Remembering Joseph Policelli (1948-2020)
If you would like to make a contribution in Joe’s memory toward the Will Sherwood Scholarship Fund, you can:
1) donate by bank account or credit card through PayPal: dean@worcesterago.org
2) send a check to P.O. Box 20208, Worcester, Massachusetts 01602
“I moved to Boston in 1983 because of its wonderful musical tradition from early music to quality 20th century music and was enjoying going to frequent organ concerts as well as attending Sunday masses at The Church of the Advent with its glorious professional choir under the direction of Edith Ho. Because my partner was hired to teach history at Anna Maria College, we decided to move to Worcester. I was sorry to have to leave the music in Boston but discovered that Worcester also had a great treasury of organs and organists from Mechanics’ Hall, Trinity Lutheran Church, All Saints Episcopal Church, the wonderful new Taylor and Boody organ at The College of the Holy Cross, and, to my surprise, a wonderful music program at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
I had seen what I thought to be a steady decline in church music in the Roman Catholic church since Vatican II but was so surprised to meet Joe Policelli, who, under the pastorate of Father James Mongelluzzo, had established a music program with standards as high as could be found in places like the Basilica of the National Shrine of Washington, D. C., whose schola sang for Pope Benedict during his visit there on one of his trips to The United States. Sometimes with Tom Holland, organists at Assumption College, playing the organ and Joe directing, the cathedral presented Evensong services, Lessons and Carols services, and weekly masses with music equaling that found in many Anglican churches. Joe hired some of the best singers in the Worcester area to build a glorious choir for its services. I would run into Joe sometimes weekly over at Henry’s Copy Center on Pleasant Street getting wonderful services booklets copied for his masses and other services, putting in hours of preparation both in planning and practicing. In addition, as an additional treat, Joe and Tom would frequently host singers and other organists at their home on Bergin Lane for after-concert drinks and dinners.
Joe was a hard worker, not only working at the cathedral, but also playing the organ for Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, assisting at the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School in Cambridge, and teaching music at local colleges and universities. After leaving the cathedral, Joe became director of music at St. Columbkille Parish in Brighton while continuing his many other jobs as teacher and Temple organist. Even with declining health, he maintained his job at St. Columbkille’s along with other jobs until near his death from Covid-19. Joe is and will be missed by many in the Worcester organ community and far beyond.
Despite the many truths in the popular book, Why Catholics Can’t Sing, given proper leadership such as Joe’s, Catholics CAN sing!”
— James Moore
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“Joe Policelli was a beacon of quality music performance in the community. His Mozart Festivals and Music for Great Spaces series brought delight to music lovers. His collaboration and networking efforts encouraged local churches and music groups to work together through the Worcester Music Planning Calendar. His warm smile and encouraging words will be sorely missed.”
— Will Sherwood
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“I’ve been a member of the Worcester Chapter since 1974 and became very active when the planning for the 1983 AGO Regional and OHS National Convention began. Joe Policelli and Steve Long were co-chairs. I was secretary. Joe was also Dean from 1982 to 1984 and then again in 1994 to 1996. Locally, he was Director of Music at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Worcester for almost 17 years. Joe was great to work with over the years – organized and encouraging – and he had a sense of humor. By the way, I have a tape of the Solemn Vespers at St. Paul’s during the 1983 Convention which was talked about for years. I’d be glad to give it to anyone who would like it.”
— Nancy Avila
“The first service that I ever experienced under Joe’s direction was a festival celebration at St. Paul’s Cathedral. I can’t recall the occasion, but it may have been a mass of thanksgiving for Bishop Flanagan who would retire soon after. It was sometime around 1980 I think.
My best memory of this experience was its cumulative impact on me, culminating with the recessional hymn with full organ and the choir and ministers recessing, descants soaring. To that point I had never felt such an exhilarating and transcendent worship experience. This was my introduction to the Joe Policelli touch – and his exceptional ability, musically speaking, to create a liturgical experience that moved me and elevated my spirit.
Throughout that decade, Joe’s creativity and talent as a liturgical musician gained a strong and admirable reputation as Saint Paul’s Cathedral hosted countless services of quality, spiritually uplifting liturgies both for regular Sunday mornings and especially for extracurricular celebrations, and a top notch concert series, Cathedral Music in Worcester, all of which drew people who would travel distances to attend.
Joe was able to build a choir comprised of volunteers and paid singers, and with his very good- natured personality managed it all with aplomb! The repertoire he chose– so satisfying for both musician and listener-drew a lot from the Anglican choral tradition, as well as Latin Renaissance motets and also 20th century French choral music. He knew exactly what would fit together and work to create that transcendent experience we all strive for in a liturgy. Somewhere in the mid80s, I begin assisting Joe for some minor services at the Cathedral. Joe’s trusted friend and associate Tom Holland had been his right hand for several years at the Cathedral, as Joe’s official accompanist, co-planner and associate musician. Like Joe, Tom was also a consummate liturgical musician.
When Tom sadly passed away in 1989, Joe began having me as his regular service accompanist, and my role as assistant organist grew into regular accompanist and associate organist for major services. During those previous years, Tom had taken me under his own wing in various capacities, and so the opportunity to assume his role at the Cathedral was meaningful and humbling to me. The ensuing years in which I worked for Joe represent a whole education in liturgical choral and organ music. It was my excellent fortune to benefit from this unofficial apprenticeship, and many aspects of my work as a church musician to this day are informed by this experience. Joe taught me so much- the importance of good hymn playing, and how to use it to make the text come alive- he was exceptional at this; about the effects of good registration of Howells Psalm Preludes and choral accompaniments; and the exciting effect of extemporaneous improvisation.
Although Joe was an excellent organ recitalist, with a gamut of repertoire and concerts under his belt, he told me that he viewed being a liturgical musician as his principal function and strength. This was where he felt his place to be.
Besides his musical and liturgical skills, if there is anything I can say about Joe and his character, it is that he kept going, and never stopped. He was faithful, conscientious, dedicated, solidly dependable, and never got tired or discouraged. He had stable stick-to-itiveness. Joe was not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get the work done. This applied to everything he did, including his work for the AGO, and his college teaching, which began later in his career. His dedication was greatly appreciated by his students at WPI.
Even when his health started to fail him, he never thought about retiring! I remember many years ago, when we would talk about our schedules being insanely busy, he used to say to me, A body in motion tends to be in motion, while a body at rest tends to be at rest. This was his way of explaining why he always wanted to keep going…
It goes without saying that our musical community has certainly been enriched by Joe’s multi-faceted contributions. It is so sad that he had come through so much with various health crises, only to become a victim of this pandemic.
But his legacy lives on! May Joe’s soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.”
— Lucia Clemente Falco