A song for Pope Francis; Austin graduate composes piece for pope’s American visit
Published 10:40 am Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Austin graduate Tony Alonso will have his music play for a pretty important person when his song, “Proclaim His Marvelous Deeds,” is played for Pope Francis when he visits Washington, D.C., later this month. — Photo provided
When Pope Francis visits Washington, D.C., this month, he’ll hear a musical piece composed by a 1998 Austin High School graduate.
Tony Alonso, formerly of Austin, composed the song “Proclaim His Marvelous Deeds” — or “Cuenten las Maravillas del Señor” in Spanish — which will be sung by a choir during a Sept. 23 mass to canonize Junipero Serra at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Alonso
Alonso, a renowned liturgical composer, was commissioned to compose the piece based on Psalm 36 for the canonization mass, which is the first canonization in U.S. history. Alonso will also attend the mass.
“I’m delighted with the opportunity to be able to go to the mass and that much more humbled that I was able to contribute in some small way to his visit,” Alonso said.
Alonso was commissioned for the piece about five months ago. Though it can often take a few years to compose such a piece, Alonso only had a few months to complete this one.
Alonso is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in theology at Emory University in Atlanta. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in choral conducting from Northwestern University and a Master of Arts degree in theology from Loyola Marymount University. He is focusing on liturgical and ritual studies in Emory’s Graduate Division.
Alonso continues to be a prominent composer of liturgical music. He’s published several compilations, and his work has been included in several hymnals. He’s also published several books and articles on liturgical music.
After earning his Ph.D, Alonso hopes to teach at the university level while continuing to write music.
Alonso thanked the many talented musical instructors he had while growing up in Austin, especially Austin High School choral teacher Brian Johnson.
“I was initially overwhelmed by the opportunity to compose a piece for Pope Francis’s first visit to the U.S.,” he said.
Alonso modeled “Proclaim His Marvelous Deeds” after California mission music from the time of Junipero Serra, an 18th-century missionary who formed the California mission.
After getting over the initial nerves of the short turnaround time, Alonso studied California mission music for two weeks before composing the piece over May and June.
Compared to events planned in New York and Philadelphia over Pope Francis’ visit, the Washington, D.C., canonization will be relatively small — about 25,000 people. Getting the chance to attend an event has a special meaning for Alonso, whose father was born in Cuba. Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope, will visit Cuba before coming to the United States this month.
