By Tom Maguire | Associate editor
For the seventh consecutive year, the interdenominational Voices of Faith brought “the beauty of music” to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Syracuse for an Advent concert.
The Voices of Faith, consisting of singers and musicians from about a dozen churches in the Onondaga County area, performed Sunday.
“We’ve been together for about 23 years,” said Voices of Faith Director Jack Gardner. The group, which includes about 30 singers, performs sacred music, and guest artists also participate.
Performers Sunday included organist Frank Schultz, the basilica’s music director; pianist Joyce Bunce; soprano Cindy Turner; flutist and alto Fiona Richardson; duet singers Doreen Bosch (a basilica parishioner) and Bryan Hills; and the John Spillett Jazz Duo.
Some of the tunes were “Do You Hear What I Hear?,” “Away in a Manger,” “O Holy Night,” “Linus and Lucy,” “Believe,” “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” “Good King Wenceslaus,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”
Attendee Sister Mary Melanie Jaworski, CSSF, said:
“At this busy time when everybody’s getting ready in so many ways for the celebration of Christmas, this was just a wonderful afternoon, an opportunity to sit, to listen, to pray, to reflect, and to enjoy the beauty of music.”
Father Andrew Baranski, the basilica’s rector, said:
“We as a community always look forward to this Advent/Christmas meditation concert … to kind of remind us of where we are on our journey toward the coming of our Lord …, and so they are delighted to be here, and then we are del
