Musicians, choristers and parishioners from across Sydney celebrated the Jubilee of Choirs with a combined festival of song on the Solemnity of Christ the King. Source: Broken Bay News.
Fostering unity and spiritual enrichment through the universal language of music, Broken Bay Cathedral music director Josh Willard invited choirs from the diocese and broader Sydney to be part of a festival of song to celebrate the Jubilee.
The concert included the Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral Choir, the Waitara Filipino Choir, St Patrick’s Children Choir, Holy Name Women’s Vocal Ensemble and a performance by Tonus Australis, a vocal ensemble led by international composer and conductor Antony Pitts.
The program also spoke of the history of sacred choral music from ancient Hebrew liturgical traditions to Gregorian Chant, the Medieval and Renaissance periods through to the Reformation, Baroque and Classical periods, Vatican II and the Modern Era.
A surprise inclusion on the night was a hymn written by Broken Bay Bishop Anthony Randazzo, Together on the Way. Set to music by Mr Willard, the hymn is inspired by the Emmaus story when two disciples were walking to Emmaus after Jesus’s crucifixion.
Jesus joins them on the journey, though the disciples do not initially recognise him. He explains the scriptures to them, and when they invite him to stay for a meal, their eyes are opened as he blesses and breaks bread, and they recognise him before he disappears.
Their sadness turns to joy, and they immediately return to Jerusalem to share the news.
“I am both humbled and grateful to Josh for providing a wonderful composition to my words,” Bishop Randazzo said.
“This has been a truly uplifting night that has shown how liturgical music is not only a service of faith and love but synodality within our Church.”
FULL STORY
Jubilee of Choirs – a Diocesan festival of song (Broken Bay News)
RELATED COVERAGE
Pope Leo: Choirs are called to be a sign of the Church’s unity (Vatican News)
