Catholic World News News Feature

Maestro seeks revival of sacred music January 09, 1998

VATICAN (CWN) -- Myung Wun Chung, a Korean-born musician who studied in the United States and now lives in his "adoptive" homeland of Italy, is preparing a festival of sacred music, to be held in March and April at the Vatican. The Korean maestro made that announcement in Florence, where he is now preparing the orchestra and choir that will be featured in a May musical festival in that city.

At Easter, Chung will lead the St. Cecelia Academy Orchestra, which he has directed since June 1997, in a performance of Haydn's "Creation." That may mark the high point of the Vatican festival, which will be devoted exclusively to sacred music.

"I wish the Pope would encourage musicians to work for the Church, to write music as they did in the times of Palestrina or Bach," Chung told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera. "I have nothing against guitars or pop music, but it's sad that the Church is giving up promotion [of music] and adapting to the times." He argued that a revival of interest in sacred music could allow the Church to "transmit the Christian message more effectively."