CATHOLIC STUDENT choirs from around Orange County came together to make music and improve their craft at a yearly diocesan event.
OC Catholic Schools hosted its 2026 Diocesan Student Choral Festival on May 7 in Christ Cathedral’s Arboretum. The festival featured guest clinician Andrew Alvarez, who serves as the choral director at Mayfield Senior School of the Holy Child in Pasadena. Dr. Erin Barisano, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Orange, was on hand to welcome the students, music teachers and principals, as well as open the event with prayer.
ST. BONAVENTURE SIXTH-GRADE GIRLS CHAMBER CHOIR SINGS AT THE DIOCESAN STUDENT CHORAL FESTIVAL AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL ON MAY 7. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
“Welcome to this joyful celebration of music, of faith and community at our annual elementary choral festival,” Dr. Barisano said. “We are truly blessed to gather here today and to witness the talent, the dedication and the beautiful spirit of our students as they lift up their voices in song.”
The festival opened with a hymn featuring Lauren McCaul, music administrator at Christ Cathedral, and David Ball, the cathedral’s head of music ministry and organist. The students warmed up with a traditional hymn before the school choirs from around the diocese took to the stage.
The choirs came out to showcase two songs and receive feedback on how to improve. The participating Catholic schools were St. Edward the Confessor, St. Catherine’s Academy, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bonaventure, Christ Cathedral Academy, Holy Family, St. Junipero Serra, St. John the Baptist, St. Cecilia and St. Joachim. Mayfield Senior School’s Women’s Ensemble closed the performances.
STEFANIE BRIGNOLI, MUSIC DIRECTOR, CONDUCTS THE ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI SCHOOL CHOIR AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL.
Alvarez has had an “amazing career working with young voices” as a choral music educator for the last 35 years, said McCaul. He studied at Porterville College, Loyola Marymount University and Chapman University before teaching at different high schools and colleges, including JSerra Catholic High School.
“We’re very excited that he’s going to be here with you today,” McCaul said. “I have personally long admired his skill and excellence in choral singing, and I’m just so excited for you to get to work with him today.”
For St. Francis of Assisi’s school choir, the students performed “How Can I Keep from Singing” by Greg Gilpin and “The Gift of Love” by Hal Hopson. Alvarez praised the singers for the joy they brought to the stage.
“You guys are really well prepared, and it’s exciting to hear you guys sing out with no fear,” Alvarez said before asking the audience, “Isn’t that great that they just sing out?”
Then it was time to get to work. Alvarez had the choir sing back specific sections of their songs and gave suggestions on how to improve. Then the choir sang again, implementing the changes.
St. Francis of Assisi choir member Harrison Gagnon, 12, said he found the tips really helpful and could already hear the difference.
“We did a good job, I thought, and it felt really good to get some feedback,” Gagnon said. “Because everyone tells you that you did a great job, but there’s always room to improve, so I really liked getting the feedback.”
Gagnon, who is in his third year of choir, said he attended the choral festival last year and wanted to come back.
“I thought it was a really fun experience and a cool experience listening to the other schools and hearing their music,” he said.
Fellow singer Katherine Jurilla, 13, agreed with Gagnon. She added that she was also learning from watching the other choir performances and listening to the feedback. For Jurilla, this is her first year in the choir and her first choral festival. She said she joined because she loves singing at Mass and she wants to follow in her older sister’s footsteps
“It’s a nice and creative way that different people can express themselves,” Jurilla said.
St. Francis of Assisi music director Stefanie Brignoni, who oversees two choirs and teaches K-5 music classes, said she wanted to bring her students because of the positive feedback she got last year.
“We got off the bus, and we got home and they said, ‘I wish we could do it again,’” Brignoni said. “They really enjoyed the whole experience and wanted to do it again.”
Brignoni said it’s important for her students to experience other styles of music and hear the clinician’s feedback. Being an educator, Brignoni said she is called to pass on her passion for music, especially because singing is like “praying twice.”
“I just think it’s a great creative outlet for them, and they can express themselves,” she said, “and you never know what kind of music, or what song, will strike a chord with a student and make the light go on.”