Rate My Professor Kurt Poterack

Dr. Kurt Poterack is an Assistant Professor of Liturgical Music in the Department of Music at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) from Aquinas College, a Master of Music (M.M.) and a Ph.D. in Music Composition from Michigan State University. As Director of the Christendom College Choir and Schola Gregoriana, as well as Coordinator of the Beato Fra Angelico Fine Arts Program, Dr. Poterack oversees key musical ensembles and fine arts activities at the institution. His teaching portfolio encompasses a range of courses, including The Theology of Worship and Its Music, Music History, History of Music in Western Civilization, Music Theory and Composition, Choir, and Palestrina Choir. These classes reflect his commitment to integrating theological, historical, and practical dimensions of music education within a Catholic liberal arts context.

Dr. Poterack's research specializations center on the reform of liturgical music books in the history of the Church and the role of music—particularly its structure—in the broader history of human society. He currently serves as editor of Sacred Music, a quarterly journal dedicated to Catholic liturgical music published by the Church Music Association of America, and is a member of both that association and the American Choral Directors Association. Previously, he acted as editor-in-chief of the Adoremus Hymnal. Dr. Poterack has authored articles for Crisis Magazine, including 'A People Without Melody' and 'Why Cancel Hamilton? Because It's Not Very Good,' addressing cultural and musical critiques. His compositional works have been presented at symposia, such as organ music featured in a 2012 event, and he has delivered public lectures on topics like the importance of sacred music in the liturgy, artistic patronage exemplified by Johann Sebastian Bach, and the uniqueness of music in Western civilization. Through his extensive career in music direction, editing, composition, and education at Christendom College—spanning over two decades—Dr. Poterack has made significant contributions to the field of liturgical and sacred music, fostering its practice and study among students and the wider community.