CLEF Albuquerque Ensemble Workshop
CLEF ensemble workshops bring highly skilled faculty members to local churches and dioceses. The program is designed specifically for ensemble musicians with the goal of supporting musicians in leading the assembly to full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy.
All vocalists and instrumentalists are welcome!
Training
Through large and small group sessions, the workshop offers training that is customized to the unique needs of vocalists and instrumentalists in an ensemble setting.
Prayer & Reflection
Prayer is an important part of who we are as liturgical ensemble musicians, and each workshop includes opportunities for prayer and reflection to deepen our connection to God.
Community
Ensemble workshops offer a great opportunity to connect with local liturgical musicians, in addition to connecting with the broader CLEF community.
Dates
Friday, August 22, 5:30 pm to 9:15 pm
Saturday, August 23, 8 am to 3:30 pm
Participants are invited to stay and help lead music for the 5 pm Mass at St. Charles on Saturday.
Location
St. Charles Borromeo
1818 Coal PL SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Cost
Early bird rate:
$65 per person (through July 10)
Regular rate:
$75 per person (after July 11)
Group rate:
$65 per person for groups of three or more who register together
Student rate:
$45 per person (university name and major required)
Registration fee includes program sessions, program handouts and music, and two meals on Saturday. Lodging is not included.
CLEF requires that all program participants be 18 years or older, and all program activities are limited to registered participants. We take photographs and video/audio recordings during the program, which may be used by CLEF for marketing purposes. Attendees will be given an opportunity to opt out of photos/videos for marketing at check-in for the program. Cancellations must be submitted via email by August 1 for a refund. No refunds will be giving after that date, but a registration may be transferred to another person.
Have questions? Contact our local committee in Albuquerque.
Gene Ayala
clefabq@icloud.com
505-297-4177
About the faculty
Anna Betancourt
Vocal Ensemble
Anna Betancourt is a professional singer, songwriter, music director, and workshop presenter who has worked as music director, choral director, and cantor in various parishes of Southern California. She has more than 35 years of experience working with various choirs including youth, children’s, adult, contemporary, traditional, Spanish, and handbells.
Anna graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where she studied voice and where she also worked as assistant director of liturgy and music. At the archdiocesan level, she has served as a music committee member, a member of the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress Liturgy Committee, and a board member for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians.
Anna’s voice can be heard on more than 50 recordings, including some by Bob Hurd, Tony Alonso, John Angotti, Jaime Cortez, and Marty Haugen. Anna’s personal Spanish collection is published through OCP and presents inspiring songs for liturgy, worship groups, or retreats.
Anna’s passion is for liturgical music and a singing assembly, and she is a national speaker and presenter at various conferences and workshops on music and liturgy.
Anna is married to Mike, her husband of 26 years, and lives in Ft. Worth, Texas. Together they have two boys, Matthew and Samuel.
Jaime Cortez
Instrumental Ensemble, Guitar, Keyboard
Jaime Cortez is a talented and popular composer, arranger, and performer. Born in New York and raised in El Salvador, Jaime has dedicated a portion of his ministry to promoting better Hispanic liturgies and bringing cultures together for worship. His main instrument is guitar, though he is proficient in piano and other string instruments, such as charango, vihuela, and bass guitar.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in music composition from Arizona State University. He was named Pastoral Musician of the Year in 2016 by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM).
Some of Jaime’s best-known songs are “Rain Down,” “Somos el Cuerpo de Cristo/We Are the Body of Christ” (with Bob Hurd) and “Take Up Your Cross.” He has released six solo collections with OCP, and collaborative projects include Gracia y Amor/Grace and Love, a collection with Bob Hurd and Eleazar Cortés and Our Common Home, a project inspired by Pope Francis’s encyclical, Laudato Si’, featuring his song “Let Us Sing as We Go.”
Jaime is currently director of liturgy and music at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. He lives in Mesa with his wife Kari. They have three sons who are also very talented musically.
Register now to join us for the Albuquerque workshop!
Frequently asked questions
CLEF defines a liturgical ensemble as any group in which two or more musicians are gathered to lead music for liturgy. Ensembles may be solely instrumental, or they may consist of a group of instruments accompanying one or more singers.
Since the early days following the Second Vatican Council, ensembles have played a significant role in fostering full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy. From the early folk groups to today’s contemporary ensembles or groups with a distinct name, ensembles have become a leading voice in many churches.
To that end, it is our goal to support the ensemble musician, be they an instrumentalist, cantor, or choral singer. Our program provides sessions for instrumentalists and vocalists to work in separate groups and as a combined ensemble.
We are an inclusive community where all are welcome regardless of gender, race, culture, age, or ability. We welcome musicians of all skill levels, from church communities large and small, urban and rural, whether paid staff or volunteers.
We welcome both individual and group registrations for CLEF ensemble workshops. Payment can be made by credit card when registering online, or you may bring check or cash the day of the program.
If registering online for a group and submitting one payment to qualify for the group rate, please provide the first and last name for each registrant, their vocal part or instrument, and an email address so we can contact them with reminders about the program.
No, you don’t need to be Catholic to attend this program or access our online CLEF Life resources. While our founding board members and faculty primarily serve as ensemble musicians in Catholic church communities, we have multiple ensemble musicians from other faith traditions as part of the CLEF community and as participants at our programs. To quote a popular song from our faith tradition, “All are welcome.”