Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger | Diocese of Tucson website

Children deserve to experience the beautiful. Young children today have experienced much uncertainty in their lives, particularly in schools, from Covid restrictions and permanent new protocols due to the increase in school violence. They need the opportunity to wonder at the beauty of the natural world and to experience beauty in music and art.

In 1910, Fr. Thomas Shields, of The Catholic University of America, commissioned Justine Bayard Ward to write a music method for his Catholic Education Series. Shields believed in the necessity of an education in music and art for the emotional well-being of the child. Ward held a belief “That All May Sing” and wished to find a way to provide all children a musical education, not just a privileged few. Ward also wanted all children to have the opportunity to sing the prayers of the Church, particularly Gregorian Chant.

What is known as the Ward Method of Music Instruction for Catholic Schools is a combination of their efforts and Ward’s collaboration with Dom André Mocquereau of the Abbey of Solesmes, France. In the 1950s and 1960s, this method spread through Ward centers and teachers in the United States, Europe, Israel, and Central and South America. It continues to be a viable and unique teaching method for 21st-century students.

"This year, for the first time, the International Center for Ward Method Studies at The Catholic University of America in collaboration with The Catholic University of America - Tucson, will offer Ward Method Level I to elementary teachers, music teachers, and music directors in Arizona. An intensive 5-day course will be offered at the Redemptorist Renewal Center in Tucson, from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14, 2024."

Teachers who follow the Ward Method guide children to discover music for themselves. Children learn to create beauty with their unique instrument, their voice. They discover pitch by steps and combine tones to sing melodies and harmonies with their fellow students. They feel the beauty of the movement of a phrase as they conduct the music they sing. They find joy in their musical creations as they improvise and compose. All of these steps are arranged so the children can sight-read, on their own, a repertoire of folk songs, classical art songs, and the sacred music of the Church.

"If you would like to join us in giving children the opportunity to create and be immersed in beauty, please contact the director of the International Center for Ward Method Studies, Amy Zuberbueler, at zuberbueler@cua.edu."