NACCM CMC study plan

Map the three-year liturgical cycle and list the proper chants and psalm assignments for the seasons you will actually serve

Define the ministerial boundaries of the music director against the presider, deacon, sacristan, and liturgy committee in writing

Identify the documents and norms that govern music selection in your diocese and note where your parish practice diverges

Build a one-page checklist you will use before every liturgy to confirm readings, psalm, acclamations, and ritual moments

Trace how chant, polyphony, and hymnody developed and name one representative example of each you could program

Explain the difference between proper and ordinary texts and demonstrate where each appears in a single Mass you plan

Draft spoken introductions for three sung items that teach the assembly without lecturing

Compare two published settings of the same Mass part and justify which you would choose for your community

Analyze the harmonic and formal structure of two pieces in your active repertoire and mark the cadences

Diagnose and correct your own intonation and breath support on three phrases you routinely undersing

Transpose two pieces by sight to keys suited to your assembly and cantor range

Notate a simple descant or harmonization for one hymn without breaking voice-leading rules

Conduct a full rehearsal cycle from warm-up through run-through with a written rehearsal plan and timed segments

Demonstrate clear preparatory, cut-off, and dynamic gestures on camera and critique the recording against a rubric

Audition and place voices into sections using a short, repeatable range and blend assessment

Write rehearsal notes that tell each section what to fix and how, not merely what went wrong

Recruit, onboard, and schedule a volunteer ensemble with written expectations for attendance and preparation

Design a cantor formation session covering psalm proclamation, pitch security, and pastoral presence

Resolve a simulated interpersonal conflict between a volunteer and a section leader using a documented conversation script

Delegate two recurring administrative tasks and define the handoff with a checklist

Draft a one-year budget covering scores, licenses, instrument maintenance, and formation, with justifications

Identify the copyright and licensing obligations for reprinting, streaming, and recording your liturgies

Assemble a professional portfolio including repertoire list, formation record, and sample planning documents

Practice answering three interview-style questions about pastoral judgment in music ministry

Audit your own competencies against the five exam domains and rank your three weakest areas with evidence

Complete two timed practice sets under exam conditions and log every missed item by domain

Build a spaced-repetition deck from your missed items and schedule reviews through exam day

Locate two continuing-education opportunities and one professional association resource relevant to your gaps

Re-teach your three weakest subareas aloud or in writing until you can explain them without notes

Re-run one full timed practice exam and compare the score against week 7

Simulate a pastoral scenario under time pressure and write your response in exam format

Finalize exam-day logistics including identification, timing, and a review sheet limited to one page