Scala FoundationIn this video, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and Margarita Mooney Clayton, an Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the Founder and Executive Director of the Scala Foundation, discuss silence, music, faith, and suffering.
Some topics discussed in this video include:
• Music is a spiritual journey, even for non-religious. “Music opens a window to the divine” “There's a kind of umbilical link between music and the spiritual” • The social dimension of music: how a shared love of music like the Cumnock tryst builds community unity. Something about music resists being purely instrumental; it points to the divine and takes us out of ourselves. • Music, including classical music, is not elitist. The desire for music is universal. • MacMillan’s story growing up poor, falling in love with music at age 8, performing music at home, school, and church. • Artists bring back to the church the love of beauty. • The connection between folk music and classical music. • Silence and music: “Silence is not absence, but presence. It is the silence of accompaniment of Christ accompanying us on the Via Dolorosa suffering with us, as one of us, rather than as nihil, nothing. And the notion of silence as presence as the mystical or metaphysical substance has many musical analogies.” • Music is not fundamentally instrumental or material, yet it has a profoundly transforming impact on us.
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues, and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy, and education. Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, workshops for artists, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
Silence and Music: A Scotsmans SongScala Foundation2024-07-26 | In this video, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and Margarita Mooney Clayton, an Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the Founder and Executive Director of the Scala Foundation, discuss silence, music, faith, and suffering.
Some topics discussed in this video include:
• Music is a spiritual journey, even for non-religious. “Music opens a window to the divine” “There's a kind of umbilical link between music and the spiritual” • The social dimension of music: how a shared love of music like the Cumnock tryst builds community unity. Something about music resists being purely instrumental; it points to the divine and takes us out of ourselves. • Music, including classical music, is not elitist. The desire for music is universal. • MacMillan’s story growing up poor, falling in love with music at age 8, performing music at home, school, and church. • Artists bring back to the church the love of beauty. • The connection between folk music and classical music. • Silence and music: “Silence is not absence, but presence. It is the silence of accompaniment of Christ accompanying us on the Via Dolorosa suffering with us, as one of us, rather than as nihil, nothing. And the notion of silence as presence as the mystical or metaphysical substance has many musical analogies.” • Music is not fundamentally instrumental or material, yet it has a profoundly transforming impact on us.
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues, and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy, and education. Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, workshops for artists, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationO Radiant Dawn. Composed by James MacMillan and Conducted by Travis BenoitScala Foundation2024-08-07 | This music was recorded as part of The Catholic Sacred Music Project's Conducting Institute concert, held at Princeton Theological Seminary chapel on June 22, 2024. The music was performed by participants in a summer program for choral conductors, composers, and choristers organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project, co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, and featured student conductors leading a choir of professional choristers and students.
This event was organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and proudly co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, Benedict XVI Institute, Magnificat Institute, and the Aquinas Institute of Princeton University. We are grateful to the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel for hosting this event.
All of the music performed can be seen on the YouTube Channel of the Catholic Sacred Music Project.
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationAgnus Dei from Mass of St Joseph. Composed by Franck La Rocca and Conducted by Travis BenoitScala Foundation2024-08-06 | This music was recorded as part of The Catholic Sacred Music Project's Conducting Institute concert, held at Princeton Theological Seminary chapel on June 22, 2024. The music was performed by participants in a summer program for choral conductors, composers, and choristers organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project, co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, and featured student conductors leading a choir of professional choristers and students.
This event was organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and proudly co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, Benedict XVI Institute, Magnificat Institute, and the Aquinas Institute of Princeton University. We are grateful to the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel for hosting this event.
All of the music performed can be seen on the YouTube Channel of the Catholic Sacred Music Project.
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationAve Maria. Composed by Nathaniel Dett and Conducted by Katelyn ReinhardScala Foundation2024-08-05 | This music was recorded as part of The Catholic Sacred Music Project's Conducting Institute concert, held at Princeton Theological Seminary chapel on June 22, 2024. The music was performed by participants in a summer program for choral conductors, composers, and choristers organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project, co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, and featured student conductors leading a choir of professional choristers and students.
