Music

Christ Church Cathedral has enjoyed a long tradition of music of the highest caliber in its liturgies and worship celebrations. There is a great deal of variety in the musical offerings at the Cathedral, where the choirs sing music that spans centuries, from Renaissance and Tudor motets and Bach cantatas to traditional Anglican choral pieces and new compositions by living composers. An expansive repertoire of organ music is heard on the 2003 Lively-Fulcher instrument both in worship and in concert . 

 Music is a vital part of the Cathedral’s liturgies, offered to the glory of God and for the nurture of his people. The Cathedral provides opportunities to those of all ages interested in creating glorious music to that praises of God. 

CHORAL MUSIC

There are four choral ensembles at Christ Church Cathedral. If you are musically inclined, please consider joining one of the ensembles active in the life of this Cathedral.

THE CATHEDRAL CHOIR

The Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Michael Velting, Canon for Music, is the 28-voice, highly trained choir that sings at the 11 a.m.  (summer 10:30 a.m.) Eucharist. The choir also sings Choral Evensong several times a year and the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols. Their critically acclaimed recording Christ Hath a Garden was released in 2007.

Cathedral Choir rehearsals run from from September to May and are on Thursday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Rehearsals during summer months are on Sunday mornings at 9 a.m.

The Cathedral Choir welcomes new singers at any time of the year by audition. If you read music, sightread well, have experience singing in a choir, and would like to know more about joining the Cathedral Choir, please contact Michael Velting with any inquiries or to set up an appointment. We look forward to welcoming you into the Cathedral Choir! 

Cathedral Musicians

Canon Dr. Michael Velting

Canon for Music 

Michael Velting is Canon for Music at Christ Church Cathedral, where he has been organist and choirmaster since 1994. Canon Velting serves as principal organist, director of Cathedral choirs, and and administrator of the music program at the Cathedral. Prior to assuming this position, he was Assistant Organist and Choirmaster of Washington National Cathedral and Adjunct Professor of Organ at the American University in Washington, D.C.

He holds both a master’s degree and doctorate in Organ Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, in the class of David Craighead. From 1982 to 1986, he lived in Paris, France, where he studied organ with Daniel Roth and won the Prix de Virtuosité  in the class of Marie-Claire Alain at the Conservatoire National de Région, in Rueil-Malmaison. While there, he also served as organist of the American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity from 1984 to 1986.

Dr. Velting has performed in Germany, England, Canada, Switzerland, and France, as well as throughout the United States. He was instrumental in the design of the Lively-Fulcher organ for Christ Church Cathedral. He is a member of both the American Guild of Organists and the Association of Anglican Musicians. He has served as Councillor for Conventions on the National Council of the American Guild of Organists since 2014, and is now entering his third two-year term. He is a former dean of the Nashville chapter of the AGO and has twice served as a judge for AGO organ competitions. He was chair of the Committee on Performances for the 2012 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists, held in Nashville, and is a past recipient of an Outstanding Teacher award by the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts.

Dr. Malcolm Matthews

Associate Organist and Choirmaster

Malcolm Matthews holds both a Doctoral Degree in Organ Performance and the Artist’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. In addition to his organ related studies with David Higgs, he completed a Master’s Degree in harpsichord performance in the studio of William Porter and a minor field in Collaborative Piano under Jean Barr. Matthews has performed in masterclasses and participated in summer programs led by such organists as Jacques van Oortmerssen, Harald Vogel, Hans Davidsson, Ken Cowan, and Edoardo Bellotti. He particularly enjoys collaborative work and frequently answers calls to accompany both ensembles and soloists on a wide range of repertoire. He has appeared as a soloist with the Maryville Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, and Rochester’s Philharmonic Orchestra. Matthews has also discovered a passion for pedagogical work; his teaching experience includes both organ and harpsichord at Eastman and the Eastman Community School.
 

the cathedral choristers

The Cathedral Choristers, directed by Michael Velting and Malcolm Matthews, is the children’s choir training program of the Cathedral, which comprises Junior Choristers (2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades) and Senior Choristers (5th grade through high school.)

They sing primarily the 8:30 a.m. Eucharist (September through May.) Using a training curriculum adapted from the Royal School of Church Music model, these young people receive weekly vocal training, learn to read music, and discover the joy of being leaders in worship. They also have special events: pool parties, pizza parties, a retreat in September, etc. Boys remain part of the Chorister Program until their voices break and change. Girls are welcome to stay on into high school. Any child in grades two and above is welcome to become a Cathedral Chorister, and we welcome them at any time of the year.

The Senior Choristers serve as hosts for the annual Cathedral Chorister Festival, in which Choristers from a wide swath of the Southeast, as well as other special guests and a nationally renowned guest director, come to the Cathedral each spring for a two-day festival, which culminates in the singing of the 11 a.m. Eucharist and 4 p.m. Choral Evensong on the Sunday of the Festival.

Rehearsal for the Junior Choristers (grades 2nd, 3rd, and 4th) is on Monday afternoon, from 4:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., led by Dr. Matthews.

Senior Choristers (grades 5 and up) rehearse on Wednesday afternoon, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., led by Dr. Velting. Please don't hesitate to contact either Dr. Velting or Dr. Matthews with any questions you might have or for further information.
Register here to participate in the Chorister program.

Chorister News

Cathedral Chorister Charlie Ward (9th grade) recently spent a week at the Royal School of Church Music Summer Residency for Boys in Dallas, TX. The residency is an intensive course of rehearsing music and singing several hours a day with a group of 20 boys, this year under the direction of Andrew Sheranian, from the Parish of All Saints in Ashmont (Boston).  The week is spent in preparation for singing Choral Evensong on Thursday (at St. Mark's School) and Friday (at Church of the Incarnation) evenings, as well as the liturgy of Holy Eucharist on Sunday morning (at St. Michael and All Angels). 

The group of boys is joined by a schola of 8 adult singers, singing alto, tenor, and bass for some of the rehearsals and for all of the liturgies. Charlie spent two weeks of intense preparation with Dr. Velting (and Charlie's mom, also a singer, who rehearsed alongside him) prior to going to Dallas. He worked really hard and grew to love the repertoire that was to be rehearsed and performed during the residency in Dallas.

Charlie says: 

"This course was so much fun, and I learned so much from Mr Sheranian. There was a multitude of fun activities planned by our amazing counselors and managers. Some of these activities were going to the pool, the mall, getting ice cream, and a talent show, too. I got to see what a college dorm looked like and multiple huge and pretty churches along with it. The music selections were great, too. My favorite was definitely the piece by Bach (taken from a cantata). Thank you to the Cathedral for sponsoring me."

And we thank Charlie for representing the Cathedral Chorister program so nicely. Dr. Velting made the trip to Dallas to experience Evensong on Friday and Holy Eucharist on Sunday morning, and saw what a leader Charlie was in the group of Choristers and how younger Choristers looked up to him. We're very proud of him!