Role at PIMS
Visiting Lecturer
Fr. Vincent Ferrer Bagan, O.P., has served as the Director of Music for the Cathedral of St. Thomas More and the Diocese of Arlington (Virginia, USA) since August 2022, where he conducts the Cathedral and Diocesan Choirs and serves as organist and cantor. He is a Dominican priest of the Province of St. Joseph (eastern USA).
From 2020 to 2022, he was Director of Liturgical Music at the Pontifical North American College, the U.S. seminary in Rome. He served as choir director and principal organist, provided individual and group instruction for the seminarians on singing the liturgy, and gave conferences on liturgical music. Prior to that, he was Visiting Instructor of Music and Theology for three years at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island, where he directed choirs in the music department and campus ministry and taught courses in Gregorian chant, music theory, theology, and Western civilization.
A native of Waseca, Minnesota, he received the Bachelor of Music degree in vocal music education from St. Olaf College, singing in the St. Olaf Choir under Anton Armstrong. At St. Olaf, he also studied conducting with Robert Scholz, Steven Amundson, and Timothy Mahr; organ with John Ferguson and James Litton; and voice with Harriet McCleary.
He received the Master of Music in Sacred Music – Choral Music at The Catholic University of America, where he conducted the Women’s Chorus and studied with Leo Nestor and Timothy McDonnell.
In addition to musical studies, he received the Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida, where he also served as assistant conductor of the choirs and instructor in musicianship. He was also music director at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church in Lehigh Acres, Florida and taught music at the Ave Maria Grammar and Preparatory School (now Donahue Academy). After entering the Dominican Order, he received the Master of Divinity and Licentiate of Sacred Theology degrees from the Dominican House of Studies, where he also directed the Schola Cantorum of the Dominican House of Studies, which produced the albums Gaudeamus and Christ Was Born to Save under his direction.
He resides at St. Dominic Priory in southwest Washington, D.C., and is involved in the priestly and religious ministries of his community.
Research Interests
- sacred music history, practice, and composition
- choral conducting
- music and the affections
- theological anthropology and the virtue of religion
- music in priestly and religious formation
Compositions and Arrangements (Selected)
Compositions:
- Blessed the People/Dichoso el pueblo – congregational antiphon and SATB English/Spanish bilingual verses of Psalm 33 for the Rite of Election
- I Will Meditate (offertory for Lent 2 and St. Thomas Aquinas) – SSAATTBB
- In te speravi (offertory for OT 19 and Nuptial Masses) – SATB
- O Sacred Banquet (Magnificat antiphon for Corpus Christi) – SATB, SSAA, TTBB
- Protect Thy People, O Lord (offertory for Exaltation of the Cross) – TTBB
- The Right Hand of the Lord (offertory for OT 3 and Easter Vigil) – SATB or TTBB
- Sing Praise to the Lord with Thanksgiving – Hymn for the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Arlington in 2024 – SATB, congregation, organ (with verses in English, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese)
- Thine Are the Heavens (offertory for Christmas Day Mass) – TTBB
Arrangements:
- Blessed Be That Maid Mary – TTBB
- Confundantur superbi – SATB setting of the communion chant for St. Cecilia
- Ecce Virgo concipiet – SATB setting of the communion chant for Annuncation, Advent IV
- Good Christian Men, Rejoice – TTBB
- Tollite hostias from Christmas Oratorio, Camille Saint-Saëns – TTBB
Presentations, Conferences, Publications ( Selected)
- Retreat Conferences on Sacred Music for the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan (December 2025)
- Liturgical Music Workshops/Conferences for Contemplative Nuns
- St. Dominic’s Monastery, Linden, Virginia (2025–present)
- Passionist Nuns of St. Joseph Monastery, Whitesville, Kentucky (2021, 2022)
- Dominican Monastery of St. Jude, Marbury, Alabama (2019)
- Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of Grace, Guilford, Connecticut (2018–20)
- Conductor for the Extraordinary Music Workshop of the Dominican Liturgical Institute in Poland (July 2025)
- Presentations on Presidential Chanting for Priesthood and Deacon Practicum Classes at the Dominican House of Studies, Washington, D.C. (2024, 2025)
- Lecture for catechists at the Diocese of Arlington Catechetical Conference: “Easy Ways to Incorporate Music into Catechesis” (November 2024)
- Lecture and Vocal Quartet Performance for the St. Paul Leadership Forum of the Diocese of Arlington: “Sacred Music in the Liturgy” (April 2024)
- Co-Instructor for week-long Sacred Music Mini-Course for the Dominican student brothers of the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, Oakland, California (January 2024)
- Lecture for Liturgy Day of the Arlington Chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians: “Why We Do What We Do” (November 2022)
- Articles for Catholic News Service (especially for publication in diocesan newspapers):
- “What will we sing in heaven?” (April 2021)
- “Handel’s Messiah: Is it just the Hallelujah chorus?” (December 2019)
- “It’s the most wonderful time of the year … to sing!” (December 2018)
- “Good music for any Catholic church” (September 2018)
- Instructor for a four-day Gregorian Chant Workshop, Wethersfield Institute, Amenia, New York (2016–2018)
- Interview for The Beauty of Faith, a one-hour television program for the Eternal Word Television Network (2016)
- Lecture for adult faith formation at the Cathedral of St. Matthew, Washington, D.C.: “Do Catholics Really Sing?” (October 2016)
- Lecture for a parish choir retreat at St. Agnes Church, Arlington, Virginia: “Singing in the Church Choir: Its Relation to Eternal Life” (September 2015)
- Liturgical Music Workshop for Parish Music Directors in the Diocese of Venice in Florida at St. Raphael Catholic Church, Lehigh Acres, Florida (February 2009)
Concerts and Masterclasses ( Selected)
- An Afternoon of Organ, Voice, and Marimba (February 2025, organist)
- Faith, Hope, and Love – a concert of religious and inspirational musical theatre favorites (May 2023, pianist, in school gym during cathedral renovation)
- God Dwells with Us – with professional singers from throughout the Diocese of Arlington (November 2024, conductor)
- Hallelujah!: the Easter portions of Handel’s Messiah – Cathedral Choir and chamber orchestra (May 2025, conductor)
- In Celebration of Music: sacred music for solo voices and small ensemble (February 2026, conductor and organist)
- Musical Meditations for Lent – hymns and organ music (2023–2025, organist)
- Sacred Music for Advent and Christmas – Cathedral and Youth Choirs (2022–2025, conductor)