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Group performs at Mass at Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church in Hanover Township.
The All Saints Contemporary Ensemble, led by director Dominick Constantino, left, performs during a one-year anniversary Mass of its founding at Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church Saturday.
BILL TARUTIS/for the times leader
All Saints Contemporary Ensemble members Courtney Prozeralik, left, and Ann Marie Karis, both of Hanover Township, sing.
BILL TARUTIS/for the times leader
HANOVER TWP. – One year ago, Dominick Constantino of Hanover Township created the All Saints Contemporary Ensemble that now performs at Mass at the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church.
The ensemble originally began at St. Casimir’s Church in the township’s Lyndwood section, but in August St. Casimir’s closed and the contemporary program was moved to Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
“I was the assistant organist at St. Casimir’s for three years, and then in December 2009 I was appointed as director,” said Constantino, 18. “Then we started this contemporary ensemble program on February 13, 2010.”
The contemporary ensemble was the brainchild of Constantino. “While watching different television commercials, the ones with the more modern songs like ‘Shout to the Lord’ and ‘Shine Jesus Shine,’ all the upbeat songs, I was always telling my parents that I would love to be able to sing them in the Catholic church,” Constantino said.
St. Casimir’s had an adult choir, but Constantino wanted to start a contemporary choir featuring children ages 7 to 18.
To celebrate the ensemble’s one year anniversary, members sang at the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday. Before Mass began, the ensemble sang preludes.
“Today, because of the special occasion, we added an additional flute and guitar and we’re also having a percussion to give the ensemble a little bit more of an elaborate sound for the special occasion,” Constantino said. “We don’t always get to have a percussionist because of his busy schedule, but he made sure he was able to be here.”
After Mass, the ensemble members and their parents were invited to attend a social dinner in celebration of its anniversary.
Over the ensemble’s first year of singing at Mass, approximately 30 youths have participated at one time or another, but because of conflicts with schedules, all 30 have never sung together. On any average week, between 10 and 15 children participate in the ensemble.
Melissa Steininger, a 16-year-old from Hanover Township, and Tina Adameck, a 14-year-old from Hanover Township, have been members for a year.
Steininger is a singer and Adameck plays the flute. “I started playing in the ensemble because I played along with Masses at St. Casimir’s with the adult choir. People like to see the young people involved with the church and it brings a smile to their faces to see us,” Adameck said.
Both girls say the song “Shout to the Lord” is one of their favorites to sing. “I like ‘Shout to the Lord’ because we’ve never sang it at church and it has a contemporary feel,” Steininger said.
Constantino’s favorite song is also “Shout to the Lord.”
“I love the song. It’s uplifting and people really seem to like it. Another one of my favorites is ‘Halle, Halle,’ instead of the ‘Alleluia’ that’s usually sung before the Gospel,” Constantino said.
“I notice in both churches I’ve played in that this is the one song that everyone really seemed to love and sang out loud; the congregation as well as the ensemble.”
The ensemble is open to anyone between the ages 7 and 18, although Constantino said he wouldn’t turn anyone away if they wanted to participate in Mass. Anyone interested in joining the ensemble should contact Constantino at 570-825-5723.