The Taiyuan Diocese in Shanxi Province, China, marked the 10th anniversary of the dedication of Yangjiabao Catholic Church with a sacred music exchange that gathered choirs from across the diocese to “honor tradition and celebrate faith through music.”
The celebration featured performances, workshops, and a roundtable discussion focused on the renewal of sacred music and its integration with Chinese musical heritage — part of the Church’s broader effort to promote “sinicization” in local expressions of faith.
Honoring a legacy of faith and creativity
The morning concert paid tribute to the late Geng Hui, a well-known church musician and composer from Taiyuan who dedicated his life to blending sacred compositions with Jinqu, the traditional folk opera of Shanxi.
His works, rooted in Catholic spirituality and inspired by Chinese melodies, reflected what organizers called “a path of sinicization that preserves heritage and embraces innovation.”
The Sacred Sound Choir’s rendition of the Gloria in the local dialect drew particular praise. Its “familiar tones carried deep affection and reverence,” a participant said, as the audience was visibly moved.
The performance evoked, as one listener described, “a vision of saints in heaven praising the glory of God,” echoing the hymn’s line: “Heaven and earth proclaim the Lord’s glory, the blue sky reveals His wondrous works.”
Strengthening sacred music ministry
After the performances, music instructors commended each choir for their dedication and growth, offering practical feedback on vocal technique, harmony, and liturgical form.
They also encouraged more men to join parish choirs to “bring greater richness and diversity to the ministry of sacred music.”
In the afternoon, three veteran church musicians led sessions on Choral Rehearsal and Vocal Techniques, Choral Conducting, and Sacred Music and Liturgy.
The workshops combined technical instruction with spiritual reflection, emphasizing that sacred music should be both “artistic expression and prayerful offering.”
A subsequent roundtable discussion explored the balance between tradition and adaptation — including the role of local culture, the dynamics of choir leadership, and the future of sacred music in parish life.
Participants shared experiences and proposals to sustain what they described as the “living tradition of prayer through music.”
‘Singing is praying twice’
Organizers described sacred music as “the embodiment of prayer,” expressing hope that the exchange would inspire a “qualitative renewal” of sacred music across the diocese.
“Through singing, we pray twice,” they said in closing, calling on participants to carry the same spirit of unity and reverence into both their liturgical service and daily life.
