Episode 36 April 28, 2018 Paul M. French, Organist, Conductor, Church Musician, Composer, Arranger, and Pueri Cantores Board President
Conductor Paul French was in Southern California to conduct two Children’s Choir Festivals for Pueri Cantores. While in town, we were lucky enough to have him as a guest on MUSIC FROM THE TOWER. Hear from Chicagoan Paul French, the Music Director at Chicago’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, where he leads a thriving choral program for both children and adults. Mr. French recently stepped down after twelve seasons as the music director of the William Ferris Chorale, a 24-voice Chicago based professional choir specializing in accessible compositions of the twentieth century, and whose cutting-edge arts programming regularly garnered excellent reviews.
Mr. French has studied composition, chant, conducting and organ at St. John’s University (Collegeville, MN), Northwestern University and the Pontificio Instituto di Musica Sacra in Rome. A composer of more than 200 instrumental and choral works including pieces for adult and children’s choirs, voice, organ, brass and orchestra, he serves on the music advisory staff of the Archdiocese of Chicago and has been a faculty member of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians Choir Director Institutes for over 10 years. Additionally, he serves as Director of Choral Recordings for World Library Publications and is Editor of the Pueri Cantores Choral Series of distinguished choral literature for youth choirs. He is presently the president of board of directors for the American Federation of Pueri Cantores, the official Children’s Choir organization for the Catholic Church. The organization has over 60,000 children members world-wide and hundreds of member-choirs in the United States.
MUSIC: Psalm 122 I Lift My Eyes Paul French (Paraclete Press) The Choir of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Chicago
MUSIC: A Prayer of St. Patrick Paul French (Morningstar Music) Morningstar Demo Choir
MUSIC: Ave Verum Paul French (Morningstar Music) William Ferris Chorale, Chicago
MUSIC: Te Deum Michael Bedford American Federation Pueri Cantores Choir of 1000 Voices, Paul French, Conductor – Spring 2012 Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago