800 Beacon St. Avalon, CA. Santa Catalina Island
Music Ministries
Saint Catherine's has a small group of music volunteers for both the English and Spanish Masses.
Weekend English Masses consist of traditional and semi-contemporary hymns, lead by an organist and cantor.
Our three-manual, Rodgers 905 digital organ was donated to us by the Avalon Community Church after the retirement of their organist and has served us well for more than 16 years. This organ replaced our previous two-manual, Rodgers Model-441 organ, that was installed in December of 1994. Our Yamaha clavinova electronic piano was donated by local musician and parish volunteer, Martha "Marty" Ashleigh.
We utilize all digital and electric keyboard-style instruments due to space limitations and budget restrictions.
Our primary Mass setting for English Liturgies is the Heritage Mass by Owen Alstott. Mass settings for the ordinary do change throughout the year to give emphasis to changes in the liturgical season.
Spanish Masses consist of a keyboardist, guitar instrumentalists, and small choir with contemporary Spanish hymns.
Due to low volunteership and job conflicts, some weekend Masses may be celebrated solemnly (without music) or with recorded music. We welcome new and visiting musicians! Please contact our music director before joining us so that he may inform the priest for that Mass.
Weekday Masses normally do not have music ministers at our parish, unless it is a holyday of obligation and musicians are available.
Our Musicians
Gabriel Saldaña
Director of Music Ministries, Organist
Music Department Email Address
Gabriel Saldana serves as the Music Director and organist for St. Catherine of Alexandria Church and has served this position since 2015. Previously serving as an associate organist from 2009-2015, Gabriel began his music career at St. Catherine's whilst receiving formal organ instruction from a previous associate organist for a period of about 3 years. Gabriel has years of experience with piano, organ, and other keyboard-related instruments, starting at the age of 6 with piano instruction from local pianist, Triva Rae. In high school, Gabriel served as the pianist for the Avalon High School advanced band for four years and previously held positions in the woodwind section on Clarinet and Saxophone. A proponent of liturgical choral and organ music, Gabriel takes much inspiration from music programs at larger houses of worship such as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (Los Angeles), Christ Cathedral (Diocese of Orange), and the Washington National Episcopal Cathedral.
Antonio Rodriguez
Spanish Music Coordinator
Thomas Bauer
Lead Cantor/Grand Knight
New musicians and volunteers always welcome!
Contact us:
Music Department Email Address
Special Event Music
Music for weddings, funerals, quinceaneras, baptisms, etc. are not provided through the standard donation for those events. Musical accompaniment for your special event must be coordinated separately with the desired musician(s). Payment for special events must be arranged separately with the musician. Please know that many of our musicians are volunteers with the parish, and have job obligations outside of church Mass.
~ The Music Director has informed us that his services are not available for special events between Memorial Day and October 1st due to the busy summer season. ~
Visiting and hired musicians are welcome to use the church organ or digital piano for special events, but must contact the church Music Director to coordinate availability of the instruments and have them unlocked.
Former music staff of St. Catherine's:
Wayne G. Griffin (✝)
Organist/Music Director (1984-2014)
Justyna Szymura
Associate Organist (2009-2013)
Martha Ashleigh (✝)
Pianist (Volunteer-part time) (2009-2020)
Gabriel Saldana (previous position)
Associate Organist (2010-2015)
Susan Ponce
Cantor (ND-2020)
Michael Ponce
Cantor (ND-2020)
Jerry Thissan (✝)
Cantor/Chorister (2010-2013)
ND- No date/date unknown
St. Catherine's also had a small choir composed of local parishioners, off-and-on between 2009 and 2014. We thank those parishioners for their dedication to our church music ministry!
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