About the Cathedral Choir
The role of choirs in sacred settings has been recognized by the Catholic Church as one of its greatest treasures, particularly in its Cathedrals. With this in mind, the Church has mandated that the treasure of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care.
The modern role of choirs in the Catholic Church is to augment the singing of the assembly, to lead the people in sung prayer and to enhance that song with the addition of musical elaboration. The music of a well-trained choir performing alone adds a beauty and depth of solemnity to the worship experience, enabling those in attendance to reflect more deeply.
The Saint Joseph Cathedral Choir is composed of approximately 25 professional and volunteer singers from throughout the Columbus metropolitan area and beyond. The Cathedral choir provides music for the 10:30 a.m. Mass each Sunday from September through Pentecost, in addition to major feasts and solemnities throughout the year. The choir maintains a busy schedule singing for episcopal and diocesan liturgies, as well as concerts. The choir has twice performed for the Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians. In addition, the Cathedral choir has been invited to perform for concerts at the cathedrals of Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo, and to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame. The Choir has also been featured on “With Heart and Voice,” a nationally syndicated radio program that features the organ and choral music of many of the world’s most famous choirs and organists. While Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony form much of its repertoire, the Cathedral choir boasts an eclectic repertory, featuring nineteenth- and twentieth-century music as well as works by living composers.
The Cathedral Schola
The members of the Cathedral Schola are drawn from the Cathedral Choir and support various diocesan and episcopal liturgies throughout the year. Of particular note is the Schola’s presentation of Tenebrae each Good Friday, during which Tallis’ Lamentations of Jeremiah and Allegri’s Miserere mei are traditionally sung.