Cherished carols
David Gilmore welcomes the audience to a concert produced by the St. John Paul II Music Ministry in Denton on Sunday, November 23, 2025. (NTC/ Kevin Bartram)
This reflection is one of eight written by musicians from across our diocese as part of Songs of the Seasons, a series celebrating the beauty and meaning of Christmas music. Follow along the series [here]!
Sixth Day in the Christmas Octave: A perspective on Christmas music from David Gilmore, director of music, St. John Paul II University Parish, Denton
I have a bachelor’s in music education, a master’s in conducting and vocal performance from Northeast Louisiana University, and doctoral studies in choral music from Arizona State. I taught middle school, high school, and college for 20 years. But I have directed church choirs since I was 17 in Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Catholic churches.
I have been exclusively in Catholic churches, converting in 1993.
I went into the business world 30 years ago but have continued in church music, serving on the staff of St. Mark Parish in Argyle, St. Rita Parish in Dallas, and volunteering as a cantor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Denton and as a cantor and handbell director at St. Philip Parish in Flower Mound.
I have been music director at St. John Paul II since 2019 where I plan and execute the Saturday vigil and Sunday morning Masses, direct the choir, and supervise the organist, Saturday cantor, and eight scholarship students. While I was an accomplished trumpeter, I am rebuilding that very slowly after surgery that impacted my mouth muscles.
Music outlasts the season
We have such an extensive catalogue of Christmas music.
I would go back to Palestrina and Victoria as the pinnacle of polyphony that set the standard. They wrote such magnificent settings of Christmas music that all the composers that followed tried to emulate them. Victoria’s “O Magnum Mysterium” is just perfection.
Cherished carol
I would have to say that my favorite carol is “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.” It is built on chant and the text encompasses the entirety of the Christmas story all the way to the angel chorus.
Odd choice, I know, but we sing a lot of chant-based music at JPII. This particular hymn starts out really paraphrasing John 1 in a way. And the second line is strengthening the Nicene Creed. All in all, it’s just the perfect text.
All the tunes
As you can probably tell, I am very rooted in ancient music and just tend to think in terms of older hymns.
Having said that, I was part of a professional caroling group a few years ago and have gotten one of my scholarship students involved. I learned all of the music, even the mall music. So I do like lots of it.
Editor's Note: This excerpt has been edited for brevity and clarity by the editor.
By David Gilmore, director of music, St. John Paul II University Parish, Denton