MORE than 300 choir students from six Catholic primary schools united in harmony to celebrate the annual Jubilate Deo Choral Festival last month.
Performing for the seventh consecutive year, St Kieran’s, Brighton, St Anthony’s, Kedron, St Ambrose’s, Newmarket, St Pius’, Banyo and St Joseph’s, Bracken Ridge joined host school Southern Cross Catholic College, Scarborough, on September 12.
Staff, students, families, friends and community guests were entertained by an hour-long concert showcasing the voices of each choir, individual students and a culmination of all six schools.
Translated as “Sing praises to God, Alleluia”, Jubilate Deo is the concert’s premise, composed by German Renaissance composer Michael Praetorius.
Each choir comprised of students from Years 1 to 7.
But the children were no strangers to entertaining audiences, as each regularly performs at masses, liturgies, school events, Eisteddfods and community functions.
St Anthony’s choir teacher Alisen McCleod said students sang and behaved perfectly.
“We all had a lot of fun, singing and chatting to kids from other schools and making great music together.”
SCCC music teacher and conductor Shiree O’Brien said Jubilate Deo gave each singer the opportunity to participate in an activity that involved them artistically.
“It not only helps students develop their musicianship skills, but it builds a sense of community,” she said.
For many, the celebration peaked with the combined choirs’ inaugural performance of ‘Dugong, Gone, Gone’ – a conservation-themed song composed by Jan Smith and Debbie Sweetman from St Joseph’s School.
But energy levels remained high as the choirs went on to perform a repertoire of uplifting tunes such as, ‘Rockin’ Robin’, ‘A Simple Melody’, ‘Oh How Lovely is the Evening’, ‘I am Australian’, and the popular 2008 World Youth Day theme song, ‘Receive the Power’, originally sung by Australian Idol Guy Sebastian.
