Fifty years ago in 1976, the Rev. Gino Marzola, then our associate pastor, had a dream to begin a small group to provide contemporary music from the sanctuary for the Saturday Vigil Mass.
He gathered young people from CYO who could play instruments or were willing to sing. CYO adult sponsors such as Mary and Joe Teti became very involved in supporting the singers accompanied by guitar, flutes and clarinets. Father Gino asked guitarist Karen Cichon (now Elacqua) and Peter Elacqua (pianist, vocalist) to lead the group. They had just graduated from SUNY Oswego that year.
Parishioner Angela Barresi (now Ferdula )soon joined the new group of about 20 people as did Jackie Mancuso (now Thibault), now a parish usher and whose husband, Bill, is one of our parish trustees.
“Peter had asked me to be part of this new chapter of music at Mount Carmel including guitars, flute and chimes,” Angela recalled. “I loved it. We were a little family, and we used to gather right on the altar until the group grew and then we were in the choir loft. I guess I still love it because you will find my husband and me cantoring the 8 o’clock (Sunday) Mass every week.”
Before the Rev. Joe Salerno was ordained, he was a formative member of the group helping it to understand the role of worship and the Sunday reading themes so it could plan appropriate music for each week. For several years before he was ordained into the priesthood, Father Joe was our first parish cantor, leading the assembly in song every week.
In the beginning …
The group, based in a guitar music repertoire from the late 1960s and early ’70s, was initially called a “Folk Group.” Liturgical music from that era was very inspired by creation and community themes. The Folk Group was highly encouraged by the parish (especially many senior citizens) and began to accept invitations to sing at other venues: hospitals, other churches, senior centers, Utica political events and regional seasonal celebrations. The group gave its first parish Advent / Christmas concert in 1977. In those early years, concerts also often included parish children, adolescents, adults and local musicians and artists not from our parish who loved being part of our presentations.
By the early to mid-1980s, the St. Louis Jesuits began composing a new wave of church music inspired by scripture. Their music had richer, complicated harmonies, more moderated and advanced tempos, and featured lyrics and melodies that remain in the mainstream of church music today — songs such as “Be Not Afraid,” “Like A Shepherd” and “Behold the Lamb of God.”
Our Folk Group then became a Folk Choir, differentiating it from the parish “Senior Choir.” New psalms encouraged more participation from the assembly. Vatican II had long encouraged these changes, and Mount Carmel led the way in our area for the vision of Pope St. John XXIII. Our Folk Choir merged Gregorian chant and traditional Latin Mass parts and music into its repertoire. That has never ceased even to this day.
The decades of the 1990s and afterward witnessed significant developments in church music. Writers such as Marty Haugen, Bob Hurd, David Haas and Rory Cooney added theological interpretation to scripture. Their lyrics and music challenge and inspire us today.
This music opened church doors to many other instruments including piano, organ, percussion, strings, woodwinds and brass. Surviving even until now are parish favorites such as “Here I Am Lord,” “All Are Welcome,” “You Are Mine,” “Jerusalem My Destiny,” “Covenant Hymn,” “We Will Serve The Lord,” “Eye Has Not Seen,” “Shepherd Me O God,” “Gather Us In,” “We Walk By Faith” and “We Are Many Parts.”
Peter, Karen and many choir members attended several national conferences and workshops for liturgical music. There, they gained a deeper understanding of the need for good inspiring music to create beautiful and memorable worship experiences.
Parental guidance
When the Folk Group was formed, Mary Teti and her husband, Joe, were fully on board.
“My husband, Joe, and our three children were all in the original full group,” Mary said. “Joe played sax and clarinet. Our son Joey Jr. played the guitar. Donna played the flute and Fred played the guitar.”
Oftentimes, Mary would host the group in her home.
“I organized gatherings — for example, always having dessert in the CYO room after Holy Thursday concerts,” she recalled. “We had gatherings at our home, filled with singing, eating, friendship and holy Mass with all of us as a unit gathered in prayer and song.”
Mary said the dedication of the youth of the parish made the Folk Group the foundation of what today is the Music Ministry.
“The Folk Group brought together a dream of Father Gino,” she said. “It brought together a group of teenagers and CYO members, CCD teachers, teen Mass lectors and volunteers and much more. This was a time when the youth of our parish were very involved, and the folk group was like the culmination of all the efforts. These teens were dedicated, happy thoughtful, young adults who personified what being a young Catholic was. Their friendship and dedication were something to behold and look up to and appreciate.”
One of those teens, Maria Nole (now Sportelli), said she will never forget the summer of 1978.
“I was 14 and about to start high school when I decided to volunteer for the annual church festival,” she said. “Someone suggested I join the Folk Group, and looking back, it was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
She said they practiced every Sunday night, and those four years of singing with the group were a blessing and helped shape her into the adult she is today.
