Music Ministry

Mib will regularly send email schedule updates to all music ministry participants including specific upcoming music and, when applicable, will include U-Tube links to exciting new pieces to help introduce them.  

Change for Senior Choir Schedule: We're trying something different this year - the senior choir (open to teens and adults of all ages) will practice on Wednesday nights at 7:30 - alternate weeks to be joined by the Praise Team - and will have a schedule in advance a specific new music that we're learning, along with wonderful old favorites.  We will also sing select weeks in alternation with small ensembles other weeks to allow plenty of time to learn and feel confident with music - and CD's can certainly be made available of music for the coming year.  Please consider joining us!  The schedule will be made available in print, on the web page, and by email. 

Sight Singing Classes will continue- ramp up your sight singing! Offered as a way to help singers of all ages feel more confident as they learn music.

Cantor Workshops - special sessions for new and existing cantors on standard repertoire for weddings, funerals, and church in general.  When brides ask about vocalists, Mib encourages them to come to Mass in order to hear the wonderful variety of talent available within the parish.  Volunteering to sing in church can possibly lead to nice paying gigs! 

Sunday Evening 5 p.m. Youth Mass - Teens needed for music here, too!  Our very talented school music teacher Mary Jo Springer is heading up a contemporary music group for this mass which will be held every week in October and November, and thereafter the schedule will be determined.    

Current Schedule:

Little Angels -3-5 year olds -Practice Wednesdays at 6:00 PM.

Praising Angels -1st through 4th grades. Practice Wednesdays at 6:30 PM

Middle School Ensemble -5th though 8th grades. Voices & instruments
welcome, meet alternate Wednesdays at 7:30 PM.

Praise Team -Middle School through adult plus guitars, percussion, etc. We provide music for the 5PM Mass the 1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month. Practice is 7:30 PM the Wednesday before the scheduled Mass.

Handbell Choir-Teens and adults meet 7 - 8:00 pm Thursdays. No experience necessary but reading music is very helpful.  If you are interested in our Handbell Choir , please contact our choir director or just show up at practice.

Senior Choir -Teens and adults are welcome. Meets 7:30 PM on Wednesdays (see above). Male voices especially needed.  We are trying to provide more time to learn repertoire, the choir sings for select Masses through the year, and individual cantors are needed for non-choir Sundays.


If you have any questions or would like to join us, please feel free to contact our director Mary ‘Mib’ Campbell at sunflowerangels@verizon.net or 484-995-6110.

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Our Basil Ringers Hand Bell Choir is a wonderful group of teens and adults, many of whom have been playing together for over 10 years.  We began learning with 4 octaves of Suzuki Tone Chimes, and a few years later were greatly blessed with the very generous gift of 4 octaves of Schulmerich Bells.  We accompany hymns and liturgy, as well as learning bell repertoire.  Here we are practicing two of our old favorites :

Listen to the setting of Psalm 23 by John Rutter written for Chorus, Oboe and Harp.  This began our concert which included the Faure Requiem.  We presented this with community choir and small orchestra for the Month of All Souls at St. Basils on November 14, 2010.

Mib serves as the editor of the newsletter of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.  Quite often she's had occasion to use photos from our parish in the publication, or has referenced members of our music ministry.  To see Crescendo visit this link:  http://www.agophila.org/pages/crescendo.html  and view issues from September 2010 forward.