Father Bryan Hays (as he preferred to be called) was a monk of Saint John’s Abbey, in Collegeville, Minnesota. A self-taught pianist, he won the 1949 George Gershwin Award for his composition Pastorale and Allegro. Following a period of study, including time as a student of Aaron Copland, Hays was called to Catholicism and monastic life, professing vows at Saint John’s in 1958. In addition to his ongoing work as a composer, he taught French and First-Year Colloquium courses at Saint John’s University. His notable compositions include five operas, instrumental pieces, and more than two hundred hymns.

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Sacred Music Collection

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How do I access the collection

Materials in the Bryan Hays, OSB, collection were donated to Alcuin Library, Saint John's University, in 2019. Items in this finding aid were accessioned by librarian Kathleen Parker in 2020. The Archives are not open for browsing; researchers are asked to contact the Librarian for an appointment to consult the physical collection.

Hays Collection Published Scores

Hays Collection Manuscript Scores

Hays Collection Media

Contact:
Miranda Novak
[email protected]