HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY, EXULTATE CHOIR

Selamat ulang tahun ke-25, Paduan Suara Exultate 

(di Paroki Katedral BMV Keuskupan Bogor).

Didirikan oleh almarhumah Ibu Radjino bersama Ibu Maria Djafar pada tahun 1994, hingga sekarang Exulate masih melayani tugas-tugas kor di Katedral BMV dan di tempat lain yang membutuhkan. Saat ini, kor yang diketuai oleh Bapak Simon Supratman dengan pelatih dan dirigen Bapak Josep Susilo Bintoro serta pengiring organ Ibu Sri Thehamihardja dan M. Sheila Gunawan masih aktif mengadakan latihan setiap hari Sabtu pukul 19.00-20.30. 

Umat Paroki Katedral, yang tertarik untuk menyumbangkan kemampuan seni suaranya dalam Gereja, diundang untuk terlibat bergabung dalam Exultate.

Happy 25th Anniversary, Exultate Choir.

(15 Agustus 1994 - 15 Agustus 2019)

Semoga kesetiaan pelayanan Exultate berkenan pada Tuhan. 

PROFICIAT.

EXULTATE CHOIR JANUARY 2017

Since 2013 I have not been very active in Exultate meetings and practices. I was in charge of another assignment from our parish pastor. On Saturday evenings, when Exultate has to meet to practice, I often have to attend meetings or do other activities. Since August 2015 I have not been a member of BMV Parish congregation anymore because my Catholic neighbourhood has had to join a new parish, which was developed by BMV Parish to be a separate parish. The name is St Ignatius Loyola Semplak Parish. It means that I have had to be more active in my own parish activites. So, I have had to reduce my involvement in my old parish church.

Nevertheless, Exultate Choir still exists at BMV Bogor Cathedral.Exultate Choir is still chaired and managed by Mr Simon Supratman. Mr Josep Susilo Bintoro trains and conducts the choir. Ms Sheila Gunawan still plays the organ to accompany the rehearsal dan services. Sometimes Ibu Sri Thehamihardja helps when Sheila is not able to serve. There are some new members, while some old members have not been active any more. At least once a month Exultate still sings at church, and every Saturday evening we practice.

We hope that Exultate will still exist and serve to the greater glory of God.

EXULTATE (BOGOR BMV CATHEDRAL) CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS 2014 AND NEW YEAR 2015

 On Saturday 17 January 2015 Exultate choir held a gathering to celebrate Christmas and New Year. It is too late actually, but the most important thing is that most members could gather. The program was held in a classroom at SMP Budi Mulia Bogor from 17.00 to 19.00 and later continued with a singing practice to prepare the assignment on Sunday 18 January. 

The celebration was attended by most members; some members were absent because they were having other important activities. During the informal meeting, Mas Albert Suryatmanto and mBak Susanti joined; they are our long-time members but cannot always join because they have already moved to another parish (St Yohanes Baptista Parung Parish). Some new members also joined and this made the gathering merrier. 

The main acitivites were sharing stories and having dinner. Mas Albert told us the history of Exultate that was established informally in 1993 (so, Exultate has been 22 years old). Pak Simon (our commander in chief now) talked about commitments that everyone should posses as members of Exultate. Pak Thomas, who was conductor from 1999 to 2012) talked about Exultate choir's roles in BMV Bogor Cathedral.

We hope that Exultate will always exist in Bogor to serve in Eucharists and other spiritual activities.

GREGORIAN CHANTS

Exultate Choir likes singing gregorian songs for liturgical services. Here we post an article about another side of gregorian chants. Happy reading.

Gregorian Chants: Refreshing the Human Spirit

By Helen Russell

"Hear, O my son, the words of the Lord, and incline thy heart's ear"
-The Rule of St Benedict

True Gregorian chants, such as those of the Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo De Silos in Spain, have no musical accompaniment and are monophonic - ie every monk sings the same line. As David Steindl-Rast says "What matters is not the singer but the song."

