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PKOTUIXMeeting The Choir In The Borough O f Churches:Singing The PraisesBY MARY JO NEUBERGERThey are always heard, but often notseen. Every week their voices come out ofthe heavens and 10 or 12 of them can fill themost cavernous space with a carpet ofsound. They are not angels. They are themembers of your neighborhood church%u2019schoir.Each Sunday, churchgoers all acrossBrownstone Brooklyn hear choir music.They appreciate the intricate harmoniesand the majestic sound of the organ comingfrom the heights of the choir loft, but toooften the voices behind the melody remainfaceless. Yet they are not unlike the otherfaithful. They are young and old; marriedand single; deeply religious or simplymusical.At this busy time of year, these volunteersingers take time out which could be spentwith their families to provide their fellowparishioners with the seasonal music thatall have grown accustomed to. And thisweek, The Phoenix took a look at the spiritbehind these voices.%u201cThey come to get and to givesomething,%u201d says John DeNiro, choir director at St. Francis Xavier Church in ParkSlope. This Catholic parish is celebrating its100th anniversary this year, which forDeNiro and the choir members means a lotof extra work. Last Wednesday, the gfoupdidn%u2019t begin its regular weekly rehearsaluntil 9pm, after the Mass celebrating thefeast day of the church%u2019s patron saint.There were audible groans from tiredsingers, but the 15-member group stayed onto practice for the coming week.BUSY WITH COMMITMENTSChoirs at Grace Episcopal Church inBrooklyn Heights and at the Old FirstReformed Church in Park Slope are alsopreparing for special performances. Andwhile most of the members are busy withfamilies, careers and other commitments,none seem too busy at this special time toput in the extra effort to create a reallyspecial show of music.Often the work of a choir member isabove and beyond the call of duty. SusanSturman of Carroll Street in Park Slope hasa job in Tarrytown in conference sales. Shecan%u2019t make every rehearsal at GraceEpiscopal Church, but when she%u2019s there herheart and soul are there with her. Whenanother member was sick last week, SusanAt O ld F irs t Reform C hurch, D irector Jeanne Lowe prepares th e choir for a p e rform ance of W illia m B illing%u2019s %u201cThe C hristm as Story(P h oenix/N euberger Photos)I sang in high school and in the shower. I missedsinging and I'm not what you would call a terrificCatholic. This lets me be a part of it.A lthough th eir m usic fills the church and th eir voices can be heard from every pew , choirm em bers at St. Francis Xavier are ensconced in the high loft, th eir faces rarely seen.stayed and took her place in an extra practice after the regular two hour rehearsal.Why do they do it? Because they want tosing. %u201cI love it, I wouldn%u2019t miss it roiworld,%u201d says Jerry Kapantry of Old First.Although the choir is flourishing today, withover 15 members, Kapantry remembersthings were different when she joined tenyears ago. %u201cThey had to pay the three people who sang,%u201d die says, laughing.Often the people in the choir are involvedbecause they are picking up something theyhaven%u2019t done for years. %u201cI sang in highschool and in the shower,%u201d says Ursula Bernard of St. Francis Xavier, a teacher andBoston native. %u201cI missed singing and I%u2019mnot what you would call a %u2018terrific Catholic%u2019%u2014 this lets me be a part of it.%u201dStephen DeFrancesco started his vocaltraining in the chorus at his public school.