"Be Filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in Psalms and hymns and inspired Songs.
Sing to the Lord with all your hearts!"
Curtis Wallace
Director of Music | 407-628-2346 | [email protected]
Mark DuVall
Associate Director of Music | 407-998-5658 | [email protected]
The SMM Choir
They sing at the 9:30am Sunday Mass (and occasionally at other weekend Mass) and on special feast days, from September through May. Regular attendance at Wednesday evening rehearsals (7:00-8:30 pm) and Sunday Mass is an important and rewarding part of the choir’s ministry. The SMM Choir has made two pilgrimages to Italy (2003 and 2008), which included singing for Masses in St. Peter’s Basilica and at papal audiences with Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. Three CDs have been released: Sounds of Christmas, Taizé Prayer, and Jubilate Deo. All teenagers, as well as adults are welcome to join this hospitable group. For more information, please contact Mark DuVall or Curtis Wallace (see contact information above).
Sunday Evening Music Ensemble
This talented group of singers and instrumentalists ministers through contemporary-style music at the 6:00pm Sunday Mass. Meet us in the choir area of the church prior to the Sunday evening Mass; at 4:30pm when we will rehearse all the music that will be sung that evening.
The Sunday Evening Music Ensemble has given concerts and has taken their gift of music to several nursing homes in the area. They have released one CD, Praying with One Voice. Musical experience (other than the ability to carry a tune!) is not necessary and all ages are welcome.
Contact: Andrea Cavalere | 407-998-5678 | [email protected]
Family Choir
Sunday, April 14 at the 9:30am Mass
All parish children and teens, grades 2 thru high school, and their family members are invited to join us to sing at Mass that morning. Our young singers are welcome to bring any family member(s) they want… parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins… or any family combination! No one has to be a great singer. It’ll be a relaxed, judgement-free zone! There’s no mid-week rehearsal for this event. However, there will be a warm-up at 8:45am, right before the Mass. Sign up or direct your inquiries to Mark Duvall at [email protected].
About Music at St. Margaret Mary
St. Paul's message to the Church at Ephesus is timeless. When we assemble for worship, our singing of spiritual songs forms our personal faith and allows us to express together our common praise and thanks, our Spirit-guided hopes and aspirations, our profound love of God and each other.
The Music Ministry of St. Margaret Mary plays an important role in our Church's praise. It exists to support and enhance the song of the whole assembly, as well as to provide special music for contemplation and inspiration. The backbone of our parish music ministry consists of many dedicated people; adult choir singers, children’s choir singers, cantors, and instrumentalists.
St. Augustine said that those who sing pray twice. Our choir members and those who sing through their instruments would agree! Expressing prayer through music is both rewarding and challenging. Hard work, helpful instruction, a balanced exposure to music of many styles and levels of difficulty is both beneficial and enjoyable. The primary purpose of our parish music ministry it to enable the full, active participation of the congregation in the liturgy. The choir's singing, the instruments playing of hymns, refrains and acclamations is geared toward supporting, leading and enhancing the song of the whole church. It is encouraging when the church assembled for worship takes ownership of the music, singing out, knowing that even imperfect voices become part of a whole, beautiful sound.
A secondary, though important, function of our ministry is to provide music for listening. Instrumental music can communicate beyond words creating an atmosphere of prayer, celebration, repentance, adoration, meditation - whatever is appropriate. Choral music, with its combination of words, voices and accompaniment, can move the active listener (not to mention the singers) to a new, spiritual plane.
Taking all this into account, the aim of the Music Office is to do our part to provide our faith community with an oasis of prayer and praise, a retreat from the ups and downs of everyday life, and nourishment to go forth as disciples of Christ into the world.
The St. Margaret Mary Church Bells
To learn more about the bells in our bell tower, click here: https://stmargaretmary.org/smm-bells/