Congratulations to Headmaster Paul Jernberg, Winner of the 2007 Gift of Faith Foundation Musical Competition

From the Gift of Faith Foundation website:

The Gift of Faith Foundation, Inc., is pleased to announce that Paul Jernberg is the winner of the 2006-2007 competition. He is headmaster and musical director at Magnificat Academy & Choir School in Warren, Massachusetts.

The winning piece, entitled Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel, one of 152 compositions submitted to the Foundation, is intended to be "music that [has] a true sacred character and yet [is] accessible to the young and old." It had to be, according to the composer, "sober but not too heavy, inspiring but in a 'durable' way - in which people could sing it over a period of months and years without too easily becoming weary of it." Ideally, the hymn is to be "sung a cappella or with organ accompaniment." One of the Judges, Rev. George Rutler, pastor of the Church of Our Saviour, Park Avenue, New York and EWTN host, described the piece as being "reminiscent of Tudor music, transcending in spirit, and good for choir." Judge Gwendoline Toth, former organist and music director at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, West 31st Street, New York, characterized the piece as "simple but effective."

The piece [was] premiere[d] during a Mass in honor of St. Michael held at the Church of St. Michael, 424 West 34th Street, New York, on September 29, 2007 at 3:00 PM. The Mass commemorated the 150th anniversary of the founding of St. Michael's parish... The Foundation wishes to congratulate Paul Jernberg for his winning composition and extend thanks to all contestants for the high quality of the works they submitted. The officers of the Foundation were pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response to the competition.


To hear an excerpt of the Magnificat Academy Choir performing Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel click below.



Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel is also available for purchase on our Music page, on the CD As Morning Breaks - Morning Prayer with Magnificat Academy Choir.