Contributions and What They Cover
A contribution for music at a Catholic wedding in Singapore ranges from $150 for a cantor to $1,200 for a full choir. Here is what it covers and what affects it.
Wedding contributions
Each figure below is a total for the whole group, not a rate per singer, so you can plan with a clear number from the start. Where your booking sits within its range depends on the factors further down this page, and we’ll confirm the exact figure before you commit to anything.
| Arrangement | Size | Contribution | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cantor with accompaniment (one person singing and playing) | 1 | $150 to $250 | 1 month |
| Cantor and accompanist | 2 | $250 to $350 | 1 month |
| Accompanist and SATB ensemble | 5 to 7 | $350 to $700 | 2 months |
| Accompanist and choir | 16 to 20 | $600 to $1,200 | 3 months |
| Choir with additional musicians | 20+ | By arrangement | 3 months |
Not sure which arrangement you need? Choose your music arrangement walks through the three questions that usually decide it. You can also read more about our cantors, accompanists and choirs.
What the contribution covers
A wedding Mass lasts around an hour, but most of our work happens well before the day. That preparation is what lets you walk into church knowing the music is in hand. Every contribution covers:
- Transport for the group. Getting every singer and musician, and any instrument we bring, to your church and home again.
- Rehearsal for your occasion. Dedicated rehearsal for your music, separate from the rehearsals we keep for our own parishes.
- Choosing and preparing the repertoire. Helping you choose music that suits each moment of the liturgy, and learning any hymn you request that we don’t already sing.
- Legal copies of the music. Buying the sheet music, scores and accompaniment parts we sing and play from.
- Coordination and parish liaison. Scheduling the group, working with your parish music coordinator, running the booking and preparing the music list.
- Early arrival. Arriving ahead of time for the sound check and for the parish’s rehearsal window, where there is one.
- The liturgy itself, and the waiting. Singing the celebration and the time around it, including the delays that wedding days tend to bring.
A note on copyright. The cost we carry is the purchase of the sheet music and scores we perform from. Licences to reprint hymn texts in a printed worship aid, or to stream the Mass online, are typically held by the parish rather than by visiting musicians. If you are printing a booklet or livestreaming your wedding, ask your parish what its licence covers.
Funeral contributions
Funerals have their own contributions, and they are lower and simpler. The circumstances are different: notice is short, the Mass is usually on a weekday, and the family is in the middle of arrangements.
| Arrangement | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Cantor | $120 to $180 |
| Cantor and accompanist | $200 to $300 |
| Wake service, in addition | $80 to $120 |
| Larger ensemble | By arrangement, subject to notice |
There is no premium for short notice, and there never will be. If we are able to be there, the contribution is the same whether you contact us weeks ahead or the day before.
If you are arranging a funeral now, message us on WhatsApp, or see Catholic funeral music and funeral cantor and accompanist for what we can provide.
What affects the final amount
Within each range, the figure for your booking depends on a few practical things:
- Number of singers. The largest factor, which is why each arrangement has its own range.
- Musicians. A second instrument, or additional musicians alongside a choir, adds to the preparation and the people involved.
- Repertoire. Music we already sing together needs less preparation. New pieces, special arrangements or several requested hymns need more.
- Rehearsal needs. A rehearsal at your church, or extra rehearsals for a larger group, adds time for everyone.
- Travel. A very early start, a second venue, or bringing our own instrument.
- Notice. For weddings, a shorter lead time can mean more rehearsal in less time. For funerals, notice never changes the contribution.
Once we know your date, parish and the music you’d like, we’ll tell you where your booking sits in its range, clearly and in writing, before you decide.
What is not included
Some costs of a Catholic wedding belong to the parish or to others, and are paid separately:
- Parish fees for the use of the church
- Flowers and decoration
- A commentator, if your parish uses one
- The offering to the priest
Your parish office or wedding coordinator can tell you what applies to your celebration.
If the contribution is a difficulty
If the contribution is a difficulty, please write to us. No one should be without music at their wedding or a funeral because of cost. We’ll work something out, and we won’t ask you to explain.
Please don’t use the enquiry form for this. Email us at hello@cantico.net or message us on WhatsApp, and the conversation stays between us.
Why we’re transparent about this
Many people find it awkward to talk about money in a church setting. Asking a choir “how much?” can feel like the wrong question to ask about music for Mass. We think it’s kinder to answer it before you have to.
We sing because we believe music belongs in the liturgy, and our singers do this alongside full-time work. The contribution isn’t payment for prayer. It covers the hours of rehearsal, the travel, the music and the coordination that make a well-prepared liturgy possible. Publishing it means you can plan with a real number, compare fairly, and know there is nothing extra waiting at the end. You can focus on your celebration, and leave the music to us.
How and when payment works
Once we’ve confirmed your date and agreed the arrangement, we’ll send you a short written summary: the group, the music list, the rehearsal plan and the contribution.
Check our availability for your date
Tell us the occasion, the date and the parish, and we'll confirm whether we can be there and what the contribution would be. We usually reply within three days.
Check availabilityWant to know how far ahead to book first? See availability and lead times.
Questions people ask
How much does a Catholic wedding choir cost in Singapore?
With Cantico, a small SATB ensemble of five to seven singers with an accompanist is a contribution of $350 to $700. A choir of sixteen to twenty singers with an accompanist is $600 to $1,200. Larger groups with additional musicians are by arrangement. Each figure is a total for the group and includes rehearsal, transport, music and coordination.
Is this a fee or a love offering?
We call it a contribution. With a love offering you are often left to guess what is appropriate, so instead we publish a range for each arrangement and you know in advance. It covers the real costs of preparing and singing your liturgy: rehearsal, transport, sheet music and coordination. If the amount is a difficulty, write to us privately.
Why is there a contribution for singing at Mass?
Singing at your wedding takes far more than the hour of the Mass. It includes rehearsal for your occasion, learning requested hymns, buying legal copies of the music, transport for the whole group and coordinating with your parish. Our singers do this alongside full-time work. The contribution covers that preparation so the music can serve the liturgy well.
Do we tip the singers as well?
No. The contribution covers the whole group, and no tip or additional gift is expected. Some couples like to thank the musicians afterwards with a note or a message, and that is always appreciated, but it is entirely optional. All we ask is that the agreed contribution is settled as arranged.
Does the amount change depending on the church?
Not because of the church itself. What can make a difference is practical: travel, whether we need to bring our own instrument, the parish's rehearsal arrangements, and any particular music the parish asks for. Parish fees are separate and paid to the parish, not to us. We'll confirm the figure once we know your church.