St Mary's Cathedral Choir, Sydney
Encyclopedia
The St Mary's Cathedral Choir is the oldest musical institution in Australia. In 1818 a group of choristers was formed to sing Vespers before the Blessed Sacrament
in the Dempsey Household, the centre of Roman Catholic worship in Sydney
as a penal colony. When St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
was constructed, the successors of these choristers formed the Permanent Cathedral Choir under the guidance of Catherine Fitzpatrick.
Now over 192 years old, the Choir is formed of approximately forty choristers and sings at High Mass every Sunday and on special holy days, and has gone on many tours and concerts, and sometimes singing with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra (2003, 2005).
In 1955, the mixed choir of men and women was reformed under Fr Ron Harden into a choir of boys and men and incorporating a choir school. Since 1955, consistent to the Benedictine
English tradition from which the Cathedral's founders came, the choir has been a liturgical choir for male voices, boy trebles and adult men, thus finally confirming to the motu proprio of Pope St Pius X aimed at restoring the tradition of Catholic liturgical and musical heritage. The musical heritage of Gregorian chant and polyphonic masses including composers typified by Palaestrina
and Victoria
was prioritised in the reformed choir. Fr Ron Harden's successor as Director was Fr John De Luca.
Under the direction of the successor of Fr John De Luca, David Russell (1976-2009), the choir undertook three international concert tours, two to Europe and one to the United States.
The Choir is currently conducted by Thomas Wilson (Director of Music) with Oliver Brett (Principal Organist). The Choir is involved in the Cathedral's life of prayer and worship. New choristers (who usually join as boy soprano
s in Grade 5) learn not only about music, but also about the Catholic faith, history and culture.
The Choir continues to perform works by Palestrina
, Victoria
and other well-known composers from times past and the present.
As part of the Cathedral, the Choir has its own Coat of Arms. This crest appears on the medals worn by head-boys, corner-boys (assistant head-boys) and others with a special role. The crest is divided into two equal parts, both with much symbolism. In colour it is blue (the colour of St. Mary), crimson and white (the choir colours), and gold (colour for feasts of the Lord).
The left panel bears the arms of the Cathedral itself. The cross, symbol of Christian faith in the redemption, is mounted on the crescent moon, symbol of the Blessed Virgin, the Patroness of the Cathedral. Christian tradition represents her as the Fair Moon, preceding the rise of Christ, the Sun of Justice.
The right panel displays a musical stave of Gregorian chant, imposed upon an archbishop's cross. The stave bears the first notes of the famous Gregorian hymn to the Virgin "Alma Redemptoris Mater
" (Hail, thou Mother of the Redeemer). It is a reminder both of their musical vocation and of the Cathedral's special consecration to the virgin Mary. The archiepiscopal cross
with its double cross-bar belongs exclusively to archbishops, and may be carried before them in procession. It is the sign that the Cathedral is the personal seat of the Archbishop, the centre of unity in the diocese.
|-
! Year
! Headboy(left)
! Headboy (right)
! Cornerboys
|-
| 2002
| Tim Bowen
| Richard Banzon
| Roberto Keryakos, Jacob Ryan, Marcus Whale, Joseph Kennedy
|-
| 2003
| Joseph Kennedy
| Roberto Keryakos
| William Marshall, Michael Butterfield, Guy Tesoriero, James Overton
|-
| 2004
| James Overton
| Christopher Masson
| William Dawes, Taylor Gramoski, Tom Kennedy, Jacob McInnes
|-
| 2005
| Tom Kennedy
| William Marshall
| Robert Bamford, Peter Roehrig, Ben Taylor
|-
| 2006
| Ben Taylor
| William Dawes
| Francis Ratnakumar, Clarence Ratnakumar, Michael Arney, Max Rafferty
|-
| 2007
| Michael Arney
| Max Rafferty
| Joe Bourke, Joshua Taylor, Yohanes Santoso Oei, Clarence Ratnakumar
|-
| 2008
| Joe Bourke
| Joshua Taylor
| Jack Chandler, Eddie Medrano, Christopher Arney, Harrison Lowrencev
|-
| 2009
| Jack Chandler
| Eddie Medrano
| Brian Endravian, Christopher Wong, Patrick Vasquez, Ethan Taylor
|-
| 2010
| Ethan Taylor
| Christopher Wong
| (Deputy Headchoristers) - Brian Endravian, Jeremy Lowrencev
|-
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, to refer to the Host after it has been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist...
