Cathedral Chorale: The heart and soul of the cathedral parish, the Chorale rehearses on Sunday mornings from 9:30am to 10:45am, then sings for the 11am Mass. The Chorale currently has 24 members ranging from 21 to 82 in age. The music the Chorale sings reflects the distinctive flair of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. As a cathedral choir serving the whole Archdiocese, guests, and the Archbishop, the Chorale sings chant in Latin and in English, as well as choral music from the great treasury of the Catholic heritage. This reflects Vatican II’s statement: “The treasure of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care. Choirs must be diligently promoted, especially in cathedral churches,” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 114). The Chorale also prays psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs that reflect the community at Blessed Sacrament. This includes modern service music from the hymnal, as well as spirituals and Gospel music. These “songs from the soul” are at the heart of the spiritual life of the Chorale.
Archdiocesan Chorus: Every Monday night through the school year, 48 singers from across the Archdiocese meet to prepare music for the major Archdiocesan liturgies, including ordinations, Chrism Mass, as well as music for concert performance. Though these singers come from Ortonville to the Ohio border, the largest contingent (9 singers) come from the cathedral. Also, 14 singers of the 48 are music directors of their parish. The diversity and talented makeup of the group has led to the incredible opportunities to sing with the Sistine Chapel Choir, with the organist of Notre Dame in Paris, as well as the national conference of cathedral musicians.
Cathedral Choir Academy: The newest addition to our musical life at the cathedral, the CCA embraces the parish children’s choir and transforms it into a magnet program for children from across metro Detroit. The CCA meets on Tuesday afternoons from 4:30pm to 6:30pm and sings for special events at the cathedral. Director Susan Lindquist has done an incredible job this year expanding this group.
We are actively recruiting for these groups right now. If any of them interest you, come see me at the organ after Mass, or call 313-883-2867. I’d love to speak with you!
God bless,
Joe Balistreri