Page 5 - LOTN Spring Issue 46 2021

DIOCESE
Highland Deanery Youth Music Group

Catholic based multi denominational music group are already playing an active part in church life

You can watch the HDYMG's rousing performance of In Dulci
Jubilo played at last year's Diocesan Carol Service here ...

BY DAVID ATKINSON
informal, more ‘practice and pizza’ than strict rehearsals.
At least that was the theory - then covid! We can’t play at Mass,
outh music groups allow young people to take an
active part in church life through the medium of or rehearse. We can do the virtual choir/group stuff, meeting via
Y music. Not many parishes are big enough to have "Zoom". It isn’t as much fun, you can’t Zoom pizza, but it lets
their own working youth music group and a deanery wide us function. Trying to encourage the group to learn new music
"for when the churches reopen with live music" was wearing a
group drawing members from the much larger pool can bit thin when, thankfully, the Diocesan Carol Concert came
provide the solution.
The Highland Deanery Youth Music Group is a Catholic along. This concert gave us something to do, a tangible goal to
based, multi denominational, group that provides a core of aim for. As usual the kids stepped up to the mark and did a great
musicians to form a base to which smaller parishes can add their job. Following on from the carol recording we are planning to
record more music to give us focus. Copyright permitting, these
own young musicians. This core makes the prospect of joining recordings can be used to beautify online Masses or services.
for their own parish youth Mass less daunting, particularly for
For the post-covid future we have learned that distance is
less experienced players and beginners. Working with local no longer a barrier and anyone can be included. We know the
youth leaders any parish, even with only one young person
willing to play some part, can host a youth Mass. The group technical limitations of video conferencing and we can work
within them; doing the bulk of the work remotely using our
supports a wide range of instruments: trumpet, euphonium, newly learned conferencing skills and polishing the music with
violin, clarinet, keyboard, recorder, guitar, tin whistle and others
– most are welcome. one big rehearsal. Our one and only pre-covid youth Mass at St.
Columba’s in Culloden proved that it can work.
To take an active part in church life the group chooses music
We always need new young group members, where possible
for the whole congregation. While many of the hymns are with local leaders to recruit and guide them. We can’t work
contemporary, they are chosen to be accessible to all age groups. without the support of parish priests.
We try to teach the congregation anything new so that they can
take part and support our musicians; more of a ‘youth led’ Mass, Interested? Contact: datki01@outlook.com
definitely not youth for youth, definitely not a ‘praise band’.
The group hopes to grow by picking up new members who David Atkinson is a parishioner of St Columba's, Culloden
have been inspired to join after having hosted their own youth and a Youth Group Leader.
Mass. We don’t want to place too many demands on individuals
and nobody has to play at every Mass. We try to make practices

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