Reinstate Dr. Jerzy Cichocki as Principal Conductor of St. Michael's Choir School

When and who introduced those new names, Choral Institute, Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music. Based on the info available at Canada Revenue Agency, SMCS has one employee who is paid between $125,000 to $150,000, and I do not believe it is Doc. Does any one here knows who are the individuals who are on the Board of Directors? Logic and reason would indicate that the SMCS students should not have to bear the burden of the severance package and the related professional fees. There has been a rumour last year that in the few years, some individual intends to make SMCS a private school.

So now the Choir School is called The Pontifical School of Sacred Music?

It appears that His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins has decided on this matter, whether or not he has received the package of documents from the Petitioner. Unfortunately, this may result in various donors and supporters discontinuing their generosity and financial donation. I recall last year's letter indicating something similar to [in accordance with our strategic plan, the annual tuition fees will increase by $360 ]. May I suggest that we try to be united. For those who wish to stay in touch, perhaps, we can form a group. I can ask my Raffles Institution schoolmate whether or not he could modify his software for the RI Class of 1975 to allow us to use it as a forum in the future. My email address is [email protected]

Chee-Kong and parents! Don't cave in. All students, don't cave in. This what they are expecting you to do. Keep on fighting. This is their corporate PR machine working. Don't show up for mass next Sunday. Fight the bastards! Make life living hell for the director. DON'T GIVE UP!!! You may have lost this battle, but you will win the war against the director. Sounds like he's a bully, and I've seen him referred to that way on here. Stand up to a bully and they'll crumble. They are insecure people. Here's a professional tip. "When someone is bullying you, it is unlikely that there is anything you can say or do to make the bully feel like being nice to you. The best strategy is to change how you respond to the bullying behaviour. Bullying behaviour cannot continue to have its desired effect if the intended victim successfully stands up to the bully. Once you have identified a bully and know what to expect from him or her, you must choose not to be a victim, if you want the bullying to stop. Expose the bullying for what it is. Take a stand, and don’t back down"

Every alumnus should unsubscribe from the Choir School contact list. Just go to the bottom of the dismissive letter sent by the so-called Catholic Cardinal, and click on the unsubscribe button. Then go to the last message from the SMCSAA and do the same, unsubscribe! Hit Handrigan where it's going to hurt him, in the pocket book.

Based on the letter from Cardinal Collins released today, the possibility of Jerzy's return to Bond Street will not even be considered. While I have been removed from the SMCS and SMCSAA contact lists for years, I would urge all alumni who have signed this petition in Jerzy's name to do the same and remove themselves from these lists. I apologise deeply to the rightly-angered parents and students still in the school; you have been so deeply and utterly wronged in this process. I am no longer able to offer even a modicum of support to and for SMCS.

I assume that by now everyone has seen the letter from Cardinal Collins. The working premise here seems to have been that success would be possible through an appeal to the Cardinal. His letter makes clear that will not be the case. The ball is in Doc's court but honestly, and I've been through something similar, his focus right now should be on securing the best possible package.

OK, so the Music Office just sent out an email with a letter from the Cardinal addressing this issue with Doc. I'm subscribed to the alumni newsletter, so I also get these notifications. Anyway, read it. It's a load of bureaucratic BS. PR-esque response. The "higher-ups" are struggling to find a reason for Doc's dismissal, so they say it's a personnel thing, that they have to keep it private. OK, let's face it. There's no way those a-holes want Doc anymore, but shouldn't there at least be a farewell party/retirement send-off for the man? He's served this school for so long, he does not deserve this kind of treatment. Shouldn't there at least be some token of appreciation for him? Not just some letter written by some guy in a suit? If you're gonna part ways with Doc, shouldn't the community be given the reasons for his dismissal? If it is a retirement thing, well, Mr. Berringer had a retirement party. Why can't Doc have one too? Well, Stephen Handrigan won this battle but lost the war. He just got rid of the one person who best embodies Msgr. Ronan's visions. Wait, isn't there a strategic plan or something? Something about perserving Msgr. Ronan's legacy? Hmm... I don't encourage people to follow me, but I will no longer support this school. I hate to say it; I started right from the beginning, from Gr. 3 through 12. To see it all go to waste is very, very unfortunate. Count me out of Tenebrae, concerts, masses, donations, Massey Hall. It's all a big show now; Msgr. Ronan's dream is dead. There are tons of capable conductors out there, but none who can do what Doc has done.

A few parents have emailed Mr Handrigan and he confirmed the choirs won't be singing and that there will be a communication today.

" We need to stop the nonsense, stay on topic and get answers to a few basic questions. " - gets my upvote right there. Indeed, we are overdue those basic answers, but look forward to something more today. So patience people. As someone posted earlier .... ~ b r e a t h e ~ Oh, and going down to disrupt Mass as if it's a World Cup Final is childish = bad group-think. Stop. Just stop.

