Cecilia Clare Bocard
Encyclopedia
Sister Cecilia Clare Bocard (1899–1994) was an American musician and composer of works for organ, piano, and chorus.
Born Frances Ada Bocard in New Albany, Indiana
, she began studying piano in first grade and organ in third grade. Bocard began as her parish's organist at the early age of nine. She entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
in 1916 at the age of 17, taking the religious name Sister Cecilia Clare. In addition to her composing work, Bocard taught piano, organ, composition and theory at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Conservatory of Music for 47 years. Beginning in 1970, she served as organist at the Church of the Immaculate Conception
until her death in 1994. She is buried in the Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery
.
beginning in 1923 and went on to earn her master's degree in composition there in 1925. She also studied liturgical music at the St. Pius X School of Liturgical Music of Manhattanville College
of the Sacred Heart in New York in 1935, composition and piano at Northwestern University
1936-37, and Gregorian chant
at Solesmes Abbey in France
in 1961. In 1961 she also attended the Fourth International Congress on Catholic Church Music at Cologne, Germany. Throughout her years as a composer and organist, Bocard ended up studying under musicians including Wilhelm Middelschulte
, Edgar Brazelton, Arne Oldberg
, Moissaye Boguslawski
, Arnold Schultz and Nadia Boulanger
.
Bocard was awarded professor emerita status at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in 1971, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from them in 1983. In 1987, the 105th session of the Indiana House of Representatives
honored Bocard for "her contributions to the fields of Education and Music" through House Resolution #49. That same year she was honored by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for her contributions to total Catholic education.
Born Frances Ada Bocard in New Albany, Indiana
New Albany, Indiana
New Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
, she began studying piano in first grade and organ in third grade. Bocard began as her parish's organist at the early age of nine. She entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation of Catholic women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840...
in 1916 at the age of 17, taking the religious name Sister Cecilia Clare. In addition to her composing work, Bocard taught piano, organ, composition and theory at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is a Roman Catholic, four-year liberal arts women's college located northwest of Terre Haute, Indiana, between the Wabash River and the Illinois state line. There is also a small village of the same name located nearby...
Conservatory of Music for 47 years. Beginning in 1970, she served as organist at the Church of the Immaculate Conception
Church of the Immaculate Conception (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana)
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, is on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods...
until her death in 1994. She is buried in the Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery
Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery
Convent cemetery at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana is the cemetery for the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, a congregation of Roman Catholic religious women founded in 1840 by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin....
.
Education
Bocard earned a Bachelors degree in composition and orchestration at Bush Conservatory of MusicBush Conservatory of Music
The Bush Conservatory of Music was a conservatory of music established by William L. Bush in 1901. It flourished for the first part of the 1900's and was the first music conservatory to offer dormitories for out-of-state students who wished to study with its illustrious faculty...
beginning in 1923 and went on to earn her master's degree in composition there in 1925. She also studied liturgical music at the St. Pius X School of Liturgical Music of Manhattanville College
Manhattanville College
Manhattanville College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, located in Purchase, New York. Founded in 1841 it was known initially as Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart...
of the Sacred Heart in New York in 1935, composition and piano at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
1936-37, and Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
at Solesmes Abbey in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1961. In 1961 she also attended the Fourth International Congress on Catholic Church Music at Cologne, Germany. Throughout her years as a composer and organist, Bocard ended up studying under musicians including Wilhelm Middelschulte
Wilhelm Middelschulte
Wilhelm Middelschulte was a German organist and composer who resided in America for most of his career.-Life:...
, Edgar Brazelton, Arne Oldberg
Arne Oldberg
Arne Oldberg was an American pianist and composer. He studied with Teodor Leszetycki in Vienna and with Joseph Rheinberger in Munich, and later taught at Northwestern University. Among his students were composers Howard Hanson and Cecilia Clare Bocard.-References:*Griffiths, Paul...
, Moissaye Boguslawski
Moissaye Boguslawski
Moissaye Boguslawski was an American pianist, composer, editor and teacher. Sometimes known as Bogie, he was born in Chicago to Russian immigrants with significant musical background. Despite the family's poverty, Boguslawski began piano lessons at age 4 and began playing in public at weddings at...
, Arnold Schultz and Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger was a French composer, conductor and teacher who taught many composers and performers of the 20th century.From a musical family, she achieved early honours as a student at the Paris Conservatoire, but believing that her talent as a composer was inferior to that of her younger...
.
Works and honors
Some of her well-known religious compositions include "A Cycle of Psalms," written in 1956 and performed by the Sisters of Providence Choir in 1965 at the Chicago Civic Opera House; the organ work "Te Deum Laudamus"; the hymn "Our Lady of Providence"; and the five-volume work Propers for the Mass for Sundays and Feast Days. Her Mass in Honor of Divine Providence won first place in the 1955 Nemmers Memorial National Contest. Not all of her works were religious; other tunes include "Kaifeng," "Goblins," and "Wings of a hummingbird flashing by." She also received several awards in contests of the Indiana Composers' Guild, including first prize in 1942 and second prize in 1944.Bocard was awarded professor emerita status at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in 1971, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from them in 1983. In 1987, the 105th session of the Indiana House of Representatives
Indiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
honored Bocard for "her contributions to the fields of Education and Music" through House Resolution #49. That same year she was honored by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for her contributions to total Catholic education.