Artist Profile: David Haas
David Haas is from Eagan, Minnesota where he is the Director of
The Emmaus Center for Music, Prayer and Ministry and Campus Minister/Artist in
Residence at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School in St. Louis Park, Minnesota,
where he teaches in the theology and music departments. Highly regarded as one
of the preeminent liturgical music composers in the English-speaking world, he
has produced over 40 original collections and recordings of liturgical music.
David’s music is sung and prayed throughout the world and appears in many
hymnals of various denominations and languages.
David’s most recent music and liturgical projects with GIA include a new
communal version of the stations of the cross based in scripture, The Biblical
Way of the Cross; a book on liturgical preparation entitled To Worship in Spirit
and Truth: A Liturgical Preparation Process for Pastoral Musicians and
Liturgical Leaders; A Time to Pray With the New Testament and Old Testament (a
two volume set of biblical prayer services for teens); and his most recent
recorded and printed collection of liturgical music, God Is Here. Other recent
liturgical music projects include Table Songs II: Music for Communion (with Tony
Alonso, Kate Cuddy, Rob Glover and Lori True); Reach Toward Heaven; and Do This
In Memory of Me (a new setting of Holy Communion for Lutheran communities). His
live recording and video Glory Day, continues to receive international acclaim
and he was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1991 for the recording of I Shall See
God.
A native of Bridgeport, Michigan and the Diocese of Saginaw, David is a 1975
graduate of Bridgeport High School and studied vocal music performance, piano,
and conducting at Central Michigan University and completed his studies in music
performance, liturgy and theology at The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
Presently an active member of St. Cecilia Church in St. Paul, he formerly served
as Director of Music, Liturgy and Youth Ministry at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Church in Ankeny, Iowa; as Director of Music and Liturgy at The Church of St.
Thomas Aquinas in St. Paul Park, Minnesota; and as composer-in-residence at St.
Thomas the Apostle Church in Minneapolis. From 1985 to 1988 he was adjunct
instructor and composer-in-residence at the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity
in St. Paul, during which time he was very active internationally in writing,
composing and presenting workshops and seminars on the implementation of The
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
For over 25 years, David has been active as a workshop and keynote speaker,
author, retreat leader, liturgical musician, concert performer and recording
artist, and has performed and presented at various conventions, workshops and
conferences throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, The British Isles,
Ireland, Australia, The Bahamas, Israel and Greece. He has been a regular
speaker at various national and international conferences for The National
Association of Pastoral Musicians, The National Catholic Education Association,
The Irish Church Music Association, The National Federation for Catholic Youth
Ministry, The National Conference for Catechetical Leadership, The North
American Forum on the Catechumenate, The National Center for Pastoral
Leadership/East Coast Conference for Religious Education, The Los Angeles
Religious Education Congress and the annual Big Island Liturgy and Arts
Conference in Hilo, Hawaii.
In addition to his work at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School, David has been an
international advocate for the role of young people in the life of the church,
and is the founder and executive director of “Music Ministry Alive!”, a national
liturgical music formation program for high school and college age youth. He
serves on the national advisory council for the National Association of Pastoral
Musicians, and has also been a guest instructor and presenter at several
colleges and universities, including The College of St. Catherine, The St. Paul
Seminary School of Divinity, The University of St. Thomas, St. John’s
University, Boston College, Georgetown University, Loyola College in Maryland,
Clarke College and Loras College in Dubuque, St. Ambrose University in
Davenport, Iowa, The University of Dayton, Xavier University, The University of
Scranton, The College of St. Benedict, St. Louis University, Fontbonne College,
Concordia College, Mt. St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles, St. Patrick’s College
in Meynooth, Ireland, and The North American College in Rome.
As an author, David has written over 15 books in the areas of liturgy,
liturgical music, youth ministry, catechesis, prayer and spirituality, and is a
Senior Advisor for Harcourt Religion Publishers. He continues to write a monthly
column, “Sung Prayer” for Ministry and Liturgy magazine, and has been a
consultant for various hymnal and music projects for GIA Publications. Most
recently, David has been a national leader, teacher, author, and consultant for
many parishes, diocesan groups and professional ministry organizations in the
development and implementation of Whole Community Catechesis, and his series of
prayer resources for whole community catechesis, entitled Increase Our Faith, is
published by Twenty-Third Publications. His articles have appeared in Pastoral
Music, Ministry and Liturgy, Catechumenate, Connect, and The GIA Quarterly.
David served as the host and collaborated with Sr. Helen Prejean on a video
education program on the death penalty, Death No More (Harcourt Religion
Publishers), and is featured on a video program on the Psalms, Teach Us To Pray:
Praying the Psalms (Saint Anthony Messenger Press).
His book, The Ministry and Mission of Sung Prayer (Saint Anthony Messenger
Press) received the outstanding professional book award from the Catholic Press
Association in 2003, and along with Michael Joncas and Marty Haugen, he was the
recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1995 from the University of St.
Thomas in St. Paul. In 2004 David was named “Pastoral Musician of the Year” from
The National Association of Pastoral Musicians, and received the 2004 Crosier
Award for Outstanding Service in Ministry.
David is available for conferences, parish and diocesan events, and speaks on a
wide variety of topics in liturgy, liturgical music, religious education,
sacramental practice, whole community catechesis, the RCIA, youth ministry,
prayer and spirituality.