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CONCERT OF MUSIC BY ST. MATTHEW'S
COMPOSERS
On Friday evening, May
16, at 7:30 p.m., the Schola Cantorum will present a
special concert of music by St. Matthew’s composers,
featuring works by David Arbury, Chris Brush, Bill
Culverhouse , Jennifer Goltz, Tim Howe, and Gerald
Muller. Several yearly favorites will be included in
the concert, including Bill Culverhouse ’s
Gloria and
Gerald Muller’s
Seven Last Words. The concert will conclude
with the premiere of Bill Culverhouse ’s
Requiem
for chorus and harp, and will be Bill’s last concert
with the Schola. The concert will be professionally
recorded, and a CD will be made available for the St.
Matthew’s community. If you would like to make a
donation in memory of a loved one to be listed in the
printed program, please contact Bill or Jennifer in
the Office of Music Ministry.
| The Cathedral serves a large multi-cultural and inter-generational congregation of worshipers from throughout the metropolitan Washington area. It also welcomes many visitors from across the nation and around the world. As the mother church of the Archdiocese of Washington, the Cathedral offers a rich variety of liturgical music to serve this diverse urban congregation. From weekday Masses with solo cantor to solemn liturgies with choir, soloists, and instrumentalists, from solo organ recitals to full concerts with choir and orchestra, the Cathedral's Office of Music Ministry strives to enrich the spiritual lives of all who pass through the Cathedral doors, day after day, week after week, year after year. |
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| Cathedral Ensembles |
Four ensembles form the backbone of Music Ministry at St. Matthew's: the Schola Cantorum, the Gregorian Scholars, the Contemporary Choir, and the St. Matthew's Festival Singers.
The Schola Cantorum
Directed by William Culverhouse and comprised of sixteen professional singers and a number of talented volunteers selected by audition, the Schola Cantorum (Latin for "school of singers") provides music for the 10:00 Latin and 11:30 English Masses from Labor Day through the Baptism of Christ and from Ash Wednesday through Corpus Christi. The Schola is also the principal ensemble for special liturgies such as Christmas Midnight Mass and Easter Vigil. Repertoire for the Schola ranges from medieval to contemporary, and includes Gregorian chant, Renaissance polyphony, classical motets, and compositions by prominent contemporary composers of liturgical music.
The Gregorian Scholars
Also directed by William Culverhouse, the Gregorian Scholars include professional and volunteer members of the Schola Cantorum with a special interest in the performance of Gregorian chant. The Gregorian Scholars provide Introits and Communions for the weekly Latin Mass as well as special programs of Gregorian chant.
The Contemporary Choir
Directed by Jennifer Goltz, the Contemporary Choir also consists of professional singers and instrumentalists and talented volunteers selected by audition. The Contemporary Choir provides music for the 5:30 Sunday evening Mass throughout the year, with a repertoire that focuses on the best of today's liturgical music composers as well as settings of traditional hymns; gospel, American spirituals, and the traditional faith music of America.
The St. Matthew's Festival Singers
Directed by William Culverhouse, the Festival Singers includes professional and volunteer members from all three liturgical ensembles as well as additional talented members of the community. The Festival Singers come together for special concerts and events throughout the year, including occasional choral concerts with orchestra. |
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| Cathedral Recordings |
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli and Gregorian
chants for Easter
Sunday. Live concert recording, May 2003.
$10.
Josquin des Pres: Missa Pange Lingua and
Gregorian chants for Corpus Christi. Live concert recording, May 2004.
$10.
Palestrina: Sacred Madrigals and Motets and
Gregorian chants for feasts of the Virgin. Live concert recording, May
2005. $10.
Palestrina: The Great Liturgical
Motets. A selection of favorite motets for the church year, including
Hodie Christus Natus Est, Sicut Cervus, Super Flumina Babylonis, and Regina
Caeli. $15.
Christmas at St.
Matthew's. A selection of beloved hymns, anthems, motets, and
carols from Lessons and Carols and Midnight Mass at the Cathedral, including
pieces by Cathedral composers David Arbury, Christopher Brush, and Thomas Howe.
$15.
Click here to
download an order form.
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| In-the-City
Concert Series |
| The Cathedral offers a wide variety of concerts throughout the year, ranging from solo organ and vocal recitals to concerts of larger choral works with choir, soloists, and orchestra. The ensembles of the Cathedral also combine from time to time for special concerts and events. Additionally, the Cathedral frequently hosts visiting ensembles, including choirs from area parishes, schools, and colleges, as well as ensembles from across the country. Friday,
September 21, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
Handel's MESSIAH, Parts II and III
Featuring Grammy Award-winning tenor John Aler, with Shannon Kelly and
Ellen Kliman, sopranos; Jennifer Goltz, mezzo-soprano; Thomas Stork, bass; and
the Schola Cantorum, Festival Singers, and Chamber Orchestra of St. Matthew's
Cathedral.
Suggested donation $20.
