The Altar of the Former Abbey Church Decorated ... - St. John's Abbey

So many notes!
the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Here he played professionally
with the Milwaukee Symphony and at
a summer musical repertory theatre.
Staying in touch with several Saint
John’s classmates, several of whom
had become monks of the abbey, Bob
seriously considered returning to
Collegeville to explore the vocation
of a monk and priest. He enjoyed the
exuberance of the monks at their work
as well as the beauty of the place.
“This is when ‘The Call’ came to
me,” Bob reminisces. “I wanted to try
the Benedictines first. If that didn’t
work out I could do something
else.” He was able to cancel
the contract he had made to
teach at Saint Norbert’s College,
DePere, Wisconsin, and
entered the novitiate in the
fall of 1970, making his first
profession of vows the following
year.
After beginning priesthood
studies and teaching parttime
for a year, Robert began
doctoral studies in music at the
University of Iowa, Iowa City,
and graduated with the Doctor
of Musical Arts in 1976. Returning
to Saint John’s he taught full time,
chaired the music department and
took summer theology classes. He
completed his seminary courses and
was ordained in 1981.
Robert currently gives piano lessons,
teaches first year symposium
and honors courses in music, and is
the abbey’s music director and organist.
He has been a faculty resident in
student housing since his ordination
and delights students and monks at
sing-alongs and pop concerts. He
gives concerts from Daytona Beach
to Duluth and from Nassau, Bahamas,
to Salzburg, Austria, Port Elizabeth,
South Africa and at Benedictine monasteries
in Tanzania. He has recorded
three CDs: Robert Koopmann Piano
Recital (1994), The Second Piano
Recital (1996) and Sacred Improvisations
(2004).
When asked if there is a tension
between his musical and monastic life,
Robert reflects, “At times, yes, but
never a doubt. I appreciate the community
support I receive. Learning
new music is like lectio divina, sacred
reading. As I play the music slowly,
my heart-strings begin to respond.
FEATURE
Robert’s CD of sixteen piano improvisations
on hymns, spiritualities and
chants (e.g., “Deep River,” “Precious
Lord,” “Adoro te devote”) may be
purchased at the Abbey Web Store:
www.saintjohnsabbey.org/store under
the heading “Fine Arts and Music.” $15
plus $2.50 shipping plus Minnesota
state tax of 6.5%.
There is a transcendent aspect to the
experience as the music becomes a
part of me and I become part of the
music.”
A plaque in his office epitomizes
Robert’s love of music and its performance:
Bach gave us God’s word.
Mozart gave us God’s laughter.
Beethoven gave us God’s fire.
God gave us music
that we might pray without words.
Daniel Durken, OSB, is an editor and
writer for Liturgical Press.
Robert entertains students with “My Old
Red Hen” at a Concert on the Tundra in
September 2004.
The Abbey Banner Winter 2004 page 17