Projects to enable the success of the Cathedral Music Ministry included:

• The completion of the Cathedral Pipe Organ (1984) - 96 rank / 4 manual / Ballard Pipe Organ of San Antonio.
• The conversion of the Cathedral Kindergarten to a choir room for 80 singers. (1984)
• The renovation of the Cathedral Choir Loft to accommodate 80 singers. Required the removal of a second loft on the loft. (1984)
• The removal of all acoustical tile in the Cathedral - improving the reverberation to 2.2 Seconds. (1986)
• The installation of a Sound System - House / Loft / Television / and Production Sound (1986)
• The installation of Television Lights receding into the new wood ceiling (1986)
• The building addition to the choir room of Music Ministry Office Space (450 Square Feet) (1987) Restoration of the Cathedral Carillon - 32 note Deagan Chime System (1997)
• Restoration of the Cathedral Carillon - 32 note Deagan Chime System (1997)

• 4 Kettledrums - (1983)
• Cathedral Harpsichord - Richard Kingston, 2 manual (1986)
• Cathedral Harp - Lyon-Healy, (1987)
• Kawai Grand Piano for Choir Room (1987)
• Kawai Upright Piano for Sectional Room (1987)
• Malmark Handbells (5 - Octaves) (1988)
• Chapel Pipe Organ - Charles Ruggle instrument of Cleveland, Ohio (6 Stops - 7 Ranks with Pedal Extension) (1989)

Music Ministry Budget

Support of the Cathedral Music Ministry comes primarily from the Cathedral Parish of 1200 families. There is no diocesan subsidy. The total budget with salaries is approximately $140,000 annually. Additional Music Ministry support is generated from various choir fundraising projects of the different choirs, which is deposited into the Cathedral Music Ministry Fundraising Account. The Cathedral Children’s Choirs have a very active Parents Auxiliary that successfully raises funds especially by cooking and serving breakfast after numerous Sunday Masses.

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Private Vocal Instruction

Mark Urbina invites you to come and learn the fine art of singing! 

A healthy vocal technique is an essential part of any choral member or aspiring soloist’s musical background.  For a fee of $30 per lesson, vocal study includes a 1 hour, once a week voice lesson where Mr. Urbina’s proven method of vocal enhancement is implemented in intensive and exhilarating study.  These one-on-one sessions include instruction in all aspects of vocal development and performance including physiology, technique, performance and artistic/musical development.  In addition, the monthly studio performance class allows students to hone their new skills in a non-threatening classroom environment.  Mr. Urbina has a long and varied career as a soloist in the US and Europe.  He has also been Director of Choral Activities at Del Mar College, Artistic Director of the Corpus Christi Chorale and Assistant Director of the Corpus Christi Cathedral Pontifical Choir. 

You may contact Mark Urbina at:  (361) 215-3839.

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Cathedral Keyboard Academy

In cooperation with the Piano Gallery, members of Cathedral Choirs have the opportunity to participate in this program. The goals for the program include enhancing the lives of students of all ages through music participation and creating what we call “functional musicians.”

The Piano Gallery facility includes a large piano lab for our classes to accommodate 6 to 12 students and a studio lab for smaller classes of 2 to 5 students.  Both classrooms are equipped with the finest state-of-the-art digital pianos by Yamaha and Roland. Tuition for Cathedral Choir Academy will be $50 per month.  Lessons will be once a week - children - 45 minutes / Adults - 60 minutes.  Classes will start Saturday, September 18th.  Proposed times for classes is as follows:  10:00am, 11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm and 2:00pm.  The fall semester will include 3 months of instruction and a Celebration event during the third week of December.  Celebrations are important to the growth of the program.  It allows the students to share what they have learned in a positive performance situation and demonstrates the program to the community.  After a holiday break, classes will continue for the spring semester.  The spring semester will include four full months of lessons and a Celebration.

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Lee Gwozdz, Biography Information

Lee Gwozdz is known and respected throughout the United States for his work in the area of children’s choirs. He serves as Director of Music for Corpus Christi Cathedral, Corpus Christi, Texas, where a thriving music ministry embraces singers in grades one through twelve as well as adults. He is highly sought after as a clinician for children’s voices and conductor of children’s choir festivals and has expanded his reputation as a leading Adult Choir Festival Clinician. Renowned Children’s Choral Clinician Helen Kemp states “Lee has become one of our country’s leading church musicians. His exceptional work at Corpus Christi Cathedral is exemplary. His expertise, enthusiasm, wit, and imagination will help children want to Sing a New Song with accuracy, beauty and joy!”

A native of Ft. Worth, Texas, Lee is the son of the late Dr. Feliks and Eugenia Gwozdz, both survivors of WWII Nazi Concentration Camps. Known as Ft. Worth’s “Von Trapp Family” – Lee and his four siblings would frequently present musical programs with their parents at many civic events throughout the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. A graduate of Texas Christian University, Lee received degrees in Music Education and Organ Performance. He honed his skills in the area of all-level vocal music education as a student of the late Dr. Ruth Whitlock, and studied one-on-one with Helen Kemp and John Yarrington through the Chorister’s Guild Leadership Training Program. Personal mentoring in choral skills combined the best of Lee’s experiences with Paul Salamunovich, Mike Kemp, Ronald Shirey, Lara Hoggard, Bev Hensen, and his colleague at the Cathedral for the past 17 years – Gregory Labus.

In addition to his choral skills, as a student of TCU organ professor Emmet Smith, Lee had the opportunity to study for two summers in master class sessions with Jean Langlais, Maurice Durufle, Flor Peeters, Michael Schneider, Noel Goemanne, and Lady Susie Jeans.

Constantly engaged as a festival conductor and workshop clinician, Gwozdz’s workshop presentations, primarily in the area of his work with children’s choirs have taken place in over 100 cities throughout the United States. He has served as clinician for the National Choristers Guild summer seminars in both Grand Rapids and Kansas City. In 1987, he was chosen to conduct the 500-voiced choir for the Papal Mass held in San Antonio. In 1993, he served as conductor of the Papal Mass held in Denver, conducting over 700 young singers for the International World Youth Day Festival.

On a lighter note, Lee played for the Texas Rangers Professional Baseball Team, coached by Billy Martin, in the Sport’s Organist Position at Arlington Stadium.  As Sports Organist for the Ft. Worth Texans Hockey Team – his music helped to inspire the team to Adam’s Cup Victory in defeating the Dallas Black Hawks.

“When I first met Lee Gwozdz, he was a young lad of eleven years.  I was leading a workshop for directors of children’s choirs and Lee was there to observe my work with the demonstration group.  Already a fine musician with experience in an excellent boy’s choir, Lee seemed to grasp every idea, especially the visual devices used to encourage legato singing, vitality, focus of attention, tone, and anything I used to capture interest and to get audible results from visual images. It takes profound thought to invent ways to enable children to want to learn.  Lee has that gift.”       

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