Sacred Music

“The Christian faithful who come together as one in expectation of the Lord’s coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together Psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles (cf Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus St. Augustine says rightly, ‘Singing is for one who loves,’…”

 -General Instruction of the Roman Missal (p39)

 

The Roman Missal instructs us of the great importance “attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass.” The mission of the Office of Sacred Music is the advancement and promotion of the finest in Sacred Music in the parishes and apostolates of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

To achieve this mission, our office provides several resources and programs listed below.  Additional information is available by calling our office, 314.373.8227, or emailing [email protected].

Sincerely,

Andrew Kreigh, Director of Sacred Music

This page contains information about the Archdiocesan Choir & Archdiocesan Children's Choir. For more information on either choir, or to schedule and audition, please call 314.373.8227 or email [email protected].

Choirs

Auditions 

MEMO Archdiocesan and Cathedral Choir Auditions 2022.pdf

Cathedral Choir Audition Poster.pdf

Cathedral and Archdiocesan Choir Auditions-Information Sheet.pdf

Archdiocesan Choir

The Archdiocesan Choir is composed of members from the Cathedral Choir, as well as organists, choir directors, cantors, and other singers from the St. Louis Metropolitan area.  Membership is by audition, and regular rehearsals are on Tuesday nights.   The choir sings for major diocesan liturgies, and special programs such as the annual Christmas concert, other events and concerts within the Archdiocese of St. Louis and beyond, e.g. the Papal Visit to St. Louis by Blessed John Paul II, or the 2007 National NPM Convention in Indianapolis. 

 The choir has toured to Italy, England, and Austria, and Germany performing at many solemn masses, as well as in concert.  The repertoire includes several major choral works, e.g. Verdi's Requiem, Mozart's “Coronation” and C minor Masses, and Bruckner's F minor Mass, as well as many other great works of the Sacred Music tradition. 

The Archdiocesan Choir is Currently Rehearsing:

  • "Antiphon" from "Five Mystical Songs, Ralph Vaughan Williams
  • "My Lord, what a morning," arr. H T Burleigh
  • "Nunc Dimittis" (Op.115), Charles V. Stanford
  • "Bogoroditse Devo" from Vsenoshchnoe bdenie Op. 37, Sergei Rachmaninov
  • Louis Vierne's "Solemn Mass
  • Anonio Vivaldi's "Gloria in D"

 

Archdiocesan Children's Choir

The Archdiocesan Children’s Choir was established in 1998 and is composed of children from parishes throughout the eleven counties of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.  The choir provides children with the opportunity to develop their voices, sharpen their musical skills, and sing sacred music in liturgical settings, as well as in concert.

The Children’s Choir sings at Archdiocesan liturgies, and special events and concerts, as well as select masses at the Cathedral Basilica.   Highlights include the Solemn Mass celebrated by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on the occasion of his visit to St. Louis in 1999 and two Eucharistic Congresses in St. Louis.   The children have regularly sung in the popular “Christmas at the Cathedral” concerts, as well as the St. Louis Bach Society’s “Candlelight Christmas Concert” at Powell Symphony Hall.

The Archdiocesan Children’s Choir is a member of the American Federation Pueri Cantores, a Catholic youth choir organization.  They have undertaken performance tours to several cathedrals in this country, such as Arlington, VA, Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA, Newark, NJ, New York, NY, Oakland, CA, Orlando, FL, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC.  The choir has travelled to Rome, Italy, participating in the International Pueri Cantores congresses of 2006 and 2010.  In 2008, they sang in the National Pueri Festival at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.

Membership is by audition throughout the year.  The minimum age is 9, but there can be exceptions for extremely gifted children who can read fluently.  A healthy voice and a good ear are requirements, and children should sing in their parish or school choirs as well.  Rehearsals are weekly throughout the school year on Saturday mornings.

 

Music Resources

Local Resources

National & International Resources

 

NPM Saint Louis   AGO Saint Louis  American Federation of Pueri CantoresInternational Federation of Pueri Cantores

 

Office of Sacred Music Staff

Dr. Horst Buchholz, DMus
Director of Sacred Music

Mr. Benton Blasingame                                                                                                                                  Assistant, Office of Sacred Music 

Contact Information

4431 Lindell Blvd.

St. Louis, MO 63108

314.373.8227 | [email protected]