“I met so many wonderful people, like Peter and his brothers. They were all so talented either singing or playing a musical instrument,” Maria said. “Not only were we friends, but they were like a second family to me.
“Being a choir member gave me the confidence to eventually sing solo at competitions and for the weddings and funerals of those I love. I sang in other choirs over the years, but none were as meaningful as Moun Carmel. It is my second home.”
Parish’s musical heritage
Mount Carmel always has had a rich musical heritage that began with another Scalabrini priest and pastor — the Rev. William Pizzoglio, who wrote, published and orchestrated several full Masses and hymns in English, Italian and Latin.
As early as the 1940s, Mount Carmel developed a reputation for creative liturgical celebrations that included strings, brass, timpani and organ from the choir loft.
Gordon Schindler’s father, George Schindler, was our first organist hired by Father Pizzoglio, and the legendary Helen Ehlinger succeeded him. Both were very talented accomplished organists who dedicated their lives to enhancing quality music and providing beautiful liturgies for our parish.
Eventually, the Folk Choir combined with the Senior Choir and moved to the loft. Kay Maggio, Anne Candido and Peter, long-time members of the Senior Choir, remained in the newly combined choir. They sang for major celebrations and feast days accompanied by organ and an entire range of instrumentation under Peter’s direction. They soon began giving other seasonal concerts and provided meditative “Gethsemane” music after Holy Thursday services. Many who used to visit churches on that night chose to visit Mount Carmel last or came early and remained in our church quite late. One time, an entire bus of people joined us on that night. And at times, people came from other parts of the diocese a far as Oswego for our Holy Thursday meditation to accompany adoration.
Older — but still singing
After 50 years, our choir has aged a bit, and the loft steps have become problematic for many. These deterrents, magnified by the fact that so many members moved away over the years, or became disabled with sickness, have dwindled the membership of our parish choir.
Now, microphones are needed to keep the sound full. Luckily, our choir still is a group of good, dedicated spirited people who care about each other and who love to pray through music. Some members of our present choir attend more than one liturgy per weekend. God still graces us with opportunities to include several instruments at our weekend and holiday Masses.
Since our early history, the legacy of music has been a charism (gift from God) for our parish. The hope is it continues in the years ahead. We are thankful to God for the gift of music borne in and through our community. As church evolves and spirituality develops, we hope our music and liturgy will reflect those changes and inspire our growth in faith. We are so very grateful to our parishioners who join us in song and support and affirm us so often. We love this parish!
Who’s who in the parish’s Music Ministry
- Our current weekly instrumentalists include Anne Elacqua (organ), Cheryl Robinson (piano), Carmella Brown (flute), Olga Megdyn (violin), Rick Chainey (bass), Vincent and Michael Elacqua (guitar) David Elacqua (percussion).
- Weekend singers are Rosanne George, Karen and Lois Elacqua, Joanne Vanderwood, Amy Perritano Eddy, Marlene Mazza, Kathy Grandinetta (original folk group member), Patty Cichon, Sandra White, Maria Quintal, Sue Costanza, Sharon Persbacker, Maria Kozak, David Struz, Mario Scalzo, Ted Camesano and Fred Valentini.
- Others such as Scott Perritano, Marc Delmonico, Lee Priore, John Reale, Bob Fontana, Joe Elacqua, Joe Caruso, Kitty Jones, Serafina Sciortino, Sarah Crill, Kim Bywater, Vanessa Jones, Nicholas Elacqua, David Elacqua, Katherine Elacqua, Matt Elacqua, Anthony Ruggierio, Sharon and Steve Kukowski, Donna Caleo, Scott and Shane Bonney and Scott Rutledge join us for holidays with other instrumentalists and singers who “come home” to be with us.
- Often members of Historic Old St. John’s choir join us for concerts. Father Joe Salerno, Father Tom Servatius and Father Scott VanDerveer, (all former members of our choir before they were ordained) usually come back to sing concerts with us or sometimes join us for other occasions.
- God has blest us richly with such talented members now and throughout our past. Our heartfelt prayers hold many singers and instrumentalists who have died or are unable to join us because of distance, age or physical disabilities. We remember them fondly when we see their names on our music or associate them with certain pieces we sing.
- Four years ago, we began a funeral choir that sings at every parish funeral. Several people from other parishes joined our funeral choir as “regulars” — Bob Heins, Patty Durante and Liz Moreland. Karen and Darren Pohorecki from St. John’s in New Hartford also join us for funerals when needed as do Pat Marthage and Joyce Showalter from Historic Old St. John’s in Utica.
- Visitors are always welcome. Our choir and instrumentalists are friendly, hospitable and always open to new people joining them. If you are curious or interested, come upstairs before or after Mass to speak with Peter, Anne or any choir member.