This event was organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and proudly co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, Benedict XVI Institute, Magnificat Institute, and the Aquinas Institute of Princeton University. We are grateful to the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel for hosting this event.
All of the music performed can be seen on the YouTube Channel of the Catholic Sacred Music Project.
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationSing Joyfully Composed by William Byrd and Conducted by Gareth HaynesScala Foundation2024-08-04 | This music was recorded as part of The Catholic Sacred Music Project's Conducting Institute concert, held at Princeton Theological Seminary chapel on June 22, 2024. The music was performed by participants in a summer program for choral conductors, composers, and choristers organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project, co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, and featured student conductors leading a choir of professional choristers and students.
This event was organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and proudly co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, Benedict XVI Institute, Magnificat Institute, and the Aquinas Institute of Princeton University. We are grateful to the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel for hosting this event.
All of the music performed can be seen on the YouTube Channel of the Catholic Sacred Music Project.
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationTradition is a Flowing River Sir James MacMillanScala Foundation2024-08-03 | In this video clip, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and David Clayton, Provost of Pontifex University and Scala Foundation's Artist-in-Residence, discuss tradition as a flowing river and why cutting oneself off from tradition desiccates the sources of creativity for artists.
The full conversation from which this conversation was clipped can be seen here:
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationTo Breach with the Past is Destruction - Sir James MacMillanScala Foundation2024-08-02 | In this video clip, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and David Clayton, Provost of Pontifex University and Scala Foundation's Artist-in-Residence, discuss why breaking with the past of artistic traditions is destructive and violent.
The full conversation from which this conversation was clipped can be seen here:
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationGregorian Chant and Popular Culture - Sir James MacMillanScala Foundation2024-08-01 | In this video clip, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and David Clayton, Provost of Pontifex University and Scala Foundation's Artist-in-Residence, discuss how Gregorian chant has influenced music in popular culture.
The full conversation from which this conversation was clipped can be seen here:
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationGregorian Chant is the DNA of Sacred Music - Sir James MacMillanScala Foundation2024-07-31 | In this video clip, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and David Clayton, Provost of Pontifex University and Scala Foundation's Artist-in-Residence, discuss how Gregorian chant is the DNA of sacred music, past and present.
The full conversation from which this conversation was clipped can be seen here:
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationAn Umbilical Link Between Music and SilenceScala Foundation2024-07-30 | In this video clip, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and Margarita Mooney Clayton, an Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the Founder and Executive Director of the Scala Foundation, discuss the close link between music and silence. MacMillan explains that: “Silence is not absence, but presence. It is the silence of accompaniment of Christ accompanying us on the Via Dolorosa suffering with us, as one of us, rather than as Neil nothing. And the notion of silence as presence as the mystical or metaphysical substance has many musical analogies.”
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationChristian Artists Redeem the AbyssScala Foundation2024-07-29 | In this video clip, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and Margarita Mooney Clayton, an Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the Founder and Executive Director of the Scala Foundation, discuss how it is that Christian arts are called to follow Christ into the abyss and redeem it, bringing something beautiful out of the embers of suffering.
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationAnalogies between Listening to Music and Contemplative PrayerScala Foundation2024-07-28 | In this video clip, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and Margarita Mooney Clayton, an Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the Founder and Executive Director of the Scala Foundation, discuss analogies between listening to music and Christian contemplative prayer.
“Lovers of music are transformed by music,” he stated. Similarly, in contemplative prayer, “you have to be open to the possibility of being changed through what happens in that silence.”
In Christian prayer, silent contemplation is a sacrifice of the self to encounter God. Similarly, with music, MacMillan described that “for complex music to speak to you, you need to open yourself to an objective authority. There’s no point in listening to a Beethoven symphony if you're going to do something else. That music is not going to reach you. Just like complex narratives in history have an authority that cannot be hurried, you must obey the structures and the timescale of these pieces of music. The listener cannot come into the presence of music in a state of defiance and resistance. You have to come in a state of openness, respect, and love.”
As with music, in contemplative prayer, “you have to sacrifice something of yourself; you have to give something of your ego. You can’t enter into the presence of God in a state of defiance and resistance. You must be open to the possibility of being changed through what happens in that silence.”
