Music Ministries

Choirs

The choirs at St. Joan of Arc seek to serve the liturgy, offering to God our “sacrifice of praise” as we work to ever perfect our musicianship and choral skills to offer something truly worthy of God. The documents concerning sacred music issued by the Second Vatican Council guide us, and so Gregorian chant is given “pride of place” (Sacrosanctam Concilium, 116) as is sacred polyphony.

Chorister Program

Child choristers are one of the oldest musical traditions in the Church, going straight back to the first centuries. Here at St Joan of Arc, children begin training in a weekly prechorister class to introduce and teach solfège (DO, RE, Mi, etc), vocal production and tone, Gregorian notation and theory as well as modern notation and theory. At the end of this program, children may be invited to join the choristers and begin training to be able to sing the liturgy during the choir year. Choristers are first probationers, then juniors, and then finally Seniors, working through the chorister training program of the Royal School of Church Music, working for the different ribbons according to their year of study. Those interested, should contact the Master of the Choristers, Jeffrey Morse.

The St. Joan of Arc Choir

Rehearsal Time: Wednesday, 7:00-8:15pm in the music room.

The Adult Choir is the principal ensemble at St. Joan of Arc, which sings regularly at the 10:30am, Sunday Mass. Focusing on Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony Directed by Jeffrey Morse.

Schola Gregoriana of Phoenix  - in formation

A Gregorian chant choir, the Schola Gregoriana of Phoenix, will begin forming during the academic year 2020/2021, and aims to be a true “schola” or school of sacred chant. The ensemble will meet weekly, learning about the chant and its notation, and eventually delving into semiology, or the inter[retation of the oldest musical notation in the western world. The initial aim of the Schola will be to learn to sing the Divine Office, and each meeting will end with the singing of Compline (Night Prayer), eventually moving on to the more difficult chants of the Mass. .No previous knowledge of Chant is needed, only the ability to match pitch. Come learn and sing this amazing music, uniquely the Church’s own, stretching back to Christ and the apostles and beyond! Please contact the Schola director, Jeffrey Morse, for more information.

“That All May Sing”, a Music Class for Children

This music class is offered every Year for children 7-12, beginning about mid-September and lasting through June. It is a music class that teaches music through the child’s principle instrument, the voice. Solfège, voice production and tone, rhythm, Gregorian notation and theory as well as modern notation and theory, sight-singing, musical dictation, etc. These classes are based on the Ward Method This class is a requirement for those children wanting to possibly join the choristers the following year.

Contemporary Choir (Ages 18 yrs and older)

Rehearsal Time: Monday, 7:00-8:30pm in the Church. The Contemporary Choir sings weekly at the 8:30am Sunday Mass. Directed by Betsy Donovan.

Instrumental Ensembles

All bell groups perform at liturgical and non-liturgical events on and off campus during the school year. Directed by Betsy Donovan.

Bells (Adult)

Rehearsal Time: Wednesday, 6:30-8:15pm in the Church.

Bells (Junior High, High School)

Rehearsal Time: Thursday, 5:30-6:45pm in the Church.

Chamber Orchestra (All ages, by audition)

Rehearsals before Mass. Must be proficient in sight-reading. Instrumentalists who play weekly or occasionally, accompanying the contemporary singers at 8:30am Masses.