St. Martin's Parish Musicians
Sheila Ivers
Sheila Ivers leads the assembly in song at the 5:00 p.m. Mass on Saturdays. She has been singing harmony at this Mass since the spring of 1988, so it's her 20-year anniversary this year. She began singing with Brenda Carlson, who is a soprano. Bobby Reuter joined them on piano when he was 14, and began singing with Sheila when Brenda moved on. Last year Bobby moved to New York, and Michael Pease now plays and sings at the 5:00 Mass with her.
Sheila is a graduate of San Jose State, where she sang in the A Cappella Choir. She married her husband, Barry in 1971, and they have three children: Samantha, 31, Danielle, 29 and Justin (Barry), 26. All three children attended St. Martin's School. Barry is a teacher at St. Francis High School in Mt. View, and is starting his 35th year in the fall. For ten years, Sheila was the Assistant Director of Extended Care at St. Martin's, after which she became the secretary to the Director of Human Resources at the City of Santa Clara, a position that she still holds.
When asked about her ministry, Sheila shared that, "The joy I feel in my music ministry lifts me up. I am truly fortunate to have the friends and family of St. Martin's around me. Please stop by and visit Michael and I if you come to the 5:00 p.m. Mass! We'd love to meet you."
Marie Quinn
For about the last 16 years, Marie (Rebello) Quinn has been the organist at the 7:00 a.m. Mass at St. Martin's. Marie began playing piano at the age of three, when her mother (a piano teacher and church organist) taught her the basics in between giving "real" piano lessons. In the 6th grade, Marie was called upon to play the organ for the first time (during a May Crowning ceremony), and at the age of 15, became the accompanist for the adult choir at St. Clare's, under the excellent direction of Professor Clemens Van Perre.
Over the years, Marie has been organist and/or choir director at Holy Cross, St. Frances Cabrini, St. Clare and St. Simon's Churches. Her music ministry currently includes accompanying the Saturday evening mass at St. Clare, choir director and organist for the 11:00 mass at St. Christopher, and playing and singing with her sister, Teri Barnett, at the 12:30 mass at St. Christopher's. Marie estimates that, during her 40+ years as a diocesan musician, she has probably played for hundreds, if not thousands, of weddings and funerals. Marie says that, when they were first married, her husband had NO idea what it meant to be a liturgical musician - but he does now!
In 1989, Sr. Rose Mary Maguire contacted Marie and asked her to put together some entertainment for a Diocesan "Celebration of Religious Life" dinner. Marie called upon several friends from various parish choirs and thus began "Singers Around The Bay" (SATB), a group of dedicated singers who to this day consider themselves a "small faith community" who give of their time doing benefit concerts and singing for convalescent homes and other events. Their goal in this outreach effort is to bring some joy to their various audiences. Their concert repertoire spans many musical styles, from show tunes to patriotic songs to oldies from the 20s and 30s. They sing special masses each year for the Carmelite Sisters in Santa Clara; Christmas concerts for the Carmelite Fathers' Annual Boutique, ICF events, and even a benefit for the JW House last year. Many parishioners are familiar with this musical group, who also provides music at our annual Celebration of Life Mass.
Marie has recently retired after 32 years of working for the Santa Clara Police Department. She has no intention of retiring from her liturgical music ministry any time soon, and hopes to continue playing for weddings and funerals for years to come. Marie is committed to enhancing the sense of prayer and spirituality in the Mass by offering church music spanning several generations, and lifting people's spirits through the power of music. Most of all, Marie feels that every connection made between church musicians and their assemblies through good liturgical music brings us all ever closer to our God.
Doug Hughes
Doug Hughes, along with his wife, Diane, has led St. Martin’s 8:30 music group for the past 23 years, but their involvement in church ministry (and our diocese) goes back even further. Doug joined a folk group in college 40 years ago and has been playing ever since. After moving to California in 1978, he met Diane when they both worked at Modern Liturgy magazine and she recruited him to join her music group at Church of the Ascension in Saratoga.
Doug and Diane are actively involved in our parish. They sent their three children through our school and started our scrip program. Diane has served on the Finance Commission, helps count the parish collection each week, and currently works in the school’s Development office. Doug, a past parish council president, edits the Martin Chronicles alumni newsletter, and has created videos (on our website) for both the parish and the school. When their daughters attended Presentation High School, Doug and Diane became founding members of TADA (the school’s “Theater & Arts Development Association”). Diane works as their House Manager, while Doug is the volunteer webmaster for their performing arts pages. Doug works at Lockheed Martin as manager of Employee Communications.
Doug welcomes anyone into his choir, regardless of experience. “In the first music group I ever led,” he says, “we had a sweet young girl who sang slightly off-key. Other singers wanted me to kick her out, but I balked. A few months later, she died in a tragic accident. At her funeral, her mother came up and thanked me for encouraging her daughter musically, because singing at church had been her life’s greatest joy. Ever since then, I have had an open-door policy. I trust in the Holy Spirit as my talent scout.”
Meet the members of the 8:30 a.m. Music Group: |
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Debbie Reuter
Debbie Reuter has been the cantor at the 10 AM Sunday liturgy and co-leader of the 10 AM Sunday music group for the past 16 years. Prior to that, she spent several years as Song Leader for the 10 AM Sunday Playways Program, (the original Sunday Preschool Program). Over the years, she has also served on the Parish Liturgy Commission.
When Debbie moved to San Jose from Illinois in 1976, she was introduced to music ministry by the 10 AM’s current guitarist/singer, Mike Cobillas. She began singing with Mike at Most Holy Trinity and later at Our Lady of Guadalupe parish.
Debbie believes two of her most important responsibilities to be the selection of liturgical music and the mentoring of young liturgical musicians. After reflecting on the weekly readings, Debbie considers song choices that promote communal singing and enable the community to express their faith. In addition, the 10 AM group has a rich history of mentoring and forming young liturgical musicians. Youngsters who enjoy singing and/or playing instruments are encouraged and supported by adults who have a great love of music and the desire to be of service. Debbie considers it a great privilege to be able to continue this important work.
Debbie has spent the last 14 years as Senior Vice President at Heritage Bank of Commerce. She and her husband, Bob, have two children. Bobby is an Associate Musician at St. Ignatius parish in New York City, and Megan is a junior at San Jose State University.
The dedicated and talented volunteer musicians who come week after week to support the 10 am assembly in song and worship remain a constant source of inspiration to Debbie.
Meet the members of the 10:00 a.m. Music Group: |
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Michael Pease
Michael plays piano and sings for the Saturday 5pm and Sunday 10am masses. He also co-directs the 10am choir with Debbie Reuter. He is very happy to be a member of the St. Martin of Tours community, and is grateful for the warm welcome he has received since joining it in September of 2006.
Michael is a native of the Bay Area, having grown up in Palo Alto. He is currently single, and works for the City of Santa Clara.
He received his B.A. from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, and it was there that he first started serving as a church musician. His Junior year, an attendee at a mass offered him a job playing piano and singing for a church in Hawthorne. This led to a second weekly mass in Lomita, which led to another one in Hermosa Beach. Eventually, Michael was contributing music to three or four services in two or three towns every weekend for a few years.
Upon returning to Northern California, he volunteered as a church musician at Our Lady of the Rosary in Palo Alto. He eventually took a break from liturgical music when he took on a full-time job as Music and Acting Teacher for The Harker School in San Jose. Upon resigning from that job after a good tenure there, he decided to resume participating in liturgical music ministry.
Having started teaching and directing theater and music in his late teens, he continues those pursuits to this day. In the past year and a half, he has directed four plays for various community theaters, served as musical director for some musicals, and has taught many public speaking classes for children through Cupertino’s Communication Academy.
Along with teaching, directing, and being a musician, Michael is a playwright and a songwriter. He has written many locally-produced plays, and has written the scores for three locally-produced musicals. He also produces and records his own albums in his home studio. His other interests include improvisational comedy, card games, playing tennis, karaoke, and loyally rooting for the 49ers.
Michael is very grateful to the community of St. Martin of Tours for their inspiration and faithfulness. He’d also like to specifically acknowledge and thank Debbie, Sheila, Judy, and the members of the 10am music group for their warmth, talent and support.
Ophelia Chau
Although Ophelia Chau has been the Choir Director for the 11:30 a.m. Mass for a couple of years, you may not have seen her (or husband, Bill, who operated the sound mixing board) for the past few months. Ophelia has been on maternity leave since the birth of their son, Garrick Christian, in November. In her absence, Maria Shao has filled in as the Choir Director.
Both Ophelia and Maria are graduates of Santa Clara University: Ophelia received her Masters Degree in the Pastoral Ministries program there last year, with an emphasis on Liturgical Music and Maria graduated in the same program this year.
Ophelia has sung and played in parishes throughout the diocese and previously sang with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. She often works with her good friend and fellow musician, Brian Yoshii, who sings, plays percussion and also directs the choir.