Saturday, October 13, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
The Suspicious Cheese Lords
An award-winning local all-male vocal ensemble performing
Renaissance works of Josquin, Mouton, Palestrina, and Parsons.
Suggested donation $20.
Monday, October 15, 2007, 5:30 p.m.
Guest Choir: Limburg Cathedral, Germany
This distinguished European choir will sing at the 5:30 evening Mass
and then offer a concert immediately after Mass featuring works by Lassus, Bach,
Grieg, and Mendelssohn.
Voluntary donation.
Saturday, October 27, 2007, at the 5:30 p.m. Mass
Guest Choir: Our Lady of the Fields Parish
Join us in welcoming this visiting choir from Millersville,
Maryland, directed by Timothy Reno.
Free and open to the public.
Thursday, November 8, 2007, 6:15 p.m.
Maurice Duruflé:
Requiem
Jennifer Goltz, mezzo-soprano
Timothy Thulson, violoncello
Paul Hardy, organ
The Schola Cantorum presents this serene
masterpiece based on the melodies of Gregorian chant immediately after the 5:30
evening Mass. If you'd like to make a donation in memory of a loved one to be
listed in the program, please contact the music office at 202-347-3215,
ext. 519.
Suggested donation: $20
Thursday, November 15, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
Guest Organist: Jurate
Landsbergyte
Sponsored by the Lithuanian Embassy.
Voluntary donation.
Saturday, November 17, 2007, 5:00 p.m.
Guest
Choirs: The Women's and Men's Choruses of the University of
Maryland
Phillip Silvey and Stephen Holmes, directors
Please welcome these distinguished
musicians back to the Cathedral for a Mass Prelude at 5:00 p.m. followed by
music at the 5:30 Mass.
Saturday, November 17, 2007,
7:30 p.m.
A Taste of The Countertop Quartet: French, German, Italian
and Modern Music
Ellen Myers Kliman, soprano
Naomi DeVries Pomerantz, alto
John Bradford Bohl, countertenor
Chris Dudley, countertenor
The Countertop Quartet presents an
evening of works composed expressly to showcase the enchanting harmonies of
music for the treble voices.
Suggested donation: $20
Saturday,
December 8, 2007, 1:00 p.m.
Songs and Images
of the Virgin
Dr.
Claudia Rousseau, art historian
Members of the Schola Cantorum
A lecture-performance presenting
depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Renaissance
painting and choral music.
Voluntary donation.
Sunday, December 16, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
A Festival of Lessons and Carols
The Schola Cantorum
Paul Hardy, organ
Join us for this annual evening of scripture readings, writings of the
saints, and familiar seasonal carols and hymns as we prepare for the coming of
Christ.
Suggested donation: $20
Monday, December 24, 2007, 5:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve
Prelude Concert
The
Cathedral Contemporary Choir
Jennifer Goltz, director
A special program of seasonal music for the whole
family preceding the 5:30 Christmas Eve Mass.
Open to the
public.
Monday, December 24, 2007, 11:00 p.m.
Christmas Midnight
Mass Prelude Concert
The
Schola Cantorum
The Madrid String
Quintet
William Culverhouse, director
A
special program of music for choir, strings, and organ preceding the Midnight
Mass.
Open to the
public.
Sunday, February 3, 2008, 3:00 p.m.
Chamber Music
Recital
Shelly
Mathews, violin
Ann
Kramschuster, piano
Not in
the mood for football? Join us for a
lovely afternoon of Brahms, Gershwin, and
Bolcom. Proceeds benefit the homeless
ministry at St. Matthew's Cathedral.
Voluntary donation.
Sunday, March 2, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Gregorian Vespers for Laetare
Sunday
The Gregorian Scholars
An annual favorite: Solemn Vespers for the Fourth
Sunday of Lent, known as Laetare Sunday, sung entirely in Latin in Gregorian
chant and choral polyphony. Complete texts and translations provided.
Voluntary donation.
Sunday, April 13, 2008, 3:00 p.m.
The
James Madison University Choir
Dr. Patrick
Walders, director
An
afternoon of inspiring choral singing from
one of Virginia's finest university choral
programs, featuring Vaughan Williams'
soaring Mass in G minor.
Voluntary donation.
Friday, April 18, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
The Choir of Le
Mans Cathedral, France
Philippe LeNoble, director
An evening of Marian choral music from one of
Europe's most distinguished cathedral choirs, featuring Gregorian chant and
music by Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Palestrina, Caccini, and Fauré.
Voluntary donation.
Friday, May 16, 7:30 p.m.
Choral Music by St.
Matthew's Composers
The Schola
Cantorum
Robin Roys,
harp
Paul Hardy,
organ
William Culverhouse,
director
An evening of music by St. Matthew’s composers,
featuring works by David Arbury, Christopher Brush, William Culverhouse ,
Jennifer Goltz, Thomas Howe, and Gerald Muller. The concert will conclude with
the premiere of Schola Director William Culverhouse's REQUIEM for chorus and
harp.
