About the Choir

The Saint Anselm College Choir, under the direction of Fr. Bede Camera OSB, has won local renown for the musical and spiritual quality of its music. As the official choral group representing Saint Anselm College, it is appropriate to the Benedictine Tradition that the choir be primarily a liturgical choir.

The Choir is open to Saint Anselm students. Rehearsal and performance schedules are arranged in a way that respects the students' primary responsibility: i.e., attention to academic studies. The Choir, therefore, works with a limited amount of available rehearsal time, and seeks to produce the best music it possibly can within the time restraints necessary to allow Saint Anselm students a varied and balanced program of extracurricular and academic activities.

The Choir's repertoire includes the best of contemporary and traditional Christian music. Students are introduced to some of the great classics of Christian civilization, including Gregorian Chant, Palestrina, Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Tallis and others in addition to some of the finer contemporary works written primarily for the American Catholic Church. Members of the choir are given the opportunity to perform music that is often only available to students who are majoring in music in more specialized institutions.

As part of Saint Anselm College's Campus Ministry Program, the Choir seeks to help form Music Ministers with a sense of professional responsibility as well as a personal spirituality which both comes from the music and enhances the beauty of the sacred music that is sung "to the greater glory of God." The Choir sings at the weekly Sunday Choral Eucharist at 7 pm, on numerous special college Eucharistic Celebrations (such as the Opening of the School Year, Family Weekend, Confirmation and the Baccalaureat Mass.

The choir also performs two concerts each year: "DecemberSong" program of readings and song (the first Saturday night after Thanksgiving Break) and the Spring Concert (the first Saturday night after Easter.)

In addition, members of the choir who qualify are invited to become part of the Schola Missae, a select group of students and monks who sing at the monastic conventual Mass on Sunday mornings at 11 am.

The choir also sponsors a bi-annual European Concert Tour. The next scheduled tour will take place during Spring Break of 2010. The destination will be announced in December, 2008. You may also contact the tour manager (Robert Adrich) at choir@anselm.edu.