The CtR Choristers and Chorus Redemptoris were able to participate together for the first time as CtR School opened in the fall of 2014.
Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church and School had 24 singers participate in the Pueri Cantores Festival, a yearly event put on by this international Catholic choral organization, on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. The CtR Choristers, the church choir for third through seventh grade students, and Chorus Redemptoris, the school’s choir for second through fourth grade, were able to participate together for the first time as CtR School opened in the fall of 2014.
For the Festival, the conductor was Paul French, Music Director at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Chicago as well as Music Director of the renowned William Ferris Chorale. A massed choir of about 150 children from various parishes in Texas spent the day rehearsing with French in preparation for singing at the 5 p.m. Mass in the Co-Cathedral. Along with Chorus Redemptoris, the Choristers sang a prelude from the loft of the Co-Cathedral accompanied by the Opus 19 Organ and under the direction of Bridget Wenk, director of Music Ministries at CtR. School Choir Director Mary Ann Addis was also a facilitator to the group.
Wenk said the Festival is a wonderful opportunity for CtR’s young singers.
“They enjoy singing with such a large group of children, and with such an excellent director,” Wenk said. “The sound in the Co-Cathedral is simply beautiful. Our CtR singers also enjoy seeing children from many other parishes as they work, eat, and pray together during this day. They are very proud of their Pueri Cantores medallions, too!”
American Federation Pueri Cantores organizes choral festivals and Masses for parish and school choirs (grades 4-12) in cathedrals and other churches around the United States. For more information, visit its website at www.pcchoirs.org.