The music program of the Brisbane Oratory in Formation is dedicated to promoting and preserving the rich tradition of the Sacred Music of the Catholic Church. Our music program is inspired by St Philip Neri, who founded the Oratory in Rome in the 16th century promoting and restoring sacred music to help people come to experience God through the beauty of music.
In keeping with the directives of Vatican II and the tradition of the Church we promote Gregorian Chant and sacred polyphony, and utilise the organ, which are at the heart of the Latin Church’s musical tradition. We promote both the Latin language heritage of the Church as well as sacred works in the English language. In accordance with the long held desire of the Church we encourage congregational participation in the Ordinary Chants of the Mass.
Our choirs include the Mary Immaculate Parish Choir, directed by Eleanor Adeney, and composed of volunteer singers, which sings ancient texts of the Latin Mass in Gregorian Chant, sacred polyphony, motets, and hymns on Sundays and Feast Days. We also have our professional Brisbane Oratory Vespers Schola, also directed by Eleanor Adeney, which enriches our weekly Sunday Vespers with Latin psalmody, ancient hymns, polyphonic music, new and old in a range of languages and styles. On occasion the Vespers Schola also sings for High Mass on certain Feast Days. We also have a Sunday English Mass with traditional hymns, including Australian compositions in a traditional style such as Richard Connolly, with our cantor Eva-Marie Perissinotto. All of these are accompanied by our professional organist Peter Gasparin who skilfully accompanies our chant, supports congregational singing, and enriches our music program with his improvisation and musical pieces.
In addition, we have the men’s Immaculate Heart Schola, who sing unaccompanied Gregorian Chant on First Saturdays in honour of Our Lady, and we also have a the Frassati Choir composed of young men and women who sing for the Frassati Mass on Monday nights.
Our aim is to provide opportunities for people to experience the beauty and solemnity of this music, deepen their spiritual lives through contemplation, and support Western musical heritage by maintaining its foundations.
Our music program is lead by Br Tyson as Prefect of Music representing the Fathers and Brothers of the Brisbane Oratory, and Eleanor Adeney as Director of Music, assisted by our Organist Mr Peter Gasparin.
A Children’s Choir and Oratory Chorale is in development and we look forward to them starting to sing in 2024, and we hope to expand this further in the coming years. We look forward to a growing ability to encourage and provide opportunities to both volunteer and professional singers and expand our possibilities for both Chant in general and Polyphonic Masses. In the future, we would like to have the ability to fund scholarships in both voice and organ.
Throughout the year, we also hold Musical Oratories that showcase various kinds of religious music. These events are free admission and provide a unique opportunity for all to experience the beauty and majesty of religious music.
We run workshops in Gregorian chant to encourage congregational singing and promote this heritage of the Church. We hope to expand this educational component with further instruction in music theory to encourage musical literacy in general.
Contribute to our program
Make a donation
If you share our passion for sacred music and wish to contribute to our program you can make use of our music envelopes in the church or give electronically. Annerley Ekibin Catholic Parish BSB: 064 786 ACC 100018402. Please reference: MUSIC/Surname. If you do make a donation, we would love to hear from you so we can add you to our benefactors list.