Ophelia has appreciated the welcoming presence and dedication of the members of the 11:30 a.m. choir, some of whom have been singing for many decades with many different choir directors over the years. Ophelia describes her ministry as follows: "When I serve my community, my heart is gratified with an abundance of peace and love. I credit that happiness to the power of God. The power of God's words touches my heart deeply with the beauty of music, and it is my pleasure to be able to share this joy with the congregation. Of course, I can't be thankful enough for my choir, who is always supportive with abundance of love."
Maria Shou
Maria Shao is a recent graduate from the Pastoral Ministries program at Santa Clara University (SCU), where she obtained a M.A. in liturgical music. Maria has been serving as the music director for the San Jose Chinese Catholic Community for the past three years. She also cantors regularly at Sacred Heart of Saratoga and the monthly Taize service at the Dominican Sisters’ Motherhouse in Fremont.
She is very glad to have joined the St. Martin of Tours 11:30 am mass since last December and has enjoyed working with the 11:30 choir. Maria has been directing and accompanying the choir while Ophelia Chau has been on maternity leave.
Maria also holds a B.S. in civil engineering and is currently working full time. She also enjoys reading, taking walks in the park, and catching up with friends.
Meet the members of the 11: 30 a.m. Choir: |
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Harry Soza
If you were to ask Harry Soza what matters to him most, he would probably say his family, his God, and his guitar. Nearing his 20th year of leading the 6 pm music group, Harry has combined his passion for music and God, and given the St. Martin’s community a whole new way to look at church music.
Harry first came to St. Martin of Tours 22 years ago when he and his wife Jan were looking for a parish with a school for their son Jesse. Harry sang with the 10 am Mass ( back then it was at 9:45), for two years before volunteering to lead the newly created 7 pm Mass in 1989. He began this endeavor with good friend and fellow Notre Dame graduate Tim Brosnan. Both Harry and Tim had strong musical backgrounds, which helped shape the contemporary flair of the Sunday night mass. Harry was the lead guitarist for his college rock band at Stanford University (where he received a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering). Since 2002 this band reunites one time year to play at his neighborhood’s summer block party. Tim played trumpet and was the drum major for Notre Dame’s renown marching band, and today leads the Christian rock band, Exodus, that he formed in 1998 at Archbishop Mitty High School, where he is principal.
Along with the duo’s musical ability, Harry says that the era in which he began at Mass greatly influenced the music he chose. “By the late 80’s and 90’s many new liturgical composers had grown up after Vatican II. They essentially wrote contemporary music, in English, that incorporated modern instruments --- and went beyond the folk-Mass style of the 60's and 70's.” said Harry. “I tried to bring a piece of that to each Sunday evening.” Along with his passion for a modern twist on liturgical music, Harry has recruited numerous high school and college kids to sing with the band throughout the years. “It’s just been a real joy watching a young person’s talent improve week by week, year by year. Occasionally you will find me smiling at Mass in the middle of a song because one of our young people did something really cool. That is very special." The group is geared toward young musicians who are talented, have experience and want to take the next step. Harry is always looking for new band members who are up for a challenge.
Although Harry can often be found rewriting an old hymn with a new samba rhythm, he says that it is the diversity of the music program at St. Martin’s that he appreciates most. “We have talented music leaders at all the Masses and we respect and feed off each other,” said Harry. He says that his favorite musical experiences have been at celebrations like Easter and Good Friday where multiple music leaders and musicians perform together. “These are true blessings: They are wonderful, enriching experiences, ones in which I hope to take part for many more years."
Meet the members of the 6:00 p.m. Music Group: |
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So sorry to do a mass email like this, but I wanted to let you all know that, firstly, I'm still alive (!), and, secondly, that I have a new mailing address. Just recently, I moved into a wonderful one-bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens and will include the address at the end of this email. But first, a quick update!
I've also been blessed in getting a wonderful job at the über beautiful Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in downtown Manhattan. I'm involved with a number of the services and choirs doing a little bit of everything, from accompanying, directing, singing, and amidst all of these activities, I am collaborating with such fine musicians and conductors from whom I am learning much. In addition to the services, the church is home to the much acclaimed Sacred Music in a Sacred Space concert series, directed by Kent Tritle. Many works, both large and small, for piano, organ, orchestra, and choir are performed, and I am so happy to be able to participate in these marvelous concerts. The quality of music at this church is fantastic, and keeping with this quality has challenged me to improve my own musicianship and music-making ability. This challenge is worth it, and has been very rewarding so far.