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationFrom the Ashes of Modernism: Composing Beautiful Music TodayScala Foundation2024-07-27 | In this video, world-renowned Scottish conductor and composer Sir James MacMillan and David Clayton, Provost of Pontifex University and Scala Foundation's Artist-in-Residence, discuss the relationship between sacred music and popular music and how to recover great traditions in music from the ashes of modernism and Marxism.
Topics Discussed in this video include:
• Music as a spiritual journey: - Opens a window to the divine - Has a strong connection to faith and worship
• Importance of tradition in music: - Gregorian chant as the DNA of Western sacred music - Tradition as a flowing river from past to present to future
• Challenges of modern and contemporary music: - Modernism's attempt to break with tradition - Difficulties in accessibility for wider audiences
• Composer's creative process: - Balancing traditional training with personal style - Importance of silence and subconscious in composition
• Beauty in music and other art forms: - Early exposure to beauty as inspiration for creativity - Connection between music, faith, and other forms of beauty
• Role of sacred music in culture: - Influence of Jewish and early Christian chant on Western music - Importance of text in liturgical music
• Formation of composers: - Value of traditional training in counterpoint, harmony, etc. - Learning from past masters without mere imitation
• Impact of historical events on music and faith: - Effects of communism on religious knowledge and practice - Potential for renewal after periods of desolation
• Optimism for the future of music and faith: - Signs of renewed interest in beauty and tradition - Potential for art to play a role in spiritual and cultural renewal
MacMillan spent two weeks in Princeton in June 2024 as part of a program hosted by the Catholic Sacred Music Project to provide master-apprentice training to young composers, conductors, and choristers. Scala co-sponsored the summer program. Two other conversations with MacMillan can be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationOculi Omnium - William FritzScala Foundation2024-07-23 | This music was recorded as part of "Behold, I Make All Things New: A Discussion on Sacred Music and Popular Culture and a Concert of New Sacred Music by Living Composers," an event promoting the renewal of culture and tradition! William Fritz composed the music, which was performed by participants in a summer program for choral conductors, composers, and choristers organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation.
The event was held at the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel on June 15, 2024, beginning with a discussion with Sir James MacMillan, Dr. Margarita Mooney Clayton, and Peter Carter on how noble and accessible sacred music can once again shape all popular culture. The discussion was followed by a choral concert of music by all living composers: eight choral works based on the texts of the Antiphons of Corpus Christi as well as music by renowned composers James MacMillan and Paul Jernberg.
This event was organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and proudly co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, Benedict XVI Institute, Magnificat Institute, and the Aquinas Institute of Princeton University. We are grateful to the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel for hosting this event.
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues, and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy, and education. Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews) and hosts public events like conferences, webinars, concerts and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationPerformance of Mass of Holy Men and Women – by Paul JernbergScala Foundation2024-07-22 | This music was recorded as part of "Behold, I Make All Things New: A Discussion on Sacred Music and Popular Culture and a Concert of New Sacred Music by Living Composers," an event promoting the renewal of culture and tradition! Paul Jernberg composed the music, which was performed by participants in a summer program for choral conductors, composers, and choristers organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation.
The event was held at the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel on June 15, 2024, beginning with a discussion with Sir James MacMillan, Dr. Margarita Mooney Clayton, and Peter Carter on how noble and accessible sacred music can once again shape all popular culture. The discussion was followed by a choral concert of music by all living composers: eight choral works based on the texts of the Antiphons of Corpus Christi as well as music by renowned composers James MacMillan and Paul Jernberg.
This event was organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and proudly co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, Benedict XVI Institute, Magnificat Institute, and the Aquinas Institute of Princeton University. We are grateful to the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel for hosting this event.
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues, and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy, and education. Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews) and hosts public events like conferences, webinars, concerts and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationSung Daily Mass at the Princeton University ChapelScala Foundation2024-07-21 | This music was performed at a daily Mass at the Princeton University chapel in June 2024 by participants in a summer program for choral conductors, composers, and choristers organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation. This program was also co-sponsored by the Benedict XVI Institute, Magnificat Institute, and the Aquinas Institute of Princeton University.
