Why Music?
“Music belongs to the one who loves.” Because we have been loved by God and by our parents, we sing with gratitude, responding lovingly to the gift of love. Music helps educate our affections and work harmoniously with others. Music appeals to the ear and the heart, the body and the spirit, together with the intellect. Our students learn about a wide variety of music, as well as music theory, performance, ear training, note reading, musical analysis, and music history.
Instrumental Music (afterschool) is also helpful in the development of virtue and concord of the students. Stella Maris promotes the learning of various musical instruments, including the piano, violin, organ, and guitar. These instruments provide students with the opportunity to explore their musical talents further and engage in collaborative performances. Learning to play an instrument cultivates discipline, patience, and teamwork, while forming the heart and affections in a holistic education.
Inspired by the universal language of music, we create an engaging classroom atmosphere that enhances learning and strengthens teacher-student relationships. Music at Stella Maris is about creating a vibrant culture that encourages self-expression, emotional depth, community, and praise. Music deserves a central place in an integral education; it orders the interior person and draws out the full potential, not only intellectually but affectively. Through music, students develop their musical talents, cultivating memory, intelligence, and a sense of belonging.
Music is essential to boys’ education. It orders the person; it feeds the soul; it trains the passions; it gently breaks, inhabits, and expands their imaginations. It is the most ephemeral of all the arts – the moment music is produced, that moment is its last – but has one of the most lasting effects in the souls of those who make and listen to it. At Stella Maris, we believe that music plays a fundamental role in shaping a boy’s character and enriching his educational experience.
At Stella Maris, students engage with a diverse repertoire of musical traditions, learning to perform religious and sacred music, popular and folk songs, patriotic hymns, and other songs in other languages (Spanish, French, Italian…). Each of these musical forms not only enhances their musical skill but also deepens their appreciation for the meaning of cultural and spiritual traditions.
As the saying goes, “Whoever sings, prays twice.” This notion underscores the belief that singing is an act of love and devotion, enabling students to connect with their faith and community in a profound way.
Why Sacred Music?
Stella Maris students learn sacred music and become familiar with Gregorian Chant and Polyphony. Gregorian Chant is a treasure of beauty and wisdom.
“Sacred” means “set apart;” sacred music, then, is music which is set apart for the worship of God. It is the music of the temple. As such, sacred music should sound different from other kinds of music, since it is directed solely to glorifying God who is beyond all understanding. Throughout her tradition and even into current history, the Roman Catholic Church has promoted this chant and held it in primacy of place in her liturgies.
