We recently connected with Mary Rose Gallipeau and have shared our conversation below.
Mary Rose, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I’m very grateful for my job! I play organ, piano, harp, and sing as a Catholic Music Director at a large church in NY. There is never a shortage of things to do, but there’s also a huge variety of events that my job encompasses. This gives me many creative outlets, but it’s not always easy to stay creatively inspired.
To foster creativity, I love collaborating with nearby musicians and artists. Their talent is so inspiring, and their knowledge in areas that are not my expertise is so exciting. Through some musical friends, I was so grateful to be invited to join in NYC last month in a singing procession as well. It was so cool to see over 5,000 people walking in a procession through Times Square together in song, culminating at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Creative experiences like these are some of the highlights of being a musician, but they’re made complete with good friends!
I’m also so grateful to say that I’m part of the Metropolitan Catholic Chorale here in NY. This is a professional chorale that tours the Metropolitan area singing Masses and events. To be under the direction of highly educated musicians, singing chant and polyphonic music, is so life giving! This has been a huge blessing to my growth as an artist.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I organize different cultural and prayer events for my Church, which allows me to express myself creatively in my own experience as an artist. For example, prayer events might include nights of medieval Gregorian Chant, where other events might be classical music concerts featuring local artists! Last year during the start of the war in Ukraine, I organized a night of music and prayer to fund raise for the efforts overseas. Most recently, I organized a new series of cultural events for the church called Encounter. This event is centered around a holiday or theme, with a special guest interview and concert.
During the month, I direct and accompany three different choirs– adult, youth, and children. Their rehearsals happen throughout the weekdays and they sing at the weekend Masses. This allows me to explore music creatively as an accompanist and conductor. I get to choose different music for each weekend, each choir, and even for instrumentalists who join.
My Bachelor’s degree was in Music Ed K-12 specializing in Choral Arts, and nothing is more inspiring than having that moment where everything clicks for your ensemble! Most recently, I was able to direct and conduct the music for the dedication of a new church for the diocese, sung by a professional quartet. Selecting the music and working with musicians of such a high caliber was such a joy!
I also sing and play for every funeral and wedding at the church throughout the year. This is a unique experience in walking with families and couples through some of the most important moments of their lives. Connecting with people and being there for them in those times, high and low, is a huge honor. I take pride in providing beautiful music and selections played well for these times.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Sometimes I laugh because I trained as a classical pianist and harpist since I was only a few years old… and now I do something that is so much broader than I really could have imagined for myself!
Adaptability is a must!
I knew this position would have a lot of different responsibilities, but I never totally anticipated just how different each would be!
Second is professional development in the area of sacred music!
I have been privileged to do a lot of professional development with Church Music Association of America (CMAA), along with taking graduate courses at St. Joseph’s Seminary in NY and St. Patrick’s Seminary in CA. The in-depth teachings in Gregorian Chant, Polyphonic music, Catholic Theology, scripture, and traditions and practices of the Catholic Church have changed my work so dramatically. I’m so grateful to the leadership of Dr. Jennifer Donelson-Nowicka, and her teacher and friend Dr. William Mahrt, founder of CMAA. Their impact on encouraging true artistry in churches is beyond words!
Finally, the most impactful thing by far has been knowing where my strength comes from– my Catholic faith.
Everyone needs that source from which their strength comes– mine lies in the rich tradition of my church & the God Whom I serve. I truly believe that all good comes from God, so any good that I give or receive is a direct outpouring from our Creator. This gives a whole different perspective on my work, and I find that the more that I give, the more joy, love, and creativity I have as a person. And the best part is that it’s not all on me! When it is a giving of yourself for another, the glory is not personal but for God’s greater glory, but yet shared in love for the other. This is what I wish to do with my work, and it most certainly is where my strength comes from!
My advice is to be open, network, and identify where your strength comes from!
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
I come from a large family of eight children, and I am who I am because of my fun and creative family! I’m proud to say we are all musically or artistically inclined, with three of us (so far!) in musical and artistic careers. I’m so grateful that my parents always made music and artistry a priority in our home. Countless hours of practicing (many painful, I’m sure), chauffeuring back and forth to choirs and music lessons (so many car rides!), purchasing or renting of many instruments (harps included), and encouraging us to perform regularly… I can’t express how grateful I am to them for their undying support! My parents continue to be my best friends and biggest supporters to this day. I look up to them so much! This is, of course, along with my wonderful grandparents. I remember them visiting and asking us to put on concerts in our home for them. They would sit for hours and encourage us, ask us questions about the music or composer, and push us to grow through their love! To this day, my grandparents watch every concert or Mass via livestream. I’m also grateful to say that four of my siblings participate in my choirs too! I would never be where I am today without the love of my mom, dad, brothers and sisters, and grandparents.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marianmelodies.com
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@marianmelodies?si=a8TfLizzlQaUmKiU
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marian-melodies?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
