Music Ministries

Groups of men and women singing together to praise God have been a part of the Church's worship experience since people first gathered at the table of the Lord. St. Paul's has several different choirs that add greatly to its liturgies.

Ernie Andreoli, the Director of Music, directs all choirs with the exception of the Children's Choir. In addition, Ernie selects the music used at Sunday liturgies and plays for weddings and funerals held in the church. Ernie also organizes and runs various music camps during the summer months.
 
Contact Ernie through the church (609 - 924-1743 x117) or via email at eandreoli@stpaulsofprinceton.org.

 

Cantors/Leaders of Song welcome the congregation to Mass, announce the music, rehearse new music with the congregation, lead the songs during the liturgy while encouraging the congregation to participate, and sing the psalm for the Mass. If you have a good voice, can read music, and are comfortable singing and speaking before an audience, please consider helping to lead the music at our liturgies.

 

The Adult Choir welcomes all adults of the parish and high-school upper-classmen. The Choir is always looking for new members who not only sing but who also enjoy the camaraderie and fun that is a large part of this ministry. The choir practices every Thursday at 8 pm in the Choir Loft of the church, and sings for the 10 am Mass on all but one Sunday each month. It also sings at the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and for other, selected liturgical events during the year.

 

The Contemporary Ensemble sings both traditional as well as more contemporary hymns and songs at Mass, using guitars, keyboards, flutes and recorders for accompaniment. The Ensemble can find a place for any level of mastery of instrument or voice and encourages teens, adults and the young-at-heart to join them. The ensemble practices with the adult choir every Thursday at 8 pm in the Choir Loft of the church, and helps lead songs once each month at the 5:30 pm Mass on Saturdays.

 

Bell choirs have been part of the church's worship for hundreds of years and are a beautiful addition to the music liturgy. In Bell Choirs, each small bell is hand-held and is tuned to play a particular note. (You can hold and play up to four bells at a time.) Illustrating how to hold and play the bells are (l-r) Lincoln Kerney, Mary Margaret Andreoli, Ernie Andreoli and Beth Meagher. The handbells are rung to the same tune as the music and thus accompany it. So if you can't sing, but love music--particularly if you can read music--a bell choir may be just your cup of tea!
 

Ernie has formed both a children's bell choir and an adult bell choir. If you'd like to learn to play handbells, call Ernie Andreoli at 924-1743 x 117 or email him at eandreoli@stpaulsofprinceton.org.
 

The Youth Group band is open to all high school and college students in the parish, with any musical abilities (singers or instrumentalists). They sing at the 5 pm Youth Mass, featuring Christian rock and other upbeat selections.

The Children's Choir is directed by Carole Moore and is made up of sixty boys and girls in grades three through eight, from the parish (public, private and homeschool). These children come to the choir ready to share their vocal talents in the mission of spreading the word of God. The choir practices during the school year every Monday night in the choir loft from 5:45 to 7:00pm. The choir sings for monthly 10am Masses and also serves the church by singing for other Masses and events as called upon.

The Children's Choir also has an offshoot choir called the St. Paul's Girl Choir, directed by Lauren Ketterer. This choir is made up of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade girls from the Children's Choir and they rehearse in the loft after Children's Choir practices from 7:00-7:30. This choir sings special pieces at Children's Choir Masses and also serves the church by singing for other events as called upon.

For more information regarding the Children's Choir, please email Carole Moore at carolemoore@patmedia.net.

Would you like to hear the choir?
We have some RealAudio clips you can listen to.

One clip is Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me by the Children's Choir, while the other is the Girl's Choir singing "Lux Aeterna".

(These clips are in RealPlayer (.RA and .RAM) formats. If you don't have RealPlayer, you can download for free by going to www.Real.com.)