Music is an integral part of Catholic worship. Transfiguration Church is blessed with many talented musicians who are invited to share their God-given musical talents by taking part in the prayerful, dedicated, and enthusiastic sacred music program. A place is available for both professional and amateur musicians to sustain the musical excellence "ad maiorem Dei gloriam" (“for the greater glory of God”). Mass and the Hours of the Divine Office incorporate the Church's treasury of sacred music, including Gregorian chant, polyphony, and quality hymnody. The music of each Mass and the Divine Office is informed through the use of the Graduale Romanum and Liber Usualis—the Church's official books for the schola—as its basis.
Steven W. Medicis
Director of Sacred Music and Principal Organist
Jubilate Deo Schola Cantorum
The Jubilate Deo (“sing joyfully to the Lord”) Schola Cantorum sings music specific to the choir and also provides congregational song support when singing the 9:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday Masses and the Masses of Solemnities and Feasts. While previous choral experience is not necessary to join, auditions are necessary to make sure that members can match pitch and echo a musical phrase. Rehearsals take place as scheduled.
Requiem Choir
The Requiem (“rest”) Choir provides music for funeral Masses and other Masses for the Dead, including memorial Masses. No rehearsals are necessary for each Mass, but the choir does rehearse as needed a few times each year. Requiem Choir members are notified of funeral and memorial Mass times and music by e-mail message.
Cantors and Psalmists
Some members of the schola may be invited by the Director of Sacred Music to minister as a cantor or psalmist during Masses. The cantor is a leader among schola members during usus antiquior (vetus ordo) Masses or a leader of congregational song during usus recentior (novus ordo) Masses sung without the assistance of a schola. The psalmist proclaims the Psalm after the First Reading during usus recentior (novus ordo) Masses and leads the congregation in singing its response. The duties of cantor and psalmist are usually entrusted to the same person during a usus recentior (novus ordo) Mass. Cantors and psalmists attend all schola rehearsals and are expected to remain after the general choir is dismissed to learn music specific to their singing duties.
Instrumentalists
On occasion, instrumentalists are invited to accompany the schola during solemn and festive Masses. Rehearsals with the schola are mandatory.