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues, and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy, and education. Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews) and hosts public events like conferences, webinars, concerts and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationGive Me Justice – Sir James MacMillanScala Foundation2024-07-20 | This music was recorded as part of "Behold, I Make All Things New: A Discussion on Sacred Music and Popular Culture and a Concert of New Sacred Music by Living Composers," an event promoting the renewal of culture and tradition! Sir James MacMillan composed the music, which was performed by participants in a summer program for choral conductors, composers, and choristers organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation.
The event was held at the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel on June 15, 2024, beginning with a discussion with Sir James MacMillan, Dr. Margarita Mooney Clayton, and Peter Carter on how noble and accessible sacred music can once again shape all popular culture. The discussion was followed by a choral concert of music by all living composers: eight choral works based on the texts of the Antiphons of Corpus Christi as well as music by renowned composers James MacMillan and Paul Jernberg.
This event was organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and proudly co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, Benedict XVI Institute, Magnificat Institute, and the Aquinas Institute of Princeton University. We are grateful to the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel for hosting this event.
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues, and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy, and education. Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews) and hosts public events like conferences, webinars, concerts and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationSir James MacMillan Discusses Tradition and Creativity in MusicScala Foundation2024-07-19 | Behold, I Make All Things New: A Discussion on Sacred Music and Popular Culture and a Concert of New Sacred Music by Living Composers is an event that promotes the renewal of culture and tradition!
The event was held at the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel on June 15 beginning with a discussion with Sir James MacMillan, Dr. Margarita Mooney Clayton, and Peter Carter on how noble and accessible sacred music can once again shape all popular culture. The discussion was followed by a choral concert of music by all living composers: eight new choral works based on the texts of the Antiphons of Corpus Christi as well as music by renowned composers James MacMillan and Paul Jernberg.
This event was organized by the Catholic Sacred Music Project and proudly co-sponsored by the Scala Foundation, Benedict XVI Institute, Magnificat Institute, and the Aquinas Institute of Princeton University. We are grateful to the Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel for hosting this event.
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues, and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy, and education. Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews) and hosts public events like conferences, webinars, concerts and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationTalks on Sacred Art, Music, and Liturgy Lectures for Sarum Vespers 3/1/24Scala Foundation2024-03-13 | On March 1, 2024, the Scala Foundation co-sponsored a solemn Vespers, according to the medieval Use of Sarum, at the Chapel of Princeton University (First Vespers for the feast of Saint Chad of Mercia, bishop, and confessor). This video includes the three lectures which took place before the liturgy. The three speakers were:
1) James Griffin, Durandis Institute, on the history of the Use of Sarum 2) David Clayton, Pontifex University & Scala Foundation on sacred art 3) Gabriel Crouch, Princeton University and Gallicantus, on sacred music
A digital copy of the service program booklet may be seen here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ypsI...
David Clayton of Pontifex University and Scala Foundation personally commissioned new art for this occasion from artists Ioana Belcea and Ander Scharbach.
You may read David Clayton's remarks on Scala's blog:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, author of numerous books and popular articles, and inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues, and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy, and education. Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews) and hosts public events like conferences, webinars, liturgical celebrations, and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationSarum Vespers with Sacred Art at Princeton 3/1/24Scala Foundation2024-03-13 | On March 1, 2024, Scala Foundation co-sponsored a solemn Vespers and Benediction, according to the medieval Use of Sarum, at the Chapel of Princeton University (First Vespers for the feast of Saint Chad of Mercia, bishop, and confessor).
The event was made possible by partnering with the Durandus Institute, The Catholic Sacred Music Project, and the Aquinas Institute at Princeton, among other organizations. Music was assisted by the UK men's early music choir Gallicantus.
David Clayton of Pontifex University and Scala Foundation personally commissioned new art for this occasion from artists Ioana Belcea and Ander Scharbach.
A digital copy of the service program booklet may be seen here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues, and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy, and education. Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews) and hosts public events like conferences, webinars, and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationAidan Hart and David Clayton on Depicting Creation and the SacredScala Foundation2023-10-12 | Aidan Hart explains to his former student David Clayton the design for an icon at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego that shows God's creation in relationship to supernatural symbols.
