Music Ministries

Contact: Matthew Meloche – Director of Music

Scheduled Meetings:  by Group below

Ministry Mission Statement: The primary focus of the St. Francis Parish and School Music Ministry is to support the singing of the assembly at all church and school liturgies.  The Roman Catholic Church has a rich heritage in music and continues to uplift participants of the Eucharist through new compositions in addition to more traditional offerings.

Current Ministry Activities by Group:

◊  Parish Cantors

Cantors chant the Psalm and Gospel Acclamation, as well as lead the singing at all of our parish and school celebrations.  This ministry requires a very real sense of vocation.  Humility, good diction, and a non-performance temperament are extremely important in this ministry.  Ongoing formation and continuing education are part of the Cantor Ministry at St. Francis.  Cantors must also participate either in the Sanctuary Choir or Festival Chorus.  Anyone 12 years of age or older may become a Cantor.  Please use the form below to contact the Director of Music Ministries for more information.

◊  Sanctuary Choir

This is the principal choir for St. Francis by the Sea which ministers from September through June at the 10:30 a.m. Mass each Sunday and for major Holy Days.  Weekly rehearsals are from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Thursdays in the church.  The choir sings a variety of styles from traditional Latin motets to spirituals.  There is no audition required, only a desire to work together to create beautiful choral literature and offer it to the liturgy.

◊   Small Ensemble – “Echoes of Heaven”

This smaller ensemble has a more contemporary feel than the Adult choir. While there is some use of traditional music, this group delves into newer styles, and uses instruments other than organ, including guitar, flute, bass and electronic keyboard. While it is not a Praise and Worship band, it is a group that sings contemporary music with a strong Catholic theology. Since this group is small and lightly amplified, members should have strong and pleasant voices and be comfortable with singing parts. Instrumentalists are also welcome.  Contact David Green for more information: 843-368-9379.

◊ Pueri Cantores Parish Children's Choir

Pueri Cantores is open to all children of the parish in grades three through six (or the equivalent if home schooled) and is a new ensemble of the Music Ministry.  Pueri Cantores will minister once monthly at a weekend Mass from September through June.  All are welcome as there is no audition for this group.  This choir will serve as principal ministers of music at their selected Mass.

◊ Schola Cantorum

Also a new ensemble for the Parish, Schola Cantorum is an auditioned ensemble for students in Middle through High School.  The ensemble will sing a variety of musical genres with a particular emphasis on Latin motets.  This ensemble will be vested as musicians and will give concerts locally, regionally, and nationally.  Schola Cantorum will follow the structure of the Royal School of Church Music and will also be members of the American Federation of Pueri Cantores.

◊ St. Francis School Choir

Currently, this ensemble is made up of the St. Francis Catholic School (SFCS) Fourth Grade class.  Rehearsals are held weekly during school hours.  Lisa Sweeney, SFCS Music Director, leads the choir, which ministers at weekly school liturgies.  Participants are taught basic music theory and appropriate choral singing.  They also learn about the liturgy and their faith in the context of the church year and the Mass.

◊  School Cantors

The cantors and students who lead songs are generally drawn from the school choir. Talented students from higher grades are also occasionally used, and some even cantor at weekly parish masses.

◊ Hispanic Ensemble:

The Hispanic Ensemble is a group, very diverse in age, which practices Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and signs at the Spanish language liturgy on Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. Its camaraderie and joy is evident in the music. The ensemble sings as it leads the worship during the liturgy.  This is a non-auditioned group. However, a commitment to steady attendance and punctuality are a must.

◊ Instrumentalists

Instrumentalists interested in augmenting music for liturgy are encouraged to contact the Director of Music by using the form below.

Resource Requirements: We are always open to new choir and cantor members.

To contact the Music Ministries, enter the information below.

 
 

Are You Still Working?

Your time to complete the form is about to expire due to inactivity. Please click "Continue Working" to complete the form and submit, otherwise your changes will be lost.

Your session will expire in 60 seconds.

Your session has expired

Your time to complete the form has expired due to inactivity. Please click the button below or refresh the page with your browser and try again.