Sacred Music

About Sacred Music at the Basilica

At all our sung Masses at the Basilica, we have the common objective of offering sacred music that fulfills the vision and standards of the Catholic Church, especially as handed down by the Second Vatican Council.

Coronavirus Pandemic and Singing for Mass

In recent years and we have enjoyed singing together in large numbers that filled the choir loft, and with separate choirs to support the different Mass times. Because of the current pandemic, we have reconfigured our music program to offer a rotation of cantors and SATB quartets to sing for all our Masses.

We have been committed to health and safety measures during the pandemic, including:  wide social distancing; temperature, symptom, and COVID exposure questions prior to entering; use of sanitizer and cleaning of chairs and microphones before and after meeting; and rehearsing outdoors when the weather allows.  We also do not share sheet music, and we rehearse as individuals with practice aids provided, so to reduce the amount of group rehearsal time required. (Some of these measures have been phased out now that the vaccine is widely available.)

Choirs of the Basilica

The information about our established ensembles (Basilica Choir, Gloria Dei Schola, and Hispanic Coro) is included below for historical purposes. Because of the social distancing considerations during the pandemic, and the recent change in Mass schedules, with the addition of the Extraordinary Form, our Basilica choirs are currently unified, rehearsing on Thursday evenings and singing in quartet formations at the varying Masses over the weekend. Our long-term choir configuration is unknown for now, but it will be however God leads our parish.

• At our 5:30pm and 9:00am English Masses, and our 11:30 am Extraordinary Form Mass and on holy days and designated basilica celebrations, our Gloria Dei Schola, directed by Maria Rist, leads the singing of the Ordinary, a selection of chant and choral Propers, and congregational hymns. They also offer a selection of polyphonic motets and other sacred choral music at each Mass. The pipe organ is played, and occasionally other instruments are played, as appropriate to the season. This advanced ensemble accepts singers who can commit to regularly singing one of the weekend Masses. Balance among the choral parts is important in this ensemble, and thus at certain times, this group may invite new singers for certain voice parts (i.e., soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). Attendance at a intense weekly Thursday rehearsal from 6:30 - 9:00pm is required, as well as the commitment to learn one's own part between rehearsals. The ability to match pitch and blend in the choir is essential. Due to the challenging repertory of music, some ability to read music (in either chant or modern notation) is important. Sight-singing skills and vocal technique will be developed and improved by participation in this ensemble. Also, audio samples are provided for most of the music to aid in learning.

• Our 1:30 pm Sunday principal Spanish sung Mass in the Ordinary Form normally has a choir of enthusiastic singers and instrumentalists of all ages and chants the Ordinary and Propers of the Mass as well as a selection of Spanish language hymns and the Ordinary of the Mass. This choir leads our Hispanic congregation to sing the traditional music of the Church, including Missa Jubilate Deo, Pater Noster, and Missa de Angelis. 

• Our Jubilate Deo Youth Schola has class most Fridays at 4:30 p.m during the school year and participates in our parish life by singing regularly in the Sacred Liturgy and at other celebrations and devotions. All youth from grades 2 – 12 who can read words are welcome to participate in opportunity for learning, worship, and fellowship.

• Combined Choirs - On certain days, our choirs join together to bring our fullest offering of sacred music to the celebration. These celebrations include the Sacrament of Confirmation, First Holy Communion, parish anniversaries, the Corpus Christ Eucharistic procession, anniversary Masses, and some holy days.

• Music Education - Our Jubilate Deo Youth Schola classes incorporate music lessons. The Basilica has begun to offer occasional adult music classes in sight singing. Private piano and organ lessons can also be arranged through our staff organist and professional music teacher, Andrea Tierney, at 423-243-6350. Private voice lessons can be arranged through our Choral Assistant,  Christine Palisoc, at 423-718-7000. 

