Nativity choir creates Sounds for all Seasons

By Kenny Keane, Globe staff reporter
Posted November 14, 2002

Most people have probably heard of the television show "American Idol," most likely because they are among the millions who watched it. Those who listen to the radio have probably heard the popular song with the lyric "Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this," sung by the show's winner Kelly Clarkson.

For Sherri Rossiter, choir director at Nativity Church in Sioux City, it hasn't necessarily been a "lifetime," but for at least the last five to six years, she's been thinking and dreaming about putting together a CD with songs sung by her choir. That moment has come.

"I felt we had the talent in the choir," said Rossiter, who also serves as secretary for Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo. "We just needed the commitment, not only from the members to perfect the music that they were doing and the music they loved, but also a financial commitment."

Both commitments were met, and the result is the CD titled, "Sounds for All Seasons," which should be available Nov. 15. There are 17 tracks on the CD, which include, as the title suggests, songs that cover all of the liturgical seasons, and Rossiter said she hopes it will provide year-round enjoyment for those who listen to it.

"I hope that they think it is a very comforting and spiritual piece of music for them to listen to," she said. "I think they'll find that it will connect them with any time of the season. They'll be able to pop it in when it's Advent or pop it in when it's Lent, and maybe it'll just be a comfort for them."

She said the music is mostly contemporary and is not of their own arrangement. However, even though they used others' music, it was the members of the choir who had to put forth the effort.

Rossiter said the project began in the fall of 2001. She put together a CD committee, including Kim Brown, Wendell Hubert and Bev and Jim Wharton, who identified what needed to be done to make this dream a reality. Each member had to make a commitment to about nine mandatory rehearsals prior to the recording date of June 2, 2002, which is when the group gathered at Nativity for seven-plus hours to record the CD.

"Everyone was 100 percent for it," Rossiter said. "They all made the mandatory rehearsals and were just wonderful about it. They worked very, very hard during those rehearsals."

This project might never has seen the light of day had it not been for the overwhelming support and encouragement of Nativity Parish and its members, according to Rossiter.

"We had people constantly coming up to us and asking us, 'Why don't you do a CD?' So I was constantly being prodded to do it, and finally I just decided to put my foot down and run with it," said Rossiter, who added that Nativity's pastor, Father Gerald Feierfeil, has been the choir's biggest supporter. "From the day he stepped foot in our parish he's been in awe of the choir. He said, 'You people have got to do a CD.' He's just been our biggest backer."

The CD's cover, designed by Mike Flannery, displays a picture of one of the stained-glass windows in Nativity Church, which Rossiter said is a surprise for Father Feierfeil.

A few of the songs included on the CD are: Mary and Joseph, Carol of the Child, How Beautiful and The Litany of the Saints. Aside from the vocal talents of the choir, the CD also includes instrumentals from Marijune Pollow, Ashley Wendel and Mike, Jeannette and Susan Miranda.

The CDs will be sold for $15 each, or for those who purchase four or more, $13 each. They can be ordered by calling the Nativity parish office at (712) 276-3022.

"I think every member is so proud of this and just so happy that they did it," Rossiter said. "I felt that this group of people could do it, and I wanted to show them that they could do it. I wanted them to know that they are good and that they do a very nice job of providing a beautiful liturgy."