%u201cI was sitting in the congregation listeningand appreciating for two years before I actually joined,%u201d says the man who works asgraphic designer at Long Island CollegeHospital. DeFrancesco, who cites%u201cmusical%u201d as well as %u2018%u2019spriritual reasons%u201dfor singing, says he chose Grace Churchlargely because of the type of music sungthere. %u201cThe range is expansive, unlike a lotof other Episcopalian churches where themusic can be dry and Anglican,%u201d he says.Some choir members have strong emoContinued on Page 22Local Places Of Worship Celebrate The Season With Music And MoreFrom churches to synagogues to concerthalls, the spirit of the season will be%u2022reflected in special musical services andperformances. The diverse communities ofBrownstone Brooklyn offer a host of musicevents to ring in the holidays, from Bach atthe Barge to carolling through the Heightsto an Israeli singing sensation. So whateveryour persuasion, take your pick and enjoy.O L D FIR S T R E F O R M E D C H U R C H : Thechurch choir will sing W illiam B illing%u2019s %u201cTheC hristm as S to ry%u201d D ecem ber 14 at 3pm . Caroling for everyone fo llow s the perform ance. Thec h o ir%u2019s C hristm as Eve program w ill begin at8pm Dec. 2 4 .1 2 6 S eventh Avenue, 638-8300.LAFAYETTE AVE. P R E S B Y TE R IA N :O rganist Dr. Sisler and choir perform Sisler%u2019sa nthem %u201cW ho Is This That C om es?%u201d Dec. 14,10:30am . C hristm as M usic w ith harp, violin,cello, organ, soloists and chorus, D ec. 21,10:30am . M usical service follow ed by carolsinging on the streets, Dec. 24, 7pm . Carolsfor dancing, w ith tw o dancers from Radio CityM usic H all, Dec. 2 8 , 10:30am. 85 S. O xford St.625-7515.G A R D E N M E S S IA H : Brooklyn Philharm onicC horus perform s Part I of H andel%u2019s%u201c M essiah,\C horus. Dec. 14, 3pm . Brooklyn B otanicG arden A uditorium . 1000 W ashington Ave.,622-4433. $3.s N A i i n i c i i r * l i t u c c n c D O .Tom pkins C ongregational Church features theC hristm as portion of H an d e l%u2019s \Dec. 14, 4pm . E. 19th St. and D orchester Rd. Afree w ill offering is appreciated. 282-5353.G R A C E C H U R C H : G race Episcopal ChurchC hoir perform s A dvent Choral Even Song,D ec. 14, 4pm . 254 Hicks St. at G race Court.624-1850.ST. F R A N C IS XAVIER RC C H U R C H :Lessons and Carols. Dec. 14, 4pm . C oncert ofcarols fo llo w ed by m idnight m ass, Dec. 24,11:15pm. 225 Sixth Ave. 638-1880.C A N D L E L IG H T PAGEANT: C adm anM em orial C ongregational C hurch presentstraditional m usic with narrative and pageantduring annual C hristm as C andlelight Service,D ec. 14, 4pm . C hristm as H ym n Sing, withcarol singing and refreshm ents, Dec. 20,7:30pm . 350 C linton Ave. 857-9765.P LY M O U TH C H U R C H O F P ILG R IM S : YouthG roup m ee ts at church to go caroling, Dec.14, 5pm. F a m ily C hristm as Service, with tw ochildren%u2019s choirs and Plym outh Choir, Dec. 21,11am. C andleligh t Carol Service, Dec. 21, 4pm.75 Hicks S t. 624-4743.ST. M A R Y STAR OF T H E SEA: Festival oflessons and carols, follow ed by lighting ofParish C h ristm as tree, D ec. 14, 3pm . Carolsbefore m id n ig h t mass. D ec. 2 4 , 11:30pm. 467C ourt St. 625-2270.HOLY N A M E RC C H U R C H : Service ofLessons and Carols for A dvent, Dec. 16,7:30pm. C hristm as m usic and Festival Mass,D ec. 2 4 ,11:30pm. 243 Prospect Park W est.768-3007.BLESS T R E E AND C A R O L: Q ueen of AllS aints R.C. C hurch holds Tree B lessing at5pm M ass, follow ed by carolling inneighborhood. Dec. 20. 