Music Ministries

MUSIC MINISTRIES

Immaculate Conception Church is blessed to have an abundance of talented individuals who provide varied styles of music for the church's liturgies. John C. Barnes serves as the church's Director of Sacred Music.

TRADITIONAL CHOIR

The traditional choir is a semi-professional ensemble of long-time volunteer singers joined by professional choral scholars. The choir repertoire includes a wide range of music from the great classics of choral literature to works of modern composers, as well as various musical settings for the Mass. The choir sings at the 9:00am. Sunday Mass from September through Pentecost Sunday, Holy Days of Obligation, the Sacred Triduum of Holy Week and a sacred concert preceding the Christmas Eve Solemn Mass. Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30pm. Individuals who have a nice voice and the ability to read music, who are interested in joining the choir are invited to contact our Director of Sacred Music to audition.

CONTEMPORARY CHOIR

The contemporary choir focuses on music with a modern rhythm and structure accompanied by guitars, keyboards and drums. The contemporary choir repertoire includes songs written in the 1970's up to those of current composers which have attracted the attention of today's young people. Membership in the contemporary choir varies in age from youth to senior citizens. The only requirements to join the contemporary choir is to have some musical ability, show up for practice and have a heart ready to praise God. The choir sings at the 11 :00am Mass on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month with rehearsals preceding the Mass. Those interested in joining the contemporary choir are invited to contact Mark Ellman at 417-343-2383.

CANTORS

Cantors are ministers of music who leads the assembly in singing hymns, psalms and responses at Mass. The music selected for Masses is provided to cantors ahead of time. They rehearse with the Director of Music 30 minutes before the Mass. Individuals who read music and have a nice voice, interested in serving as cantors are invited to contact our Director of Sacred Music.

THE ORGAN

The organ in Immaculate Conception Church is one of the largest and most versatile organs in Springfield. The 21-rank Schantz pipe organ was installed in 1981. In 2022, the church installed a Rodgers Hybrid digital organ of three manuals and pedalboard with the capability of duplicating literally hundreds of ranks of pipes. The digital organ is married to the existing pipe organ.