(Photo by Ken Hoffman)
MADISON — The Madison Diocesan Choir is a music ministry dedicated to the mission of fostering and encouraging full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy throughout the Diocese of Madison.
The choir is composed of singers from all walks of life throughout the entire diocese. Whether a teacher, nurse, or business person (to name only a few of their occupations), each member strives towards excellence in this unique ministry of the Church.
Most of the choir members have had little or no formal musical training but are willing to work and to learn. Together the members form what many consider to be one of the finest and most unique diocesan choirs in the country.
Choir commitments
The Diocesan Choir rehearses each Tuesday evening (Labor Day through Memorial Day) from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison.
The choir sings for parish or diocesan Masses about once each month. Each December the choir hosts the popular Lessons and Carols with the Madison Diocesan Choir and each spring there is a Spring Concert.
Founded in 1973, the choir regularly sings with parish choirs for Masses or concert programs of sacred choral music, combining the music of our Catholic heritage with the compositions of today in an effort to bring all to a deeper understanding of the liturgy and the role that music plays in prayer. For their outstanding efforts, the Diocesan Choir was awarded the Bishop’s Service Award in December 2003.
Tour opportunities
The Diocesan Choir tours regularly, and they have sung for Masses and performed concerts in some of Europe’s most famous churches and cathedrals, such as the Duomo in Florence and the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral).
Most recently, the choir traveled through the Great Lake States and Canada in the summer of 2010. The itinerary included singing for the Sunday Masses in Saint John the Evangelist Cathedral (Cleveland) and Saint Michael Cathedral (Toronto). They sang for Mass in the famous Saint Joseph Oratory (Montreal) and gave performances in the exquisite Basilica of Notre Dame (Montreal) and the Shrine of Saint- Anne de Beauprè outside of Quebec.
Current openings
The choir has openings in the tenor and bass sections at this time. Prospective members are asked to schedule a brief placement appointment with the director at their convenience (preferably before Tuesday, Sept. 6). Members are expected to have a pleasant voice, be able to match pitch, and be able to remember short melodies. Music reading is a plus, but not required.
People interested in learning more about the choir may contact director Patrick Gorman in the Office of Worship at 608-821-3080 or e-mail diocesanchoir@straphael.org. Additional information, including a calendar of events, is available at www.madisondiocese.org/Ministry/DiocesanChoir/