I've been watching and waiting for more information on the issue before signing my name to this petition but, while my visceral reaction is to support my alumni brother, I am bothered by the direction some of the comments on this board have taken. @Chee-Kong Leong, I'm not certain what point you are trying to make by providing information that may lead to the identification of home addresses for one or more of the parties involved in this matter. While IANAL (Internet speak for "I am not a lawyer"), I would suggest that you ease up a little before you find yourself on the receiving end of a criminal harassment complaint. An anonymous poster intimates that we should disrupt a mass. Really? Miss Mann would have had the strap out so fast it would make your head spin. Another anonymous poster (why are anonymous posters allowed here? If you have something to say be a man and put your name on it) asks if we are so myopic that we don't realise there are other people capable of conducting church choirs? Of course, there are. Do they have a CV to match Dr. Cichocki's? Maybe, but I doubt it. Would they be willing to work seven days a week as Dr. Cichocki did for many years? Maybe, but I doubt it. Would they have 50 years of experience living, learning, and teaching in a Choir School (not just St. Mike's, but any choir school) environment? Maybe, but I doubt it. We need to stop the nonsense, stay on topic and get answers to a few basic questions. Was Dr. Cichocki terminated for cause? If so, further discussion is pointless. Do I think that's the case? Not likely. Did the administration have the right to terminate Dr. Cichocki? Absolutely. For any reason. Or, no reason at all. Sadly, that's the truth. As long as the school/Archdiocese provides a reasonable settlement in lieu of notice they can do as they please. Really then, only one question remains or even matters. Is this move in the best interest of the school/students/Archdiocese?

It was made clear that Doc does want to come back to the school, this was not his choice. As for preparation is RCM vocal, it's widely known that it does not provide a highschool credit, and thus is not taught as part of the music curriculum. Students can and do take private vocal lessons which could be used as prep for an RCM vocal. The lack of solos (if that is what you're going to chalk up the school to) is only due to the lack of freedom Doc has had in choosing the music. For the last couple of years, he's been given shorter and shorter time slots at Massey Hall. Notice the lack of O Canada? Due to the time shortage. No Director's intro? Again, time shortage. Pieces that have nice solos cannot be performed at Massey Hall when so much of the music is pre-defined by other members of the music staff.

You know, at Bath Abbey (which is bigger and has much thicker walls than St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica), they once had to stop a service because there was so much noise going on outside. Also of interest, though totally unrelated, vuvuzelas make an obnoxious amount of really annoying noise and can be bought at Wal-Mart for under $10.00. I am definitely not suggesting or condoning anything, because of course I love listening to the Cathedral priests' homilies, which are typically underway by about 12.20 at your average Sunday noon mass. Just thought it was interesting to note. I hope that this cause is somehow able to earn the attention of the Cardinal and that things are resolved in favour of an excellent conductor who had no part in writing this message.

Church doesn't want the attention? Keep bringing it to them. Tweet @ StMikesCathTO. Call out the Cardinal. No choir this weekend? Walk-out next weekend. This is shameful from top to bottom.

I think this is getting creepy and out of scope

So are we protesting? I'm confused

On Jan 4, 2017, I phoned the TCDSB, and spoke with an individual from its Communications Dept., who indicated that she will ask someone at TCDSB to call me. Later that morning, a lady from TCDSB called me, but did not confirm whether or not Dr. Jerzy Cichocki is still a teacher at SMCS (academic side). She asked to contact the Principal of SMCS to verify, and SMCS's course(s) re: choral and music theory. I do not know, but I hope the Senior Administration of SMCS (music office), the Archdiocese and the SMCS (academic side, which is probably represented by its Principal) have considered that Dr. Jerzy Cichocki may be the only individual (amongst all the "faculty members" of the Music Office of SMCS) who is "certified" as a teacher (this is based on what I know, but this is incorrect, please advise). I am glad that the Archdiocese has considered my suggestion that His Eminence would have to deal with the Senior Choir singing or not singing on Jan 7 and 8, 2017, because I hope that the TV cameras will not have a "field day" It appears that as at Dec 31, 2016, the media has information of this matter, and City TV tried to contact me on Dec 31, 2016 and on Jan 03, 2017. Therefore, whether or not the Senior Choir will be singing on Jan 8, 2017, I speculate that the media and/or TV crew or assignment crew may be at St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica on Jan 8, 2017.

Protest Sunday Be there! A fight is what they want and a fight is what they'll get! Media and all..... Be there !

I feel compelled to respond to this previous post: "Everyone writing here seems to assume that no-one else is capable of filling the role of Dr. Cichocki. How do they know this for a certainty? Have they ever been associated with any other good choral ensembles and other conductors, or is their only experience that of Bond Street?" Well, first of all , we are on this site because we support the petition and many of us are willing to use our names. The role that Dr Cichocki created over the years is much more than conducting a good choral ensemble. That would be an easy job to fill! This job is about upholding the rich Catholic tradition of Cathedral music . This involves researching, programming and preparing high quality music appropriate for each Sacred Liturgy in seasons of the Church year. This requires a masterful knowledge of repertoire. The choral experience at SMCS goes far beyond gratification of music-making in an ensemble. It is a faith experience magnified by carefully-chosen music that expands the horizons of both the chorister and the congregation . #NOT replaceable

All 3 choirs have been cancelled for Epiphany this weekend. Gee, I wonder why. Now we have more time to find a solution. Breathe deeply. This isn't over.