Cyprian Consiglio
Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam., is a composer, a musician, and a monk of New Camaldoli Hermitage, located in Big Sur, California. New Camadoli is a community in the Camaldolese Benedictine tradition.
He was born in 1958 Phillip Daniel Consiglio (Cyprian is his monastic name), and grew up near Joliet, Illinois. He spent many years living in Phoenix, Arizona where he worked as a professional musician, performer (guitarist and vocalist), arranger and producer.
He began his recording career in his early twenties, and has since gone on to record numerous collections of original music in a wide variety of styles. Though much of his early work was in Catholic liturgical music much of his latest work incorporates styles and sacred texts from a wide variety of cultures and spiritual traditions.
He earned a masters degree in theology from St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California, and has spent a considerable amount of time studying both Eastern and Western spirituality, particularly under the influence of Bede Griffiths. After monastic formation and ten years living at New Camaldoli Hermitage, he re-located near Santa Cruz, California, and lived ten years in a hermitage where he spent about half of his time on the road performing concerts, and teaching or leading retreats mainly on the topic of the Universal Call to Contemplation. He made regular trips to India and other Asian countries, "learning and teaching." In the fall of 2012 he resumed living at New Camaldoli.
In July 2013 he was elected as the new Prior of the community after the previous Prior, Robert Hale OSB Cam, informed the community that he was stepping down. He was installed as Prior on Saturday, July 20, 2013.
Partial discography
There Is A Light (NALR, 1992) Behind and Before Me (OCP, 1996) As One Unknown (OCP, 1998) In the Heart of the Desert w/ John Pennington (OCP, 1999) Awakening w/John Pennington (Equilibrium, 2002) Lord, Open My Lips (OCP, 2003) The Song of Luke (Equilibrium, 2004) Wait, My Soul, In Silence w/Laurence Freeman (MedioMedia, 2005) Compassionate and Wise (Equilibrium, 2006) Echo of Your Peace (MedioMedia, 2008)