St. John's choristers also have the opportunity to obtain full or partial scholarships to attend RSCM summer courses.

RSCM Ribbons

Congratulations to choristers and adults for their hard work in earning an RSCM Ribbon.