Santa Cecilia Choir
In compliance with the wishes of Dom Antonio Sebastião Valente, the Archbishop of Goa and the first Prelate to be conferred the title of Patriarch of the East Indies, the seminarians organised themselves into a choral society.
It was on 11 April 1897, that the first meeting of the choir was held in the hall of Dom Sebastião at the Rachol Seminary and was attended by the founder members: Msgr.
Today, this male TTBB Choir, presided over by the Rector of the Seminary, continues to function and dedicates itself to promoting the sacred heritage of music of the Catholic Church.
Following the directives given by the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, the Santa Cecilia Choir has stood out in preserving and developing the rich musical patrimony of the Catholic Church.
The Choir is proud of a rich repertoire of religious and secular music in Latin, English and the vernaculars: Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Mozart, Verdi, Schubert, Palestrina, Praglia, Rossini, Liberto, Martins, Xavier, Barreto, Paranjoti, etc.
Traditionally, every year, the Choir sings a solemn polyphonic mass in Latin, interspaced with Gregorian chant, on the occasion of the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Patron of the Seminary Church.
The Santa Cecilia Choir also featured at the Monte Festival of Music, Old Goa, in Feb. 2010[3] and the World Konkani Cultural Convention in Mangalore, in Dec.
Salvatore Pennacchio, on 19–20 April 2012, to New Delhi, to animate the singing at the solemn Eucharist and to present a Programme in honour of Pope Benedict XVI, on the 7th anniversary of His Pontificate.
[6] The Gregorian Chants and other soul-lifting liturgical hymns were greatly appreciated by the Apostolic Nuncio and by the Prelates and laity who participated in the Eucharist.
[7] On 1 November 2010, on the occasion of the inauguration of the Fourth Centenary Celebrations of the Seminary, the Choir led the congregation with soul-elevating renderings in Latin and Konkani.
It was a celestial moment when the Choir led the congregation in sing the Gloria taken from the sublime Missa De Angelis in Gregorian chant, with polyphonic choral responses composed by Msgr.
The Te Deum, sung in a polyphonic setting with the traditional Gregorian melody as refrain, proved to be a fitting finale of praise to the Most Holy Trinity for the 400 years of Rachol Seminary.
Setting off with Pater Noster in plain chant, the Cecilians rendered excerpts from famous Requiem works by renowned composers, ranging from the 18th to the 21st century: Introit and Kyrie (by Gabriel Fauré), Dies irae (by Franz von Suppé), Lacrimosa (by W. A. Mozart), Pie Iesu (by Luigi Cherubini), Lux aeterna (by Maurice Duruflé) and The Lord is my shepherd (by John Rutter).
Set to orchestra and choir in four voices, this composition was comparable to those of the masters, and unveiled the deep riches of the text which otherwise goes unnoticed and even unheard in the din of activity of funeral services when it is recited.
This album, produced by the Santa Cecilia Choir, showcases sacred music of several genres and styles, sung in Goa, during various periods of history.
On 19 April 2013, the Choir, presented a concert of sacred music in the [Sé Catedral] Cathedral Church at Old Goa, to commemorate the "Year of Faith 2012–2013", proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI and celebrated by Catholics worldworld.
The third part of the Musical Concert contained the Easter proclamation through the work of the reputed German composer L. van Beethoven – "Hallelujah Chorus" from Christus am Ölberge (Christ on the Mount of Olives).