in the Dempsey Household, the centre of Roman Catholic worship in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
as a penal colony. When St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to "Mary, Help of Christians", Patron of Australia...
was constructed, the successors of these choristers formed the Permanent Cathedral Choir under the guidance of Catherine Fitzpatrick.
Now over 192 years old, the Choir is formed of approximately forty choristers and sings at High Mass every Sunday and on special holy days, and has gone on many tours and concerts, and sometimes singing with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra (2003, 2005).
Choir tradition
Pre-dating the Cathedral's foundation in 1833 and led initially by a woman, the choir began as a mixed group of singers (male and female) as was the custom of the 19th century. The repertoire, both before and under John Albert Delaney(Choirmaster largely between 1872 and 1907) and then continuously prior to 1955, favoured Gregorian chant, polyphony and the classical masses and operatic style sacred works popular in the 19th century. Under Benedictine episcopal leadership and then diocesan episcopal leadership the choir was variously mixed or single sex.In 1955, the mixed choir of men and women was reformed under Fr Ron Harden into a choir of boys and men and incorporating a choir school. Since 1955, consistent to the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
English tradition from which the Cathedral's founders came, the choir has been a liturgical choir for male voices, boy trebles and adult men, thus finally confirming to the motu proprio of Pope St Pius X aimed at restoring the tradition of Catholic liturgical and musical heritage. The musical heritage of Gregorian chant and polyphonic masses including composers typified by Palaestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
and Victoria
Tomás Luis de Victoria
Tomás Luis de Victoria, sometimes Italianised as da Vittoria , was the most famous composer of the 16th century in Spain, and one of the most important composers of the Counter-Reformation, along with Giovanni da Palestrina and Orlando di Lasso. Victoria was not only a composer, but also an...
was prioritised in the reformed choir. Fr Ron Harden's successor as Director was Fr John De Luca.
Under the direction of the successor of Fr John De Luca, David Russell (1976-2009), the choir undertook three international concert tours, two to Europe and one to the United States.
The Choir is currently conducted by Thomas Wilson (Director of Music) with Oliver Brett (Principal Organist). The Choir is involved in the Cathedral's life of prayer and worship. New choristers (who usually join as boy soprano
Boy soprano
A boy soprano is a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range. Although a treble, or choirboy, may also be considered to be a boy soprano, the more colloquial term boy soprano is generally only used for boys who sing, perform, or record as soloists, and who may not necessarily...
s in Grade 5) learn not only about music, but also about the Catholic faith, history and culture.
The Choir continues to perform works by Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
, Victoria
Tomás Luis de Victoria
Tomás Luis de Victoria, sometimes Italianised as da Vittoria , was the most famous composer of the 16th century in Spain, and one of the most important composers of the Counter-Reformation, along with Giovanni da Palestrina and Orlando di Lasso. Victoria was not only a composer, but also an...
and other well-known composers from times past and the present.
Choir crest
The left panel bears the arms of the Cathedral itself. The cross, symbol of Christian faith in the redemption, is mounted on the crescent moon, symbol of the Blessed Virgin, the Patroness of the Cathedral. Christian tradition represents her as the Fair Moon, preceding the rise of Christ, the Sun of Justice.
The right panel displays a musical stave of Gregorian chant, imposed upon an archbishop's cross. The stave bears the first notes of the famous Gregorian hymn to the Virgin "Alma Redemptoris Mater
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Alma Redemptoris Mater is a Marian hymn and one of four liturgical Marian antiphons , and sung at the end of the office of Compline. Hermannus Contractus is said to have authored the hymn based on the writings of Ss. Fulgentius, Epiphanius, and Irenaeus of Lyon...
