Mater Dei Choral Ensembles Blog

Children Choirs singing Dec. 7th

December 2, 2014 by Kimberly Walters

For those interested to know, the St. Gregory and Cecilia Choirs (children/teens ages 10+)will sing together this Sunday, Dec. 7th at the 9am mass for the 2nd Sunday of Advent. Since we have changed the structure of the youth choirs a bit from last year, I am excited for parishioners to hear what this older group of kids is now capable of!

They will not have any help from adult singers; they have learned simpler versions of the propers, so they will sing ALL music required for a high mass. There will be some minimal organ to support the chant hymns they will sing, and you will often hear the boys and girls singing antiphonally.

Music they will sing:

Veni Veni Emmanuel

Creator Alme Siderum

Veni O Sapientiae

Adoro te Devote

Panis Angelicus (Franck) – possibly)

O Jordan’s Bank

They will sing again on Jan. 11th, feast of the Holy Family, and the Cherubim Choir (ages 6-8/9) will sing on Jan. 4th w/ help from the women’s schola.

Lux In Tenebris: Physical CD NOW FOR SALE ONLINE

November 21, 2014 by Kimberly Walters

Dear Parishioners!

I am excited to announce that physical copies of the first annual Choir CD, “Lux in Tenebris: Holy week at Mater Dei” are now for sale online!

If you are still looking for a Christmas gift, know people who love sacred music or the Latin Mass, please help our fundraiser be a success by purchasing CDs and/or help us spread the word as far and wide as possible! The Christmas season is the most popular season for purchasing music, so the time to spread the word is now. The success of this first CD will be crucial to the success of future efforts.

It is my hope that the costs related to the music program will be more self-sustainable through our fundraising efforts, and raise enough to help contribute to the parish campaign as a whole. Our level of success will determine the extent to which the choirs can help with efforts to raise money for the proposed capital campaign.

You can find the physical CD for sale at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/luxintenebrisholyweekatm (soon to be on Amazon as well).

Digital download is also available on all major digital music stores: Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Spotify, etc.

THANK YOU all for helping to publicize this endeavor beyond our own parish, and for your own personal support, to make this a success! The choirs are excited to continue recording the beautiful music at Mater Dei!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving,

Kimberly Walters

Music Director

Choral Ensemble Media Library

June 22, 2014 by Kimberly Walters

Mater Dei: Marian Devotion & Prayer

From Gregorian chants in honor of Marian feasts, to choral hymns and Renaissance motets, this parish music honors the Blessed Mother of God in a beautiful devotional album, and includes the angelic voices of the St. Cecilia Girls Choir.

Purchase “Marian Devotion & Prayer”

Lumen Gentium: Advent & Christmas At Mater Dei

From haunting medieval chants to joyful traditional carols, the choirs of Mater Dei Parish bring to life the spirit of Advent and Christmas in their second album.

Purchase “Lumen Gentium: Advent & Christmas At Mater Dei”

Lux in Tenebris: Holy Week At Mater Dei

From Gregorian Chant to Renaissance Polyphony, the choirs at Mater Dei Parish give you a glimpse into the sacredness of Holy Week.

Purchase “Lux in Tenebris: Holy Week At Mater Dei”

Tenebrae Recordings for Home Use

This has been a long project in progress, but recordings of Tenebrae (chanted Divine Office night prayers) are now available. It is our hope that families who cannot make it for Tenebrae in person, will find it enriching to pray with us in spirit, and even light candles in your home, to pray Tenebrae with the parish choir and clergy.

FULL PARISH RECORDING OF HOLY THURSDAY TENEBRAE:

Features: Fr. Portzer chanting the lessons from Lamentations of Jeremiah; Allegri’s Miserere Mei at the end