Moving from top to bottom, Aidan and David describe how God's creation can be shown as a manifestation of his glory and divine governance.
If you like this icon and want to see it finished, let us know--Aidan is seeking patrons to help him finish this commission and hang this icon at Point Loma!
And check out other videos with Aidan on this playlist and Scala's 2023 conference playlist.Mary, Mother of God and the Meaning of Dependence on GodScala Foundation2023-10-06 | In this video, Margarita Mooney Clayton discusses her article published in Comment Magazine in September 2023 entitled, "The Gift of Marian Dependence: A Challenge to the Masculine Impulses of Liberalism." The article can be read here:
1) What can we learn from early Christian art and festival commemorations of Mary that help us understand the power and wisdom of motherhood?
2) Why did God choose to become dependent on a woman in the Incarnation?
3) What can you do to live a Biblical, Christological, and ecclesiological Marian devotion?
4) Why is Mary's trust in God such a challenge to feminism and liberalism, which emphasize autonomy?
Learn More about The Scala Foundation
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of art, liturgy and education Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.
More Resources Can be Found on Scala’s Social Media and Websites
The Fellowship of the Annunciation is a group of recurring donors to Scala that helps us in all our activities, notably by supporting apprenticeships for liturgical artists:
givebutter.com/fellowshipoftheannunciationFrom Apprentice to Master: Making an Icon of St. DominicScala Foundation2023-09-22 | Filmed at the Chichester Workshop of Liturgical Arts, artist Jim Blackstone describes how this icon of St. Dominic was made under his apprenticeship with Martin Earle.
Learn More about the Chichester Workshop & Jim’s Art here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of artists (culture creators), liberal arts education and religion (liturgy, personal prayer, theology). Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.Depicting St. Dominic in an IconScala Foundation2023-09-20 | Filmed at the Chichester Workshop of Liturgical Arts, artist Jim Blackstone describes the symbolism he uses in his icon of St. Dominic
Learn More about the Chichester Workshop & Jim’s Art here:
Scala was founded in 2016 by Margarita Mooney Clayton, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, who is the author of numerous books and popular articles, and an inspiring public speaker on topics such as education, culture, virtues and faith. Her husband, David Clayton, is an Artist-in-Residence for Scala and the Provost of Pontifex University, where he founded the Master of Sacred Arts Program. He is an internationally renowned iconographer and writer for various online publications about topics like the mathematics of beauty, liturgical art, and cultural renewal.
The Scala Foundation’s vision is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture by focusing on the intersection of artists (culture creators), liberal arts education and religion (liturgy, personal prayer, theology). Scala engages in deep work with students at Princeton and Oxford to bring together artists, students, teachers, and scholars. Scala also produces publications (books, blogs, articles, interviews), and hosts public events like conferences, webinars and campus lectures open to the public.Master Iconographer Aidan Hart Making an Icon of St. Finbar of CorkScala Foundation2023-09-14 | Aidan Hart is in his studio. He tells us how he designs his latest commission, St Finbar of Cork
What are some challenges in presenting the eyes of a saint?
What colors are chosen and why?
How does the design on the cover of Scripture signify the place where the saint is from?
You can listen to more videos with Aidan Hart on this playlist, and on Scala's playlist from our 2023 conference "Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good."Aidan Hart on the Symbolism of King Charles Coronation ArtScala Foundation2023-08-31 | Aidan Hart discusses the process of making the anointing screen for King Charles's Coronation ceremony in 2023.
How did he go from the design to the embroidery? Which materials were used for the fabric and the stitching?
This video is one of 2 videos where Aidan Hart shares about his his work from King Charles's Coronation.
Scala has numerous other videos with Aidan Hart which can be see on this playlist and our 2023 conference playlist.Aidan Hart on Designing the Anointing Screen for King Charles Coronation: Part 1-SymbolismScala Foundation2023-08-31 | Join us in iconographer Aidan Hart's studio in Shropshire, England, where he discusses the symbolism behind the Anointing Screen he designed for the Coronation of King Charles in 2023.
What does the tree symbolize? What are the inscriptions and words at the bottom? Why was it important to select these symbols for this particular event?