" (Hail, thou Mother of the Redeemer). It is a reminder both of their musical vocation and of the Cathedral's special consecration to the virgin Mary. The archiepiscopal cross
Archiepiscopal cross
An archiepiscopal cross is a two-barred cross used by or to signify or dignify an archbishop. It is typically made like a staff with the two barred cross up top and a very long downwards extending arm.- External links :*...
with its double cross-bar belongs exclusively to archbishops, and may be carried before them in procession. It is the sign that the Cathedral is the personal seat of the Archbishop, the centre of unity in the diocese.
Headboys and Cornerboys/Deputy Headboys
{| class="wikitable" border="1"|-
! Year
! Headboy(left)
! Headboy (right)
! Cornerboys
|-
| 2002
| Tim Bowen
| Richard Banzon
| Roberto Keryakos, Jacob Ryan, Marcus Whale, Joseph Kennedy
|-
| 2003
| Joseph Kennedy
| Roberto Keryakos
| William Marshall, Michael Butterfield, Guy Tesoriero, James Overton
|-
| 2004
| James Overton
| Christopher Masson
| William Dawes, Taylor Gramoski, Tom Kennedy, Jacob McInnes
|-
| 2005
| Tom Kennedy
| William Marshall
| Robert Bamford, Peter Roehrig, Ben Taylor
|-
| 2006
| Ben Taylor
| William Dawes
| Francis Ratnakumar, Clarence Ratnakumar, Michael Arney, Max Rafferty
|-
| 2007
| Michael Arney
| Max Rafferty
| Joe Bourke, Joshua Taylor, Yohanes Santoso Oei, Clarence Ratnakumar
|-
| 2008
| Joe Bourke
| Joshua Taylor
| Jack Chandler, Eddie Medrano, Christopher Arney, Harrison Lowrencev
|-
| 2009
| Jack Chandler
| Eddie Medrano
| Brian Endravian, Christopher Wong, Patrick Vasquez, Ethan Taylor
|-
| 2010
| Ethan Taylor
| Christopher Wong
| (Deputy Headchoristers) - Brian Endravian, Jeremy Lowrencev
|-
Directors of Music in the Cathedral
- 1818-1843 Catherine Fitzpatrick
- 1872-1907John Albert Delaney
- 1955-1970 Fr Ron Harden
- 1970-1975 Fr John De Luca
- 1975-2009 David Russell
- 2009-2010 Elizabeth Swain
- 2010- Thomas Wilson
Organists of the Cathedral
- 1834-35 J. de C. Cavendish
- 1839 Dr J. A. Reid
- 1840c Dr Ross
- 1841-42 Isaac Nathan
- 1842-43 G. W. Worgan
- 1848c-54c Mr Walton [Bishop Henry Davis is also known to have played regularly at this *time]
- 1856-70 William J. Cordner
- 1870-74 John T. Hill
- 1874-77 John A. Delany
- 1877-78 Mr Hughes
- 1879-88 Thomas P. Banks
- 1888-95 Neville G. Barnett
- 1895-1907 John A. Delany
- 1907-63 Harry Dawkins
- 1963 Neil Slarke
- 1964-71 Errol Lea-Scarlett
- 1971-74 John O'Donnell
- 1974-79 Errol Lea-Scarlett
- 1979-1987 Gavin Tipping
- 1988 - 2011 Peter Kneeshaw
- 2011 - Oliver Brett
See also
- Music of Sydney
- St Mary's Cathedral, SydneySt Mary's Cathedral, SydneyThe Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to "Mary, Help of Christians", Patron of Australia...
- St Mary's Cathedral College, SydneySt Mary's Cathedral College, SydneySt Mary's Cathedral College is a private, Catholic, secondary day school for boys, located in the Central Business District of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is owned by the Archbishop of Sydney and operates as a systemic school....