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I wrote this congregational mass setting 6 years ago for a local ragtime festival I founded and directed from 2016-17. A "congregational" mass has only one melody line, and it's meant to be sung by everyone during a service. Based on the works of Scott Joplin, the Mass in Ragtime was written to be performed during the Sunday service that was scheduled as part of the weekend ragtime festival (the church was one of the venues). This recording is from that morning service from February, 2017, the only time this music has ever been performed. In the hustle and bustle of the festival and its aftermath (I can't believe I had time to compose this while organizing the event), I managed to lose the original piano score, with only this recording remaining (which was luckily captured by my good friend Rob). I finally got around to notating it again, and instead of recreating the piano part, I've included a chord chart and melody line. Eventually I'll write out the piano too, but for now this should suffice.
This was easily a highlight of the festival, and this service is remembered fondly by many in the ragtime community who attended. However, the story doesn't exactly have a "happy" ending. Granted, directing my own festival for 2 years was an incredible experience...a labor of love no doubt. I learned so much and it absolutely remains one of my proudest accomplishments. I had hoped to ignite a spark of interest in ragtime and other traditional jazz styles in my own community, but sadly my efforts were largely ignored by the "folks who count," with indifference bordering on hostility from certain local authorities. Even more perplexing, since I was doing it own my own dime, I was unable to hire all of the "established" ragtime pianists for both years I ran the festival. Instead, I focused on the younger and rising artists, because the future of ragtime rests on them. Apparently I stepped on some toes in the "ragtime" scene on the West Coast, and I haven't been invited to the last major ragtime festival (in Sacramento) since 2017, the last year I ran my own festival. Similarly, interest completely fizzled in my own hometown, and this was pre-lockdown. After the 2017 festival failed to ignite the spark I had hoped, and after the local arts council denied my grant at the last minute, leaving me high and dry, I instead opted to run monthly "hot jazz" swing dance nights with a full band that played pop songs I'd arranged a la PMJ. It was so much fun...but despite offering this amazing free event for 3 years, it completely failed, and in many ways the lockdown was a relief because it was an excuse to kill the already dead event. 6 years later, we live in a different world. I would never attempt to organize a similar festival, nor would a hot jazz night attract a semblance of a crowd. The arts/culture is very dead here on the West Coast...time to move no doubt. I thought I could help save it! At least I tried. The church where this was performed has an unhappy ending, too. Despite working off and on as an accompanist there for 20 years, and as full time organist (on salary) for 10 years, the church didn't think twice about kicking me out last year due to my vaccination status. In addition, they banned my daughter from the premises for the same reason, despite her growing up in that community. I'll never forget that, ever. I gave much to that church. I wrote this mass, as well as another one, for them too. Not only was this ragtime mass never performed again, they've tried to erase me from the memory of that place. In 2023 they still have a vaccination requirement for all to enter the sanctuary, including children. This 2017 service coincidentally was the last Sunday before a new management/rector took over, and in retrospect the timing seems noteworthy. This service was the end of an era in many ways...the end of my honest attempts to share my love of music in a tangible and positive way for my community and beyond. No matter, I've put my efforts elsewhere since. But something was lost here, perhaps never to return. And maybe that's a good thing, because it opens up the next chapter...
Much love to you all, and Happy New Year.
-Kylan