Gregorian chants seem to enclose the listener within a sacred and deeply calming space, perhaps an abbey, monastery, chapel or our own vast empty space within - the cathedral of the heart.

According to Campbell the rhythm in Gregorian chants is "organic, based on the natural flow of the text, breathing, and tonal patterns of prolonged vowel sounds" The text he refers to is Biblical, most especially the Psalms. There are few notes and no overriding melody to push the listener towards a future conclusion.

Those "glorious ooooo's and serene eeeee's" that Campbell finds in Gregorian chants ground us in the here and now and are deliciously restful. They have a calming, enlivening, cleansing and refreshing quality. The elongated vowels seem to rise and fall like a gentle wave that cleanses and calms as it washes over and through us.

Because of the regenerative nature of the sound it is possible to listen to Gregorian chant in the car, home or office. It is beneficial also to use it to denote a sacred time within our day, much like the Cistercian monks who divide their day into "canonical hours" that respond to the various qualities inherent in each hour of the day.

This allows us to attune to what David Steindl-Rast calls "the message of a particular hour's angel". We become more present; more attentive now to the way the morning light falls on our curtains or the shadow a piece of furniture throws on our wall. Listening to chant allows us to celebrate those fleeting qualities of the moment that we would normally rush by in our restless flight into the future. Gregorian chants bring us into an attitude of appreciation and humility and attune us to the sacred rhythm here in our everyday world.

Our daily routines here in the Western world pay little heed to our deep human need for intimacy with spirit. Gregorian chant is one way we can do that. We draw from spirit in this way and return to our everyday lives refreshed and replenished and able to cope with the trials, stresses and burdens of modern life.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

The Tradition of Singing in the Catholic Church

Executive summary by Peter Ruppert

Singing within the Catholic Church has enjoyed a long and varied history. Therefore, it should come as little surprise that The Priests, a group of three Irish priests, have signed a recording contract and will be releasing a debut album in November that is set to include a number of liturgical pieces as well as hymns. 

While early traditions of the church are sometimes seen as far different from modern practices, congregational singing was always an important element in the early church. From the earliest days of the church, the practice of singing psalms has taken place. To a large degree, psalm singing is a carry-over from synagogues. The elementary form grew from the practice of morning and evening prayers. 

Over the years, the styles of psalm singing have changed as cultures as well as musical tastes have evolved throughout time. In the last few years, the practice of singing has experienced a strong resurgence. One of the primary events that led to this resurgence occurred when Latin gave way to vernacular within the church. That tradition of singing has carried over into modern times. Today, singing within the church is considered to be a favored part of worship. Depending on the nature of the hymn, singing within the church can allow the congregation to express the various moods of worship.

The Pope has said that singing in choir and receiving choir training can provide an education in peace as well as in life. The group, which had already sung together for many years, was chosen by the private secretary of the Pope to perform for him. They then went on to perform in the Vatican choir. Although the group later returned to Ireland to serve in different parishes, they have continued their love of singing and have continued to perform together.

Today, the Priests are continuing the long tradition of singing in the Catholic Church. Their ability to share their amazing combined talent and their unique expression of favorite hymns will be greatly broadened when their debut album is released this coming fall. Although the tradition has not historically included seeing priests become recording artists, this move will no doubt provide great benefit to the church.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

It is not easy for Exultate Choir this year to serve in the church services. 

One of the biggest challenges that Exultate is facing is that Sheila cannot always accompany the practices and the tasks. It is because Sheila has already got a job and she does not have a holiday on Saturday or Sunday. We solve the problems by asking some other organists for help. Mbak Myrna, Mbak Mira and Mbak Yuyun often help Exultate. Thanks to them.

Meanwhile some members cannot be active any more due to their business or other reasons. Somehow, Eucharists never stops... Masses must always be celebrated... So, although Exultate does not have enough members to sing ideally, Exultate must do the job. The show must go on...

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

Exultate Choir would like to wish you all 

a Merry Christmas (2010) 

and 

a Happy New Year 2011. 

May these celebrations give you all 

enough strong faith 

to face the future with love and hope.

Regards...