Choir News: (click on books or picture to see members of the STM Choir)
We are a multicultural group with active members from Singapore, Germany, Burma, Brazil, the Philippines, United Kingdom, Ireland, Kenya and Cameroon.
Our STM Choir currently consists of several instrumentalists and about twelve singers - and is a significant contributor to parish life, leading the congregation in singing the hymns and responses during regular Sunday Mass and providing the backbone of the musical support for special Masses.
Our non-paid musical coordinator Markus Löscher is a rhythm guitarist and part time performer of old time jazz.
He has been playing Church Folk Music since he was sixteen.
Christina de Souza plays the keyboard, Andrea Jacob plays the piano and Kieran McBrien mandoline/banjo.
The singers in our group are dedicated amateurs who sing to praise the Lord, and have fun while doing so.
Some songs are sung in unison while others are two-, three- or four-part arrangements.
We mainly sing songs from our Parish Songbook Gather Comprehensive - Second Edition of GIA publications, Illinois, but also from the 2004 version of the Glory and Praise Songbook (OCP). (click on books or instruments to see more)
If you wish to find out more about our group, you can either come to a practice, contact the STM Office at 373526 or you can send an e-mail to office@stmbonn.de. Our practices are rarely cancelled, but it can happen. So please avoid the risk of coming and us not being there by contacting us first to confirm the practice schedule. Choir rehearsals usually are on Fridays from 6:00pm to 8:00pm in the Church (Heilig Kreuz) - or sometimes in the rectory.
The STM Choir always needs new people with a solid musical background, people who like our church music - traditional and modern - and would not require intensive instruction. Whether you are a singer - with the desire to use your professional or hobby-level skills - or play an instrument such as oboe, flute, saxophone, piano, electric or bass guitar, we will be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to make a contribution.
The German organist Herr Brück is scheduled to play for us only three Sundays a month (on the fourth Sunday or when he is on holiday we must arrange a substitute ourselves) and is not available for special occasions because he is playing at the German services. That is why the STM Choir is needed more often in church than officially scheduled.See you at our Community,
your STM Choir
SERVICE MUSIC INFORMATION SHEET
With so many different books in use at our services, it is easy to lose track, below is an overview of what books we have and how they are used:
Gather Comprehensive, second edition (used every Sunday - red card): This book contains the readings (the first number on the song board), the order of Mass (no. 134 onwards) and the songs and traditional hymns for Mass.
Blue folder (to be used every Sunday): To make it easier for everyone to join in the singing during Mass, we have compiled this folder of service music (kyrie, alleluia, memorial acclamation, sanctus, etc.). Here you will find the music and words for the prayers that are sung every Sunday and also those for "choir masses".
Glory & Praise (the hymns taken from this book are indicated by a maroon card): This book is mostly used at choir masses.
Today's Missal (the hymns taken from this book are indicated by a yellow card)
PLEASE RETURN ALL BOOKS TO THE BOOK TROLLEYS AFTER MASS
We hope that this information will help you find what you need in the various books. With a very few exceptions the music at Mass is for all to join in; the STM-Choir is there to support the congregation not to give a performance. We invite you to raise your voices with us and praise the Lord, because "He who sings prays twice."
