Musicians, singers share talents at St. Cecilia Sing

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Musicians across the Diocese of Jefferson City gathered in the Cathedral of St. Joseph to share their talents on Sunday, Nov. 24.

And “he who sings prays twice,” according to St. Augustine.

About 75 people attended this year’s St. Cecilia Sing event, sponsored by the local chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) in honor of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music.

A lively group of performers participated.

“We just gather and we have a little prayer service,” said Laura Forbis St. Clair, NPM chapter director for the Jefferson City Diocese. “It’s a judgment-free zone. We just do music and invite the assembly to sing with us if they wish.”

Deacon Raymond Purvis, who assists the pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Jefferson City, led a short prayer service and gave a blessing to all the pastoral musicians who were present.

Mrs. St. Clair said this year’s event featured more contemporary music than it has in the past.

There were guitar players, a pianist, a harpist, a children’s choir and classical music performed by a professionally-trained opera singer, among others.

Musicians and music ministers came from throughout the diocese.

Roxanne Bly sat in the audience with her mother, Ernestine Spruce.

“It was amazing,” Mrs. Bly said, noting the harpist played an original piece. “It’s surprising, the amount of talent that we have in the diocese, and the diversity of the talent. It was neat.”

Devin Koelling, a member of St. Margaret of Antioch Parish in Osage Bend, performed two songs on his guitar. He said it was the first St. Cecilia Sing he’s been to.

“The variety was pretty sweet to see,” Mr. Koelling stated. “I’ve never seen a harp live before, that was pretty sweet.”

Mr. Koelling performed “10,000 Reasons” and “Christ In Me Arise,” which he said are among his favorite “newer, more contemporary tunes.”

He said music puts him in the right headspace to worship and pray.

Eileen Shafer performed two songs on the harp: one from her “great-grandteacher” and the other an original she composed. She’s been playing for 10 years, and professionally for about two.

Ms. Shafer said performing in the St. Cecilia Sing was a natural fit.

“St. Cecilia is often shown playing the harp, so I wanted to make sure we had a harp there,” she said.

Based in Jefferson City, Ms. Shafer said her original composition relates to the life cycles of sea turtles in Costa Rica, but it tracks nicely to a person’s journey in faith.

“It only seemed fitting to play it and share it with everybody that was here today,” she said.

Ms. Shafer said many in the audience told her they weren’t expecting to hear a harp.

“I’ve had a surprisingly large number of people over the years say they’ve never seen a harp in person before until they heard me play,” she said. “And I want to be able to bring the harp to everybody because it is such a wonderful instrument.”

Eleanor Green and Julie Reinke, two members of the St. Francis Xavier Expressions Youth Choir from Taos, said it was their first exposure to the harp.

“It was a real experience,” Ms. Reinke said.

Mr. Pivoney is assistant city editor for the Jefferson City News-Tribune (newstribune.com). This version of his report, originally published Nov. 25 in the News-Tribune, is published here with permission.