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Cathedral’s multi-faceted choir program BY CHRISTINA GRAY Lead writer, Catholic San Francisco grayc@ sfarch.org
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ongtime director of music and cathedral choir director Christoph Tietze arranged a special Jubilee Concert April 3 to commemorate five decades of sacred music at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The event spotlighted two of the cathedral music program’s four distinct choirs: the cathedral adult choir and the children’s choir. The cathedral also boasts a men’s ensemble and a Spanish language choir. “Ours is a multi-faceted music program that tries to incorporate all age groups and nationalities,” said Tietze, who has served as the cathedral’s music director for 30 years and brings a deep knowledge to the role. A native of Germany, he holds a bachelor of arts in music
from San Jose State University, a master of music and a master of musical arts from Yale University Institute of Sacred Music, and a Doctor of Sacred Music from the Graduate Theological Foundation. The Cathedral Choir is a semiprofessional adult ensemble of about 15 singers. Eight of the singers are professionals. “It’s beneficial to the volunteers because they get to do music that in a regular parish choir they wouldn’t get to,” he said. The Cathedral Schola Cantorum is a semiprofessional men’s ensemble specializing in the interpretation of Gregorian Chant. The St. Brigid School Honor Choir is a program of the Cathedral Choir School. The program is a comprehensive choral music program for children, encompassing instruction at the elementary school. Members sing for school and cathedral functions and also participate in other archdiocesan and private events. The Coro Hispano provides music for the cathedral’s Spanish language Mass. Tietze said he is working to build up Coro Hispano.
D 1966 Encounter Christ. Be Disciples. Encuentro con Cristo. Sean Discípulos. edicated in
salutes our magnificent Mother Church
THE CATHEDRAL OF SAINT MARY OF THE ASSUMPTION Dedicated 1971
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