Music

Great churches provide extraordinary music events for their large and varied congregations and St Mary’s Cathedral delivers a truly world class church music experience.

Steeped in the history of St Mary’s Cathedral and the early colony of New South Wales, the Cathedral’s Music Department has the busiest church music schedule in the country and is the only Catholic Cathedral in the southern hemisphere with an on-site choir school.

The St Mary’s Cathedral Choir has a history dating back to 1818 becoming the first Catholic Choir in Australia providing a rich tradition of sacred music to the Cathedral Parish. The Cathedral Choir consists of Choristers and Scholars attending St Mary’s Cathedral College, Sydney; and professional Lay-Clerks with significant experience in liturgical music. There are seven weekend services with music, with the Choir providing music at Vespers and Mass in the Cathedral every day during term-time, making it one of only two Cathedral choirs in the world to continue such a rigorous music schedule.

Weddings

At St Mary’s Cathedral, music plays a vital and uplifting role in the celebration of marriage. Our rich musical tradition and majestic acoustic provide a sacred and memorable setting for your wedding day. Whether you choose the grandeur of the Cathedral organ, a professional vocal ensemble, or one of our professional soloists, our experienced music team will work closely with you to select beautiful and appropriate music that reflects the solemnity and joy of the occasion. Wedding music at St Mary’s enhances the spiritual significance of the ceremony and creates an atmosphere of reverence and celebration.

For couples planning their wedding at St Mary’s, we offer a curated list of music suggestions that reflect the Cathedral’s rich liturgical tradition and majestic setting. These pieces have been thoughtfully selected to complement the sacred nature of the ceremony and the unique acoustics of the Cathedral. You can explore these suggestions via the link here, as a helpful starting point in choosing music that will enrich and personalise your wedding celebration.