Born in St. Louis in 1933, he reportedly started singing at the age of 6 and was a featured soloist on various choirs throughout his years in school.

Between 1991 and 1997, interior work on altars, choirs, organs and paintings was done.

For "Messiah," Mr. Shabalala originally envisioned a premiere drawing on choirs from all the townships around Durban, an area bloodied by savage conflict between partisans of the African National Congress and the Inkatha Freedom Party.

With contemporary music from the 1900s and 2000s, composers made increasingly difficult demands on choirs which were singing in vocal harmony, such as instructions to sing microtonal notes or make percussive sounds.

In a way, Orthodox strictures - including the prohibition on mixed choirs, the abandonment of instrumental accompaniment after the destruction of the Second Temple in the year 70 and a preference for not repeating phrases within prayer texts - have militated toward shorter forms.

A brochure on choirs can be picked up at the British Tourist Authority, 551 Fifth Avenue (45th Street), in Manhattan, and at the Wales Tourist Board, 2 Fitzalan Road, Cardiff.

Starting in 1879, Trinity, like many Episcopal parishes, participated in the Choral Revival in the Anglican church, with its emphasis on vested choirs of men and boys trained by professional church musicians, and singing quality church music.

A guide to music in Wales: blogging on festivals, gigs, news, radio sessions, bands, singers, choirs and more.

The gold-plated carved iconostasis was made by the sculptor Dimitrije Petrović, while the icons on the iconostasis, thrones, choirs and pulpits, as well as those on the walls and arches were painted by Dimitrije Avramović, one of the most distinguished Serbian painters of the 19th century.