By Dan Sullivan
Catholic Herald

Composer issues new CD

DANBURY -- Juliana Howard has a tranquil getaway near Danbury in Voyager Village. It is here that Howard did a lot of the composing for "Heartpsalms of the World," a compact disc of music tracks based on the psalms.

In 1999 Howard was given the book "Psalms for Praying," by Nan C. Merrill (Continum Publishing, 1996). After reading and reflecting on the text, Howard concluded the book had to be put to music. "I love the book, it's a beautiful rendition of the psalms," she said.

Howard's background is diverse. Although her father was Norwegian Lutheran, she was was raised in a Methodist home and is now Catholic. She also has a melting pot of ethnic heritage in her family. Her husband, Jerry, is half Chinese and the couple have daughters-in-law that are Jewish, Chinese, Venezuelan and East Indian. "I also have a daughter-in-law that is Buddhist." Howard said. "We have a very different, but wonderful family."

Howard's spiritual journey has also been somewhat diverse. This includes holding lay membership as a Franciscan associate and she is in the process of becoming a Benedictine oblate -- another lay group of religious. "I am connected to both the Franciscans and the Benedictines," she said. "Everybody thinks I am a nun."

Although residents of St. Cloud, Minn., while at their summer home in the Danbury area the Howards attend Sacred Heart of Jesus & Mary Church in Crescent Lake.

Besides "Heartpsalms of the World," Howard has composed a number of other spiritual music selections. For 13 years she was a music director and wrote music for The Crayons, a St. Cloud-based group of Catholic school student singers. Her first composition was "Take Out Your Crayons," based on creation spirituality.

Other than her previous recording "We are the Circle," which is aimed toward women, most of Howard's composing is focused on children.

While in Charlotte, N.C., Howard became inspired to compose the music for her latest effort. She called this newest CD "spirit led." "I was doing a conference for Catholic school teachers," she said. "For this I was using some local kids, teaching them songs and movements. While there I wrote some music to Psalm 145."

The next day Howard presented the music to the teachers. "It was on the spot, but it was inspiring," she said.

The music for this recording was sung by Diane Bosl, a former music educator and liturgical music director living in St. Cloud, and Fr. Kevin Anderson, a priest of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

The recording was completed at Bobbie Vee's studio in St. Joseph, Minn. Vee is a rock singer from the '60s. Howard became acquainted with him when their children attended the same Catholic school.

Howard called "Heartpsalms of the World" a collection of 25 songs that is designed to enhance personal and communal prayer experiences in a variety of settings. "It works well with adults and kids," she said. "The songs are real easy to learn."

Howard did say that the text has not been approved for liturgical response psalms. "That's not the nature of it," she said. "It's to be used in other places."

Although her other work has been published using various publishing companies, "Heartpsalms of the World" was self-published by Howard and Bosl.

Howard said after having the backing of production companies with other projects, this self-produced effort is humbling and has become a labor of love. "Both Diane and I believe it will go where it's meant to go," she said. "It's been interesting because a lot of people, who aren't necessarily church-goers, are finding it very inspiring. The psalms are universal and will always be with us."

Editor's note: The CD can be purchased online at www.heartpsalmsoftheworld.com. The cost is $16, plus $3 shipping. Howard is also working to get the CD in outlets throughout the diocese and in Duluth, Minn.

< Local Archives

© Superior Catholic Herald, 2004