The Saint Martin de Porres Gospel Choir was the brainchild of the late Rev.
Jose Salazar, former pastor of Saint Martin de Porres Church and teacher at
Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, CT. Father often heard a young African
American seminarian, who was a former jazz musician, playing the organ in the seminary’s chapel. He was so impressed with this talented young man that he asked him to form a gospel choir at his church.

In January 1985, the late Brother Maurice Shepherd, later ordained Rev.
Stanley Maurice Shepherd SOLT, started recruiting parishioners for a choir. The choir made its debut on Palm Sunday, March 31, 1985. God has blessed this choir with directors who were talented, committed, and believed in longevity: Mr. Jonathan Hill (1989-2003), Mrs. Lisa Footman-Foster (1990-2001), and the choir’s present talented and committed director, Mr. Nelson Tamakloe (2001-present).