CHOIR MEMBERS WANTED: St Mary’s Cathedral Children’s Choir is seeking new members. Pictured are some of the members of the children's choir.

By Michelle Crean

New members are the life blood of any organisation and for anyone interested in singing there’s an opportunity to join two local choirs.

St Mary’s Cathedral Choir and St Mary’s Cathedral Children’s Choir are both welcoming new members from Tuesday, September 10, when they resume their rehearsal schedule.
St Mary’s Cathedral Choir is a venerable institution spanning back over 150 years.

“A magnificent cathedral such as St Mary’s deserves a top-class choir,” Aidan O’ Carroll, Choral Director, told the Killarney Advertiser.

“Before I took over six years ago, I came incognito to hear the choir, being careful not to be spotted in the cathedral by members of the choir, many of whom I knew of old. I was impressed by the vocal quality and musicality of the singers and felt that I could really achieve something.”

The Cathedral Children’s Choir was established in October 2014 and is now entering its sixth year and boys and girls aged 8-12 are welcome.

“There is no audition and membership is entirely free. The children’s choir rehearses every Tuesday from 6.15 - 7pm in the cathedral choir room directly over the sacristy. Children learn a wide repertoire both liturgical and non-liturgical music and learn to read music, something which is very valuable in later life. The Children’s Choir also takes part in concerts in the cathedral and elsewhere.”

Aidan’s choral experience stretches back over 40 years. He was a member of St John’s Gregorian Choir in Tralee under Fr Pat Ahern and sang in the National Youth Choir and Madrigal 70 while in UCC. He also founded the Kerry Choral Union which is still going strong, and the Kerry Chamber Choir and Orchestra in 1992.
The Tralee CBS Boys’ Choir which he cofounded with Brother David O’Connell in 1982, and directed for 22 years, sang for Pope John Paul II and in many of Europe’s most prestigious Cathedrals – Westminster, Canterbury, Cologne, Antwerp and Liverpool and in the Irish College in Louvain.

“When I took over in the cathedral just before Easter 2013, I was thrown it at the deep end. I had three weeks to prepare the choir for the Easter ceremonies. Then there was the ordination of Ray Browne in July of the same year. After that I set about a programme of renewal in all aspects of the cathedral choir’s work. In this I got the wholehearted support of the choir members, organist Ulla Latimer, Librarian Peadar Keogh and, of course, Fr Kieran O’Brien and the other priests, as well as Bishop Ray Browne himself. The choir’s repertoire has been completely overhauled and expanded to close on 200 pieces.
The choir rehearses year-round, except August, in the choir gallery on Tuesday nights from 7 - 8.30pm and on Sunday mornings from 9.30 - 10.30am before singing at the 10.30 choral Mass. The choir has also undertaken a number of CD and DVD recording projects and has increased its non-liturgical performances and broadcasts.”

The cathedral also attracts quite a few visiting choirs from as far away as Australia and New Zealand and the United States. The cathedral choir often hosts joint performances with these, he added.
“The annual Carol Concert held in December has become an important event in the cultural life of the town.”

Anyone interested in trying out either choir can simply come along on Tuesday, September 10 at the appropriate time or call Aidan O’Carroll on 087 4103220.