MUSIC MINISTRY Rev. Aaron T. Vellaramparampil,Pastor Frank Scafuri, Minister of Music The Music Ministry of the Church of St. Rocco serves the parishioners in both English and Italian. For the past 8 years, director Frank Scafuri has developed and sustained 5 choirs, trained 10 cantors (English and Italian,)and acquired 5 volunteer instrumentalists for the Children's Choir and Italian Mass. Musical preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation are part of the curriculum for Religious Education. Beginning in September, The Children's Choir(20 + singers) rehearse weekly from 5:00pm to 5:30 each Wednesday. They participate at the 10:15 am Mass on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month. The Choir participates in the Annual Lessons and Carols Holiday Program. In May, the children are acknowledged at Mass, are given Music Ministry Certificates and conclude with an outing (weather permitting) at Adventureland. The English Choir and the Italian Choir ( 15 singers) rehearse weekly each Wednesday from 6:45pm to 8:45pm from September to June. They participate ( in English) at the Sunday 10: 15am Mass the first Sunday of the month. The Italian Choir and the English Choir participate at the Italian Mass at 8:45am on the fourth Sunday of the month from September to June. The English Choir is becoming well versed in singing in Italian. Quite often, bi-lingual hymns are sung at Mass. Both choirs combine with additional singers to form the Festival Choir (21 singers) for Feast Day Masses throughout the year. The additional singers are parishioners whose schedule limits their time to only being able to . sing occasionally. Those occasions welcome the added voices in the concert presentation of the Annual Lessons and Carols Holiday Concert, Christmas Caroling to the homebound as well as Midnight Mass and the Easter Vigil. The Music Ministry gathers together in June for its' annual end of the year dinner where fun, food and song are prevalent. Volunteer Cantors are trained for approximately one month. They learn how to lead the congregation as well receive vocal training focusing in on breathing, posture and interpretation. The Shepherd Nursery School known as the" Cherub Choir," has the opportunity to participate in the Annual Lessons and Carols Holiday Concert. The Music of St. Rocco Concert Series was established in August 2005.We host 6 concerts throughout the Fall and Spring. presenting a variety of classical and lighter music in the way of opera, orchestral, choral, vocal trios and string chamber music. Thus far we have presented: The Hofstra String Quartet, Magnificat ( I Rutter) and Messiah(Handel) performed by the North Shore Community Chorus, Magnificat ( J.S.Bach ) performed by the St. Ignatius Choral Society. The St. Agnes Cathedral Men and Boys Choir and the Annual Lessons and Carols Holiday Concert featuring the Music Ministry of the Church of St. Rocco.