For more videos of Aidan Hart, see this entire playlist, and the playlist from Scala's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred and the Common Good.An Artists View on Creativity & Culture: A Conversation w/ David Clayton & Margarita Mooney ClaytonScala Foundation2023-08-22 | Topics in this video include:
- Introduction of David Clayton as an artist, author, and professor who is working on a new book about transforming American culture through beauty.
- Discussion of the definition of culture as an emergent pattern of human behavior and activity that reflects a society's core priorities and practices. Art and music play a fundamental role.
- Explanation of how principles of mathematical harmony and proportion are central to creating beautiful art and architecture. Examples given of buildings in Annapolis.
- Insight into how studying icons helped a seminary student better understand and connect to sacred spaces he visited in Israel.
- Perspective that beauty attracts us and can lead us to contemplation of God. It has an invitational and confrontational nature
- Conversation about evaluating standards of beauty over time through tradition, rather than arbitrary elites.
- Information about David's upcoming book on art for the sacred feasts of the Roman Rite, providing images and explanation to help guide contemporary artists.
- Discussion of the process of making sacred art and David's vision for reviving American culture through reconnecting with tradition.
Please leave us your comments on this video!
Be sure to watch all the videos from Scala's 2023 conference "Art, The Sacred, and the Common Good," as well as two videos recorded in studio with Jonathan Pageau and Aidan Hart:
Margarita Mooney Clayton is the author of The Wounds of Beauty: Seven Dialogues on Art and Education.
scalafoundation.org/woundsofbeautybookScala Conference 2023 Highlight ReelScala Foundation2023-07-19 | View some of the highlights from the 2023 Scala Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common GoodMargarita Mooney Clayton and Eric Metaxas on Beauty, Faith, and SocietyScala Foundation2023-07-12 | How does art affect our souls? How did concepts of beauty shape early Christian society? How does the common good suffer when modern people neglect beauty or misunderstand it?
Margarita Mooney Clayton and Eric Metaxas discuss these important questions from Margarita's latest book, "The Wounds of Beauty"Aidan Hart on The Annunciation: Discernment and Hopeful ExpectationScala Foundation2023-06-21 | View this interview with Aidan Hart recorded just before the Scala Foundation's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good.Jonathan Pageau and Aidan Hart on The Transfiguration: Glory and Grace in the WorldScala Foundation2023-06-21 | View this exclusive interview with Jonathan Pageau and Aidan Hart recorded before the Scala Foundation's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common GoodAnna Bond at Scala Conference 2023: Conversation on Art and EntrepreneurshipScala Foundation2023-05-18 | See a conversation on art and entrepreneurship between Rifle Paper Company Co-Founder Anna Bond and Scala Foundation Executive Director Margarita Mooney Clayton at the Scala Foundation's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good.Scala Conference 2023: Concluding Discussion With Keynote SpeakersScala Foundation2023-05-18 | See the concluding discussion of the Scala Foundation's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good featuring artists Jonathan Pageau and Aidan Hart, Common Sense Society Senior Fellow Paul Coyer, Scala Foundation Executive Director Margarita Mooney Clayton, and Scala Foundation Artist-in-Residence David Clayton.Jonathan Pageau and Aidan Hart at Scala Conference 2023: Midday DiscussionScala Foundation2023-05-18 | See the midday discussion reflecting on themes discussed in the Scala Foundation's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good.Jonathan Pageau at Scala Conference 2023: Memory and the Role of Art in IdentityScala Foundation2023-05-18 | See artist Jonathan Pageau's keynote lecture at the Scala Foundation's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good. Followed by a discussion with Pageau, the Witherspoon Institute's R.J. Snell, and Scala Foundation Executive Director Margarita Mooney Clayton.Scala Conference 2023: Choral Morning PrayerScala Foundation2023-05-18 | See the choral morning prayer led by Peter Carter and the Catholic Sacred Music Project at the Scala Foundation's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good.Aidan Hart at Scala Conference 2023: Liturgical Art as Prophecy and PriesthoodScala Foundation2023-05-18 | See the keynote lecture delivered by world renowned iconographer Aidan Hart at the Scala Foundation's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good. The lecture is followed by a discussion with Hart, Common Sense Society Senior Fellow Paul Coyer, and Scala Foundation Artist-in-Residence David Clayton.Scala Conference 2023: IntroductionScala Foundation2023-05-18 | See the introduction to the Scala Foundation's 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good by Foundation Executive Director Margarita Mooney Clayton.Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good: Renewing Culture through Beauty, Education, and WorshipScala Foundation2023-04-22 | The Scala Foundation’s 2023 Conference on Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good brings together scholars, artists, and other leading figures helping to revitalize American culture. Saturday’s program includes keynote presentations by artists renewing great traditions in sacred art, such as Aidan Hart and Jonathan Pageau, and further opportunities to participate in choral prayer. Scholars and educators will guide audiences to understand how today’s artists and composers are contributing to a renewal of culture. Attendees will learn about practices and resources they can bring to their own worship, education and family lives.Classical Education and African-American History: A Path to Freedom and UnityScala Foundation2023-03-13 | Dr. Margarita Mooney Clayton discusses the history, value, and challenges of classical education in the African-American tradition with scholars Dr. Angel Adams Parham (Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Virginia) and Dr. Anika Prather (Director, High Quality Curriculum and Construction at Johns Hopkins University). The conversation builds upon Parham and Prather's book, "The Black Intellectual Tradition: Reading Freedom in Classical Literature."Margarita Mooney Clayton and Jonathan Pageau on Sacred ArtScala Foundation2023-01-31 | Margarita Mooney Clayton talks with renowned iconographer Jonathan Pageau about sacred art's ability to mediate the transcendental to us and connect us to God. Images of Mary, the mother of Jesus, abound in nearly every Christian culture. How is it that one woman has been so influential in the spiritual experience of so many people, the formation of the church, and the memory of nations?
Pageau will further explore the symbolic meanings of Scripture at his keynote address at Scala’s April 21-22, 2023, conference in Princeton, NJ.Panel Excerpt James Matthew WilsonScala Foundation2023-01-16 | Poet James Matthew Wilson explains what poetry has to do with the sacred and human identity.Conference TakeawaysScala Foundation2023-01-16 | Margarita Mooney Clayton shares a key takeaway from the 2022 Scala conference on "Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good." Beauty is an embodied experience with a form that we can perceive and appreciate. Agreement on the nature of beauty leads to shared loves and an understanding of the common good.What the Scala Conference Is AboutScala Foundation2023-01-16 | Margarita Mooney Clayton explains what is at the heart of Scala's conference vision. Humans are called to co-create beautiful things with God. Three ways we can pursue this calling is 1) awe and appreciation of the created world 2) learning to cultivate the world around us 3) channeling our passions and desires into mastered disciplines to become givers of beauty to others.Why this conference?Scala Foundation2023-01-16 | Margarita Mooney Clayton, founder of Scala, explains the rationale behind Scala's 2022 conference entitled "Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good." We are called to contemplate beauty because it is an intrinsic good. A culture that omits beauty from its educational ideals will be devoid of reverence and joy.Beauty, Matter, and the Sacred | Aidan HartScala Foundation2022-12-09 | Margarita Mooney and iconographer Aidan Hart discuss the role beauty plays in educating and directing our desires toward God.Choral PrayerScala Foundation2022-06-01 | Choral Prayer, led by Paul Jernberg and choir
At Scala's conference "Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good" on April 30, 2022.Beauty in the CurriculumScala Foundation2022-06-01 | "Beauty in the Curriculum: Educating for Artistic Appreciation & Creativity"
At Scala's conference "Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good" on April 30, 2022.
Moderator: Tim O’Malley, University of Notre Dame Elizabeth Corey, Baylor University Jonathan Pidluzny, American Council of Trustees and Alumni Eric Cook, Society for Classical LearningEver Ancient, Ever NewScala Foundation2022-06-01 | "Ever Ancient, Ever New: Bringing Traditional Art Forms into Modern Spaces"
At Scala's conference "Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good" on April 30, 2022
Moderator: George Harne, University of St. Thomas in Houston David Clayton, Pontifex University Paul Jernberg, Magnificat Institute of Sacred Music