Music at the Cathedral
Whether at home or on tour, at its core the music program and its professional staff are dedicated to advancing excellence in sacred music and to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for singers of all ages and backgrounds!
Our Choirs
With a storied history and a dynamic present, the Cathedral’s music ministry is a key and distinguishing component of the Cathedral’s offering and reputation. Modeled on the English cathedral tradition, it comprises the only example in Canada of separate all-girl and all-boy treble lines; a gateway for generations of young people to a life of faith, service and leadership. Our corps of semi-professional adult singers (Lay Clerks) are some of this country’s finest vocal artists. And our volunteer parish choir (Voces Cathedrae) gives voice to a wide cross-section of the Diocese of Ottawa as well as the National Capital Region.
Meet the Music Team
Organs of the Cathedral
A small pipe organ was installed by Samuel Warren at the end of the nineteenth century, which was subsequently rebuilt and enlarged on three occasions by Casavant Frères. In 1969, the tonal scheme of the organ was significantly altered under the guidance of former Organist and Choirmaster, Godfrey Hewitt. Several new stops were added at this time and the console was made movable so that recitalists could better be seen by audiences.
In 1997, under then-Director Frances MacDonnell’s supervision, the console was equipped with Solid State Logic, and a new “en chamade” trumpet was added in the rear gallery. However, by 2007, the organ was determined by independent professional assessments to be urgently in need of repairs. Following this advice, Parish Council Executive recommended replacing the organ with a new pipe instrument at such future time as independent sources of funding are found and the Cathedral’s debt is retired.
In the interim the Cathedral purchased in 2009 a digital instrument from Rodgers Organs Canada. In purchasing this instrument, Parish Council Executive emphasized that “this does not preclude any long-term or permanent organ replacement options”. With fifty-four stops (and a significant number of alternative voices), the organ has proven a reliable and flexible vehicle for choral accompaniment, service playing and recitals.
The Cathedral also possesses a small continuo organ built by Karl Wilhelm of Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec.
Trumpets
The Gallery Trumpets – “Trompette en Chamade” – were installed and dedicated in May 1997 to celebrate the centennial of the consecration of the Cathedral. The pipes are located in the west gallery on both sides of the Sesquicentennial Window.
In July 2014, a new antiphonal division and the Gallery Trumpets were connected to the main chancel organ.