Voluntary donation.
Saturday, May
24, 2008, 5:00 p.m.
Mass
Prelude
The Choir of
Assumption College, directed by Dr.
Frank Corbin.
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For more information about upcoming Cathedral performances, please contact the Office of Music Ministry at (202) 347-3215, ext. 520. |
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| Organ |
The Cathedral has a magnificent four-manual French Romantic organ built by the firm of Lively-Fulcher. In addition to being played at Mass and other liturgies, the organ is featured each year in concerts and recitals that are always free and open to the public. Past visitors to the Cathedral include the renowned Folger Consort and the Washington Bach
Consort.
The Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle has enjoyed a rich musical tradition dating back nearly 100 years. Its first instrument is said to have been a mechanical action organ that was placed in the wall opening of the Sacred Heart Chapel (currently the Blessed Sacrament Chapel). In 1951, that first instrument was replaced by a large electro-pneumatic organ contained in a chamber behind the wall of the chapel. Because of the unfavorable location of the instrument, it was difficult for the sound to reach the body of the Cathedral. An antiphonal division was added on the back wall during the 1970s in an attempt to correct this problem. In the early 1980s, mechanical failures in the instrument had become increasingly frequent, much to the dismay of the clergy, musicians, and parishioners. Many parts of the instrument had not worked for years.
Following a thorough study of the situation, the clergy and music staff of the Cathedral concluded that, even after costly repairs, the existing instrument would have been unable to perform its primary liturgical functions. The Cathedral decided to invest in an organ that would be free-standing and encased, employing mechanical actions as its primary means of control. The new organ case allows the instrument to project its sound directly into the room and eliminates many of the tuning and tonal problems encountered with the previous organ. Mechanical action was chosen for the key action because of its durability and sensitivity to touch. James Cardinal Hickey, Archbishop of Washington and Msgr. W. Louis Quinn, the Cathedral's former pastor, allocated modest funds for the construction of the new instrument, wisely allowing for future additions, should bequests and donations make this possible. The use of a case and mechanical action for the new instrument provides for long-term reliability, ease of maintenance, great tonal advantages, and is certainly the best stewardship of funds.
The organ case is built of white oak and contains polished tin pipes in the facade. It reaches a height of nearly forty-five feet at the peak. The goal was to make the case not only functional, but to make an artistic visual statement that harmonized completely with the Cathedral architecture. The instrument will ultimately contain five divisions and 68 stops. Several stops from the previous organ have been reconditioned for use in the new one. The organ takes its inspiration from the 19th-century French organ building traditions, but is designed to maintain polyphonic competence for earlier music. The unusually complete stop list will allow for the performance of the vast organ literature, and will serve its liturgical role in a noble fashion. When finished, the organ, along with the magnificent acoustics of the Cathedral, should be one of the most remarkable and comprehensive instruments of its type in the country.
Click here for a full list of the stops of
our Lively-Fulcher organ. |
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| Open
Positions |
Schola Cantorum
There is currently an opening in the
Schola Cantorum for one volunteer tenor.
Auditions are held on an on-going basis. For professional
auditions, please bring one prepared sacred solo selection with two copies of
the sheet music and two copies of a current choral music resume with contact
information for references. Please be prepared to do extensive sight-singing.
For volunteer auditions, please plan to bring a simple prepared song
(a hymn will be fine), and be ready to do a little sight-singing. If you are
interested in finding out more or in scheduling an audition, please contact Bill Culverhouse, Director of the Schola Cantorum, at:
(202) 347-3215, ext. 519.
Contemporary Choir
There is currently a volunteer
opening for one alto. To learn more about the group or to schedule an audition,
please contact Jennifer Goltz, Director of Music, at:
(202) 347-3215, ext. 527.
St. Matthew's Festival Singers
The Festival Singers will be performing at Advent Lessons and Carols and at Midnight Mass for Christmas this season, and we are seeking talented singers of all voice parts. Auditions for interested volunteers are held on an ongoing basis.
Please plan to bring a simple prepared song (a hymn will be fine), and be ready to do a little sight-singing. If you are interested in finding out more or in scheduling an audition, please contact the Office of Music Ministry at:
(202) 347-3215, ext. 520. |
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| Friends
of Music |
Become a Friend of Music at St. Matthew's!
As many of you know, the music ministry at St. Matthew's has been growing vigorously! In order to sustain this growth at a level of excellence appropriate to the Cathedral, we are actively seeking parishioners and friends of the Cathedral to become Friends of Music at St. Matthew's. Your support will enable us to continue offering joint concerts with the Cathedral's resident ensembles, major sacred works with orchestras, and special programs featuring individual Cathedral ensembles, as well as performances by visiting artists and expanded musical involvement in liturgies throughout the year. Your participation will help ensure the future of exciting musical offerings here at the Cathedral!
For more information, please contact
the Office of Music Ministry at:
(202) 347-3215, ext. 520,
or email us at music@stmatthewscathedral.org! |
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