300 Vanderbilt Ave.857-9765.m u'SEijm C C itC c m : Siavic A n s cnsem oieperform s C hristm as concert of Slavic com %u00adposers in B A C A Sunday C oncert Series. Dec.2 1 ,1:30pm. 3rd floor lecture hall, BrooklynM useum . Free. 783-3077.G A R D EN C H A M B ER : N ew York C ham berO rchestra perform s All Bach Program ForHolidays. Dec. 21, 3pm. Brooklyn B otanicGarden A uditorium . $2,-seniors 50 c en ts,children under 7 not adm itted.FIRST P R ESB YTER IA N C H U R C H :Christm as concert with choir, harp and stringorchestra, perform ing %u201c In Terra Pax%u201d byGerald Finzi. Dec. 2 1 ,11am during service. 124Henry St. 624-3900.ST. A N N A N D TH E H O LY T R IN IT YEPISCOPAL: Perform ance of oratorio, %u201cTheN ativity of O u r Lord,%u201d with M arc-A n toineC harpentier and baroque strings, D ec. 21, at11am service. C aroling in Brooklyn H eights,Dec. 24, 9:45pm . M eet at church. FestivalChoral Eucharist, traditional carols, w ithtrum pet, organ and choir, Dec. 24, 10:45pm.122 Pierrepont S t. 875-6960.B A R G EM U SIC : Bargem usic presentscham ber m usic concert of B randenberg Concertos No. 1, 2 and 4. Dec. 21, 4pm and7:30pm; Dec. 24, 4pm. Fulton Ferry Landing,under Brooklyn Bridge. $25. 624-4061.M ETR O PO LITA N C O M M U N IT Y C H U R C H :Church of lesbian and gay co m m u n ity holdsChristm as Sunday Service, with candleligh tand carol service and Advent m usic on pipeorgan and o th er instrum ents. Dec. 21, 5pm.Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church, 85 S. Oxford St. 596-0191.C O N TE M P O R A R Y C H O R U S: The BrooklynC ontem porary C horus presents its C hristm asConcert and Sing in the parlours at C adm anMem orial C hurch. Dec. 21, 4pm . 350 C lintonA __________ .BRIDGE S T R E E T A FR IC A N M E T H O D IS TC H U R C H : C hurch Chancel C hoir C hristm asSpectacular, w ith Peter Archer, trum peter;Darrell Chaplin, flutist; N ellie Bailey, m ezzosoprano; O g retta Brown, soprano; A rn e ttaHendricks, soprano; Sharon JonesStenhou se, organist, and Ensem ble Sapia.D ec. 2 1 ,4pm . 277 Stuyvesant Ave. Free.452-3936C H R IS T C H U R C H A N D H O LY FAMILY: TheW ah n fried C ham ber O rchestra and sopranoK ath erin e Turner perform program of Haydn,M o za rt, W agner and Tchaikovsky in benefitc o n ce rt, Dec. 14, 4pm . $10, seniors and kidsu n d e r $12 $5. Service of Lessons and Carolsw ith traditional Advent hym ns. Dec. 21,10:30pm . Organ recital and carol sing, Dec. 24,10:30pm . 326 C linton St. 624-0083.ST. PAUL%u2019S EPISCO PAL C H U R C H :C h ristm as Eve carols, Dec. 24, 9pm follow ing8 p m service. 199 Carroll St. 625-4126.A t T h e S y n a g o g u e s :_____________B R O O K LY N H E IG H T S SYN AG O G UE:C hanu kah service, with choir perform ance.D ec . 26, 6:30pm. 117 R em sen St. 522-2070.C O N G R E G A TIO N B E TH ELO H IM :C hanu kah C andlelight Service, with lightingo f m enorah and C hanukah m elodies. Dec. 26,8:15pm . Eighth Ave. and G arfield PI. 768-3814.U N IO N TEM PLE: C hanukah Fam ily ServiceD inner, Dec. 26, 6pm; concert by C antor AveryT ra ch t, 8pm; Israeli dancing led by Judy F rie d %u00adm an , 9pm. 17 Eastern Pkwy. 638-7600.C O N G R E G A TIO N MT. SIN A I: Sabbath andC hanukah service, w ith m usical program ledby C antor Tyrone Bauer. Dec. 27, 10pm. 250C a d m a n P la 7 a VA/p <5*O C E A N PARKWAY J E W IS H CENTER :C hanu kah concert with singer Gadi Elon andA n d y Statm an Klezm er Band. Dec. 28, 2:30pm .5 50 Ocean Pkwy. $9, $7. GE6-4900.D ecem ber 11, 1986, T H E P H O E N IX , Page 21