Since winning the National Association of Pastoral Musicians New Mass Setting Competition in July of 2010, over 2500 parishes have adopted Mass of Renewal by William Gokelman and David Kauffman for use in parish and diocesan settings.
For the competition, over 160 mass settings were submitted. A five-judge panel selected the best four settings for final consideration. From the four finalists, over 2,000 choral music directors, cantors, and choir members voted the Gokelman-Kauffman setting the superior Mass!
“Our hope was to write a musical setting to enhance the prayer experience of the living liturgy,” said Bill Gokelman, co-writer of Mass of Renewal and Chairman of the Music department at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX.
Gokelman and Kauffman’s composition may be sung with various combinations of instruments, including guitar, piano, organ, brass, and even full orchestra. This setting is quite adaptable and can be used by the congregation alone, with the participation of an SATB choir or in contemporary settings.