Youth deepen musical, spiritual talents at MMA

Intermountain Catholic

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David Haas presents a Music Ministry Alive Concert at Saint Ambrose Parish April 3. Haas' father and mother were both professional musicians, his brother has a degree in music, and sister is working on her Master's degree in music. Photo courtesy of Jack Elizondo

SALT LAKE CITY — "The spirituality that comes out of David Haas’ music ministry program is incredible. One minute everyone was laughing and the next minute everyone was crying," said Sarah Don, a St. Ambrose parishioner.

Music Ministry Alive benefit concert featuring David Haas was held April 3, at St. Ambrose Church. Music Ministry Alive is a program focused on bringing young people into worship through liturgical music.

"The Music Ministry Alive (MMA) summer program was the same way," said Don. "There were those nights of laughter and everyone singing at the top of their lungs, and these incredible prayer services and workshops, such as a Taize prayer service. One was centered on peace and so powerful. The message was in order for us have peace in the world, we have to start with ourselves. That is something we really took away from MMA. You have to be the change you want to see happen."

"MMA is an annual summer program held for six days at the College of Saint Catherine in Minnesota," said Haas, who is a full-time musician, composer, and teacher. "It is an opportunity for young people all over the country and other parts of the world to come together. These young people all have a passion for liturgical music, and also really want to offer their gifts and serve in the church. Some of them have thoughts of doing this as a full time ministry or as something they will do on the side.

"Regardless of what they pursue, this is a holistic experience living on campus for an entire week in a Christian community," said Haas. "The program has six areas of emphasis. The first is musical skills building. They work with teachers who are experts on a particular instrument or with voice."

Haas said the second is learning about liturgy and how music serves liturgy. In the third they learn about living in a community life for six days. The fourth is emphasis on prayer and spirituality. They work on their own prayer and spiritual growth. The fifth is learning leadership development. The individuals who attend MMA, are musically talented individuals who are already leaders, and they further develop those skills. And the sixth area is blending all these aspects into a commitment of justice and peace, or the missionary aspect.

"This is the 11th year of holding this summer program," said Haas. "And we have touched the lives of over 1,500 kids. There are adult leaders who attend a separate track at the same time. The adult track is for youth ministers, youth directors, and campus ministers. Some things are held separately, and some events are held together with the kids.

"The faculty and team are made up of composers, liturgical experts, youth ministers, and talented musicians from all over the country," said Haas.

"The concert I held at Saint Ambrose was a way to raise funds for the scholarship program for MMA," said Haas. "We do not want money to be an issue as to why someone cannot attend. We keep the cost as low as we can, but we have other expenses for which we need money. We are a non-profit organization. We have the support of many national organizations, publishers, and the College of Saint Catherine, owned by the Sisters of Saint Joseph, who are extremely supportive, and they assist us quite a bit as well.

"This program came about as the result of a dream I had," said Haas. "When I was young I had many teachers and mentors who believed in my talent, and I had a desire to give back. Young people desperately need mentors. Mentors are different than parents and teachers. Mentors are needed to help guide young people as to what their dreams are, especially in the church.

"Part of my desire to do this was also to be an advocate for young people. Unfortunately a lot of young people drift away from the church," said Haas. "Young people are busy and impatient, and they are not going to wait, so we need to embrace them now when they are ready. The young people who come through are not only musically talented, they are also spiritually talented.

Haas said the kids who choose to come to MMA have to fill out an application, write an essay, and have letters of recommendation. Haas said they are looking for kids who are already leaders, active with their peers, and who have some level of involvement they want to deepen.

"By the end of the week, it is very powerful to see what happens. It is really something to behold," said Haas. Kids can attend a maximum of three summers. Over the years we have seen some of these kids who have graduated working in churches full time, and some have had their compositions published. It is gratifying to see.

"I grew up in a very musical house," said Haas. "My father was a piano teacher, and my mother was my high school choir director. We lived across the street from the church we attended, so our family would lead music at Masses.

"Music has the ability to say things that words by themselves cannot. It is a very powerful language," said Haas. "Liturgical music is designed for people to sing and to help people pray. It has the ability to shape not only people’s emotions, but also their beliefs."

Sarah Burchett, a Judge Memorial Catholic High School graduate and St. Ambrose Parishioner, attended MMA, and said it is for youth in ninth grade through their second year in college.

"I attended MMA in 2003," said Burchett, who is now in nursing school. "I went to the Anaheim Congress and saw a flyer about MMA and really wanted to go. Sarah Don prompted me and was in the adult track. I was 20, and in the youth track. I filled out the three-page questionnaire, and an made an audition tape with four different songs.

"I went, and met the most amazing and uplifting people between all the other liturgical composers there, and all of the youth and young adults," said Burchett. "We were all there for the same reasons - to sing, praise God, and learn more about our faith. I came back renewed and full of faith, spirit, and had a desire to bring all of what I learned back to Utah where there is not the same community of liturgical ministry."

Burchett was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2008, after a CAT Scan revealed a lesion. The doctors determined she had what looked like a tumor that needed to be removed right away. She spent a day in the neuro ICU, a week on the neuro floor, a and week in in-patient-rehab.

"I am still doing therapy," said Burchett. "This is the kind of cancer that can always come back, but for now it looks pretty good. I am always going to have to go in for routine scans. It might not ever come back, they just don’t know.

"David and I bonded because of Utah. I was the first from Utah and David knows Jim Hamburgh, former principal of Judge Memorial, and we just kept in touch," said Burchett. "I have always had a love for music, and I have taken each day as it came and tried to live the best I could. I have a new unique appreciation for life and for the world. I don’t think I took a lot of things for granted before, but I think now I have less tolerance for people who want to dwell on their own issues and feel sorry for themselves. You should just live and not worry. You can be sad, but not all the time because life is too short.

"Music helps me clarify my feelings and thoughts," said Burchett. "There are always messages you can take through songs, especially liturgical songs in the presence of God and in the power of God. I have a lot to thank God for, and what better way than to sing."

For more information on the background of Music Ministry Alive visit the website at www.musicministryalive.com.