- About Us: The Jubilate Deo Choir is the resident choir at the parish church of Naxxar (Malta) and is mainly responsible to animate the liturgy of the principal feasts of the Catholic Church celebrated in this parish. It was founded by Rev. Paul Caruana in 1974 as a... moreThe Jubilate Deo Choir is the resident choir at the parish church of Naxxar (Malta) and is mainly responsible to animate the liturgy of the principal feasts of the Catholic Church celebrated in this parish. It was founded by Rev. Paul Caruana in 1974 as a girls’ choir and sang for the first time at Christmas that same year. In the following months male voices were added and the enlarged choir sang for the first time in the Good Friday celebrations of 1975. Eventually adult female voices joined in, establishing an SATB choir.
The first big occasion for the choir came in 1980, performing works by the compatriot prolific composer of sacred music Joseph Fenech (1917-2010). The Jubilate Deo Choir has since performed at the Teatru Manoel on many occasions, took part in the BBC production “Songs of Praise” that was televised worldwide and in 1990 sang during the visit to Malta of Pope John Paul II. Following the successful first Maltese performance of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Oratorio di Natale in December 2005 the Jubilate Deo Choir received a number of prestigious invitations, most notably in 2006 and 2007 when the choir took part in the revival of Paolino Vassallo’s Messa da Requiem and Charles Camilleri’s opera Il-Weg?da alongside the National Orchestra of Malta.
Under the guidance of its music directors – Rev. Paul Caruana (1974-1983), Rev. Richard Borg (1983-1985) and Rev. René Vella (1985-2004) who was at times assisted by Lawrence Scicluna – the choir gradually established itself as one of Malta’s leading sacred music choirs. In summer 2004 the choir was entrusted to Christopher Muscat who immediately embarked on a number of ambitious training and performance projects. The choir’s own Cappella Gregoriana has created a revived interest in the art of plainchant singing and is widely regarded as the leading ensemble of this genre in the Maltese Islands.
The most recent development was the setting up of a children’s choir, the Pueri Cantores Jubilate Deo. Besides serving as training grounds for young choristers who intend to proceed to the adult choir at a later stage, the Pueri Cantores also provides a comprehensive professional musical, vocal and spiritual formation to its members.
less - Additional names: Kor Jubilate Deo
- Location: Malta [map]
- Since: 1974
- Voices: Mixed
- Choir type: Church choir
- Genres: A cappella, Classical, Sacred
- Website www.jubilatedeo.com
- Open to new singers: Yes - auditions required
