At the end of another successful season for the youth choirs of St. John XXIII Parish, the Pueri Cantorum (children’s choir) and Gradus Cantorum (young adult choir) recorded 18 tracks for a new album entitled Jubilate et Gaudete. The album was produced as a keepsake project for the parents, teachers, and children of the choirs. Under the skilled direction of Mrs. Sharon Burchill, the two groups have excelled tremendously at Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony, and this album is a great milestone for the music program of St. John XXIII Parish.
In addition to chanting the Ordinary of the Mass, these students have tackled more difficult chants such as Pueri Hebræorum for Palm Sunday, and the well-known Ave Verum Corpus. The Pueri Cantorum also perform round-style arrangements of familiar sacred melodies, and sing English hymns before and after Mass with the adult schola. The Gradus Cantorum is an exciting addition to the youth choir program. A “step up” from the Pueri choir, this ensemble is for the older children, high school students and graduates, and young adults, functioning essentially as a junior varsity to the adult choir. Within the Gradus ensemble, singers that show the aptitude are invited to be apprentices of the Schola Cantorum (adult choir), during which time they participate in rehearsals and perform with the adult choir for select Masses. This process of “graduating” young singers into the adult choir accomplishes the vision for the entire parish music program. Cultivating and nurturing musical talent within the parish congregation is a primary mission of the adult schola, and if the cycle continues, it will prove most fruitful for the vitality of the Schola Cantorum, and for the parish as a whole.
Please take a moment to listen to 4 sample tracks from the album. Congratulations to Mrs. Burchill, Ms. Maria Goeltz and Ms. Elizabeth Schurdak as section leaders, and the entire Pueri and Gradus Cantorum choirs for their wonderful work. We hope to see you in the Schola Cantorum soon!
In addition to chanting the Ordinary of the Mass, these students have tackled more difficult chants such as Pueri Hebræorum for Palm Sunday, and the well-known Ave Verum Corpus. The Pueri Cantorum also perform round-style arrangements of familiar sacred melodies, and sing English hymns before and after Mass with the adult schola. The Gradus Cantorum is an exciting addition to the youth choir program. A “step up” from the Pueri choir, this ensemble is for the older children, high school students and graduates, and young adults, functioning essentially as a junior varsity to the adult choir. Within the Gradus ensemble, singers that show the aptitude are invited to be apprentices of the Schola Cantorum (adult choir), during which time they participate in rehearsals and perform with the adult choir for select Masses. This process of “graduating” young singers into the adult choir accomplishes the vision for the entire parish music program. Cultivating and nurturing musical talent within the parish congregation is a primary mission of the adult schola, and if the cycle continues, it will prove most fruitful for the vitality of the Schola Cantorum, and for the parish as a whole.
Please take a moment to listen to 4 sample tracks from the album. Congratulations to Mrs. Burchill, Ms. Maria Goeltz and Ms. Elizabeth Schurdak as section leaders, and the entire Pueri and Gradus Cantorum choirs for their wonderful work. We hope to see you in the Schola Cantorum soon!
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