"What are God's servants but his minstrels who inspire the hearts of people and stir them to spiritual joy" (Francis of Assisi)

Members of the Choir, 2010

Director: Noel James Debien
Organist: Edward Theodore
Liturgical Music Scholars: Daniel Canaris, Elizabeth Williams

Soprano: Dr Margaret Beirne, Susan Briedis, Rebecca Davies (Cantoris voice Leader), Marie Freyne, Wendy James, Sharon Johnson, Alex Letham, Helen Lee, Jane Rawlings

Alto/Counter: Simone Degeling, Patricia Harrison, Mary Julian, Cecile Meehan, Katrina Papallo, Marie Upton, Anne Ainslie-Wallace(Decani voice Leader), Caroline Wallace (Cantoris voice Leader), Elizabeth Williams (liturgical music scholar 2009), Emma Johnston

Tenor: Fran Boyle (A.M.), Brendan McMullen (Cantoris voice Leader) , Edmond Park (Cantoris voice Leader), Murray-Luke Peard (Decani voice Leader), Mark Probert, Daniel Thurley

Bass: Daniel Canaris (liturgical music scholar 2008), Michael Dignan, Paul Dyer, Ben Lee, Peter Leunig, Michael Payne-Mulcahy, Rodney Smith (Cantoris voice Leader), Richard White

About St. Francis Choir

The Choir of St. Francis of Assisi, Paddington, is an active liturgical choir of men and women (SATB), with full membership of 40 voices. The Choir sings at the 10.00 am Sung Mass on Sundays as well as major feasts and parish events e.g. weddings & funerals.

The choir's ministry is to assist our parish's worship by leading the congregation in the singing of responses, acclamations and hymns of the liturgy, enhancing congregational music by way of harmonising, providing descants and singing choral music from the treasury of sacred music.

At St. Francis, we aim to make our liturgy the most beautiful expression of what we can offer in music and ceremony engaging our community to lift their hearts and minds to God. The choir exists very much in the context of a parish whose major outreach is the Come-in Centre for marginalised youth, and its offering in worship and prayer is united with the corporal works of mercy so fundamental to the Christian and Franciscan ethos.

Repertoire
The choral repertoire includes music from Gregorian Chant (including congregational Gregorian Masses e.g. de Angelis, Orbis factor and Cum jubilo), polyphonic Mass parts and Motets by composers of the 16th and 17th Centuries (e.g. Palestrina, Victoria, Tallis, Byrd), and later composers such as Bruckner, Mendelssohn, Duruflé, and Fauré through to contemporary composers.

From time to time, the choir presents an orchestral Mass or an unaccompanied work of an high exceptionally musical standard for such feasts as Easter Triduum, the Feast of Christ the King, Christmas Day. The following major works have been performed at St. Francis:

• 2010 -Missa Brevis in F (KV 192) - W.A. Mozart (Easter Day Mass of the Day, guest conductor Cristian Cimei)
• 2009 - Missa Brevis in D, (KV 193) - W. A. Mozart (Christmas Morning orchestral, guest conductor Cristian Cimei)
• 2009 - Messe de minuit  -Marc Antoine Charpentier  (Midnight Mass with Baroque instruments)
• 2009 - Credo Mass (KV 257). W.A. Mozart (Easter Day orchestral, guest conductor Cristian Cimei)
• 2008 - Mass in G (KV 49) W.A. Mozart (Christmas Day)
• 2008 - Mass in g minor - Ralph Vaughan Williams (Christ the King)
• 2008 - Stabat Mater by Palaestrina (Good Friday)
• 2007 - Mass in G - F. Schubert (Christmas Day orchestral)
• 2007 - Jugendmesse - F. J. Haydn (Christ the King)
  
• 2007 - Missa Brevis in D, (KV 193) - W. A. Mozart  (Easter Day orchestral)
• 2006 – Messe de Minuit  -Marc Antoine Charpentier  (Christmas Day orchestral)
• 2005 - Missa Sancti Nicolai - F. J. Haydn orchestral
• 2005 - Coronation Mass - W. A. Mozart orchestral
• 2004 - Mass in G - F. Schubert
• 2003 - Missa Brevis in D, (KV 193) - W. A. Mozart (Easter Day, orchestral,)
• 2002 - Jugendmesse - F. J. Haydn (+ Faure "Requiem" on All Souls' Day)
• 2001 - Missa in Angustii ("Nelson Mass") - F. J. Haydn
• 2000 - Mass in G - F. Schubert
• 1999 - Missa Sancti Nicolai - F. J. Haydn
• 1998 - Coronation Mass - W. A. Mozart