The Pipe Organ

The historic Basilica pipe organ is the oldest three-manual organ in Chattanooga that is still in use. It is played at most of our sung Masses and frequently in concert. Barger & Nix Organ Company is the steward of our organ, having completed its most recent rebuilding, its full cleaning in 2019. At the conclusion of our sanctuary renovation in 2019, the organ was augmented by the addition of the two final ranks of pipes that had been planned for its design:  the trompettes and the clarinet. Read more about the Basilica organ here.

Sacred Music Concerts

• Another Short Virtual Piano Recital by Fr. Valentin Iurochkin (5/27/20)
• Sacred Songs of Paschaltide by our “Quarantine Quartet" (5/13/20)
• From the Heart of a Parish Organist - A Mini Virtual Organ Recital by Basilica Organist, Andrea Tierney (4/29/20)
• A Short Virtual Piano Recital by Fr. Valentin Iurochkin April 15, 2020 at 6pm
• POSTPONED (Date TBA) - The Mass: Across the Ages - Mozart Coronation Mass, Misa Criolla in Spanish, and more - with Chattanooga Girls Choir, McCallie Boys Choir, Voci Virili, Voice of Reason - donations accepted to benefit our historic Basilica "Under One Roof". 

• On August 6, 2017, Basilica organists Andrea Tierney and Cody Lawyer presented a recital of ancient chant settings through fiery twentieth century compositions. LISTEN HERE to Andrea Tierney's performance. LISTEN HERE to Cody Lawyer's performance.  
• Here is a clip of guest organist, Jim Fry, practicing before our 125th Anniversary organ recital: Trumpet Tune in D Major by David Johnson.
• The Basilica presented the Voci Virili Men’s Consort in a sacred music concert, A Capella Traditions, on Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 6:30 pm. This concert featured religious songs from different musical eras and cultural traditions, arranged for men’s voices. 
• LISTEN HERE to the Feb. 12 2017 VOCI VIRILI concert LISTEN to the conclusion of the concert 

Workshops and Community

• Southeastern Sacred Music hosts an annual summer sacred music workshop. The 2021 workshop is being held on August 20 & 21, 2021 at Our Lady of the Mountains in Jasper, Georgia.

• On August 15, 2015, we participated in the Southeastern Sacred Music workshop at  Our Lady of the Mountains Roman Catholic Church in Jasper, Georgia, less than 100 miles from the Basilica. Several parishioners from the Basilica and other parishes around the Diocese of Knoxville attended, along with 130 people from six states. Our own pastor, Fr. David Carter, gave a rousing keynote lecture. 

Click here for the written edition of Fr. Carter's keynote address:  Re-discovery of the Church's Sacred Tradition: II Kings 22. Here is a  report on the 8/15/15 sacred music workshop that was published on  Corpus Christi Watershed. 

Here are some more photos  photos from the Summer Sacred Music Workshop in Jasper, GA on August 15, 2015.

• Our Basilica hosted the Southeast Summer Sacred Music Workshop II on July 22-23! Click here for more information and to connect with Southeastern Sacred Music. 

• The Diocese of Knoxville has a new Music Commission, established by Bishop Stika and chaired by Glenn Kahler, Director of Music and Liturgy at Sacred Heart Cathedral. All parishes and Catholic schools of the diocese are represented. All music ministers of the diocese are encouraged to register with the commission via the dokmusic.org website, which contains a calendar of events, musician registry and forum, educational resources, and information about the new Adult Choir, Children's Choir, and Handbell Choir which is being formed to serve at diocesan liturgies and events, especially at the new Cathedral.

Learn More

To learn more about the music we sing at the Basilica and why we sing it, please visit our Joy of Tradition page. There you will find articles about the Church's current teachings on sacred music and our rich Catholic heritage of Gregorian chant and polyphony. Terms like the Sung Ordinary and Propers are explained here. And you can watch, listen, and learn the various settings of the Ordinary parts of the Mass that we sing as a congregation.

Please contact our Director of Sacred Music, Maria Rist, at 865-335-0588, or through the Contact button below, to learn more about sacred music at the Basilica or to discuss opportunities to contribute to the ministry.

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