I have a g-r-e-a-t job as Music Director at St. Patrick Parish because it’s not only one job, it’s really nine jobs in one! In a typical week, I play the organ for seven Masses, direct four handbell choir rehearsals, serve as a vocal coach for a soloist, teach two Middle School Choir classes, compose an instrument part for an anthem, meet with a couple planning their wedding music, look through catalogs of new music for choirs, practice the organ and piano, read several articles in music education journals, teach a music reading class, coach our parish cantor session, study the scripture readings for planning hymns /anthems for choirs for upcoming masses, and love “being a kid again” while helping my children’s choir having fun with a game at our Friday afternoon rehearsal! Whew! It’s NEVER boring!

I grew up in Camden, South Carolina, one of four children. From a very young age, I loved teaching and music—I would organize my younger sister and neighborhood children for “plays”, “school”, “church”, skating lessons, and even bicycle lessons! My real musical career began with my playing the piano at age five, when I would “pick out” songs on the piano after listening to my older sister’s piano pieces! I started piano lessons (at only $1.25 per lesson!) in third grade, then organ lessons when I was in ninth grade. I had my first “paying” organist’s job only three weeks later when I substituted at a small church in my hometown. After that, I started playing at several other churches whenever a substitute was needed. By the time I was sixteen, I was offered a job as organist for my own church, which had 2,000 members! (During high school, I even had a paying organ student—my own former eighth-grade English teacher!) All the many hours of practicing after school every day paid off with several college scholarships offers in music. This made me change my mind from thinking of possibly entering college in the field of pharmacy!

As an undergraduate at Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC, I enjoyed practicing on the college’s huge pipe organ every day—Winthrop had the largest pipe organ in the Southeastern United States at that time. As a junior, I entered and won the South Carolina Music Teachers’ Organists Competition! I later graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree, with a double major in organ performance and choral music education.

After college, I lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, and taught full-time in the neighboring school district in South Carolina, worked as a part-time church musician, and directed musical theatre productions, and taught piano lessons! During this time, my greatest honor was receiving my school’s Teacher of the Year Award, as well as the district’s Teacher of the Year Award.

Because I enjoyed supervising student teachers during my teaching in South Carolina, I was encouraged to begin work on a Masters’ degree in Music Education, which I completed in 1988. Since I enjoy children, teaching, music and learning very much, and with further encourage of two of my professors, I decided to pursue my Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of North Texas. I moved 1,000 miles from home to Dallas, where I continued my studies and career. I was a Teaching Fellow at North Texas for four years, teaching undergraduate courses while working on my own studies, with the last year being spent as a Mentor Teacher in the Aubrey, TX, schools. I now have completed over seventy hours of doctoral courses and my doctoral organ recital, but I have not yet written a dissertation!

In 1992, I began teaching at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School and directing the children’s choirs and handbell choirs for the Church. The school choirs at St. Thomas grew to have a great reputation: we were asked to record a CD for the Choristers Guild (a church/children’s international music organization) 50th Anniversary Music Compilation, as well as to film a scene for two episodes of the CBS-TV’s “Walker, Texas Ranger”! In my last year there, I was honored by some of my former students with their nomination for the “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” Award.

Msgr. Richard Johnson asked me to join the staff of St. Patrick Church in spring of 1998. I became the first full-time Music Director/Organist that July. I joined the school faculty as a part-time member at Sr. Bernarda’s request in January, 1999. I hope to continue to help build the music program.

My husband, Jim, sings in the St. Patrick Traditional Choir, as well as helps out as “my right hand man” with the music programs for the school and church. You may remember him as the Emcee for last year’s choir programs.

Send an E-Mail to Mrs. Cynthia Fruth