Music Ministry Team
Our Partnership is blessed to have three musicians, plus the St Stephen's
and Holy Cross choirs. We also have talented members who occasionally
play their violas, cellos and clarinets accompanying the organ, choir and
congregation.The partnership also has a chime choir, which plays for special
occasions.
The team leader is Cathy Austin. She is our Minister of Music who selects
and plays all the hymns, anthems and special music that is called for in our
Episcopal services. She plays for all the weekly services as well as special
services such as funerals, weddings, evensong and any other services, both at St Stephen's
and Holy Cross. She is also the director of both choirs.
Cathy is an active member of the American Guild of Organists and The Association of Anglican
Musicans. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Biology from Texas State University
(Formally Southwest Texas State University), and a Master of Education, Learning Resource
Specialist (Library Science) from Our Lady of the Lake University, and she has recently
completed three semesters at UTSA working on a Bachelor of Music degree in organ
performance with Dr. David Eaton. She taught English and Science at the
middle school level and was a school librarian at all levels before retiring
from Sidney Lanier High School in 2003. She was recently named to
Who's Who in America and is listed in their 2008 book. She also was in
Who's Who Among American Teachers in 1988 and 1989 and was voted
Teacher of the Year for Oak Crest Middle School.
Our first assistant organist is Melvyn Alvarez, who has been involved with music of various kinds
during his many years of membership at St Stephen's beginning in 1947.
He began his classical piano training at the age of ten and continued for twelve
years, giving many recitals and playing in numerous national competitions.
He has been playing the organ professionaly both in popular as well as classical
and liturgical music since the age of thirteen. He is the co-owner of an Audio
Visual business and has the responsibility of taking care of all the sound and
video equipment used at both churches. He is a member of the Vestry at St.
Stephen's, is the webmaster of the Partnership web site, is a eucharistic minister,
a member of the choir and assists the church Secretary with the monthly newsletter.
Melvyn is an active member of the Alamo Chapter of the American
Guild of Organists. He is also a long time member of The Society of Broadcast
Engineers, Chapter 69, The Alamo A's antique auto club and The Lutheran
Coronation Association.
Our second assistant organist and choir member is Mary Lou Kilgore. She
joined St Stephen's in 1947 and is an enthusiastic choir member, plus she wears
several hats and serves many functions in the partnership. Mary Lou began her
piano training at a young age and was playing the old pump organ at St Stephen's
between the ages of nine and sixteen as an assistant and full time organist.
She provides our musical accompaniment if either of the first two members are
unavailable. Mary Lou is indeed a great asset to our partnership.
Together, our three musicians in the partnership, always assures us of having
music for any occasion that might occur.
Holy Cross has a very talented choir of nine members.
They are a very committed group, rarely missing a
rehearsal or a Sunday service.
The organ at Holy Cross is a two-manual
Kilgen pipe organ. The instrument was donated to
the church by the Reidenbach family. It is small,
but it has a great sound and a nice variety of voices
to enrich the singing during the services. Holy Cross
also has a Yamaha piano, which is used periodically
for more contemporary music. On selected Sundays,
the music is sometimes "blended" using traditional as
well as contemporary music.
St. Stephen's also has a very dedicated choir of nine
members.St. Stephen's owns a three-year old Rodgers
Insignia digital organ and a Yamaha Clavinova digital
piano, and like Holy Cross, many of the services are
"blended" musically. The partnership is very
fortunate to have these modern musical instruments.
Besides the regular Sunday services, the partnership
shares the special services during Holy Week. This year,
2008, the Maundy Thursday partnership service will be held at
St Stephen's at 6PM. The Good Friday service will also
held at St Stephen's at 12 Noon. The Great Vigil of Easter
will be held at Holy Cross on Saturday at 7PM.
On Easter Sunday, each church holds it's own Holy Eucharist service at their regular times, Holy Cross
at 9AM and St Stephen's at 11AM. When both congregations come together to worship, we are blessed
to have a combined partnership choir with many lovely voices, usually eighteen members.The months
that have five Sundays in them, St Stephen's and Holy Cross take turns in hosting a "partnership Sunday
service," where the two choirs again join together to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord."
Other music programs and services include: Advent Lessons and Carols, early in December, (our two
churches take turns hosting this yearly event). On Christmas Eve, each church has it's own Holy
Eucharistic service. Last year, 2007, St Stephen's held theirs at 7PM and Holy Cross at 11PM. Here
again the times switch yearly so that each church has an early and a midnight service.
Our combined choir rehearsals are held in St Stephen's Chapel of the Good Shepherd every
Wednesday afternoon at 3:00PM. We are always looking for new singers! You are most welcome
to join us. NOTE: THE CHOIR TAKES A BREAK DURING THE MONTH OF JULY -
THERE IS NO CHOIR REHEARSAL DURING JULY!
Call the church office for further information at 210-534-5400.
