Interested in Joining the Cathedral Choir?
 
Contact Robert Marcantel at 337-436-7251 or e-mail him at [email protected]. The ability to read music is desirable, but not necessary.  An informal vocal evaluation is required of all potential new members. 
 
The regular choir season goes from the Sunday after Labor Day to Pentecost Sunday.  Choir rehearsals begin sometime in August and are regularly held on Wednesdays from 6:00 -8:00 p.m. in the Cathedral choir room. More information can be obtained from the director.
 
The choir sings a wide variety of music - from Gregorian chant to polyphony, from traditional hymnody to contemporary songs, from works of master composers to newly composed choral anthems. The Cathedral choirs are known for their hospitality, humor, and hard work.  Join us!  We would love to have you!

 ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
 Robert Marcantel is a native of Kinder, Louisiana.  His vocation as a church musician and teacher began when he was a child and began playing for Mass in his home parish, St. Philip Neri, in Kinder.  Through the years, he has served as organist and/or music director in several parishes in the diocese: St. Philip Neri, St. Henry, St. Raphael and St. Margaret of Scotland. Most notably, he served as the organist/music director at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Carlyss for four years and Our Lady of Good Counsel (McNeese Catholic Student Center) for  twelve years, where he not only built an outstanding choir and handbell choir, he also served as music director, table leader, speaker and director for many, many Awakening, Agape and Confirmation retreats. While serving as the music director at St. Theresa's and Our Lady of Good Counsel, he also served as the religious education coordinator for those parishes, as well as teaching religious education classes during his tenure there.
     As the Cathedral music director, he follows a long line of very talented music directors for the parish that date back to its founding in 1869, that include Clements A. Helbling, Dr. Francis Bulber, Jerry Crews, Donna Vanchiere and Steven Branch. He oversaw the renovations of the cathedral organ in 1993 and began the Cathedral Ringers Handbell Choir, which played for several years.
     In 2008, he established the "St. Cecilia Award" - an award named after St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, which is awarded to choir members who have contributed in outstanding and extraordinary ways to the Cathedral music ministry.
    Mr. Marcantel holds a Bachelor of Vocal Music Education degree from McNeese State University and a Master of Pastoral Studies degree from Loyola University in New Orleans. His first teaching assignment was at Immaculate Conception Cathedral School, where he began the music education program that continues there today and taught 3rd and 5th grade religion classes as well.  He currently teaches music classes in Cameron parish at Grand Lake and South Cameron schools. 
    Mr. Marcantel is a member of the Lake Area Kodály Educators, the Organization of American Kodály Educators, the National Association for Music Education, the Vocal Music Teachers Organization, the National Educators Association, the Louisiana Association of Educators, the Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians, the National Association of Pastoral Musicians and the Sisters of the Eucharistic Covenant Associates. He has served on the board of directors for ACTS theater and the Lake Charles Symphony.
    
  ABOUT THE ORGANIST
 
      Marlene Mullenix is a native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where she studied piano, theory, voice and organ. She earned her Associate diploma in piano from the Trinity College of Music, London, England in 1977 followed by the Piano Associate diploma from the Royal conservatory of Music, University of Toronto.  In 1982 she also received the Licentiate diploma in piano from Trinity College. A Master’s of Music Degree in Organ Performance from Rice University in Houston came next in 1989. Marlene has held organist positions in Calgary, Toronto,  (Canada), Denmark and
                                                       Houston. 
     In 1989 she became full-time Director of Music & Organist at First United Methodist Church for 6 years.  From 1995 – 2002 she was organist at the Cathedral, and accompanied the Cathedral Chorale when they went on a tour in 1998, to Rome, Italy.  Mrs. Mullenix has also been organist at First Presbyterian Church, Immaculate Conception Church and The Church of Our Lady LaSalette in Sulphur, and most recently returned to First United Methodist Church as organist from 2010 until she returned to the Cathedral as our parish organist.
 
ABOUT THE CATHEDRAL CHORALE
 
   The Immaculate Conception Cathedral Chorale was started in the summer of 1992. The heart of the Chorale is the Sunday Cathedral choir. The Chorale is the more "advanced" choir and was purposely designed so that members of other church parishes and denominations might have an opportunity to sing at the Cathedral for special occasions, e.g.,  Christmas, the Sacred Triduum, ordinations, Confirmation and the non-Christmas concerts periodically given by the group.  The Cathedral Chorale gave their first Christmas concert on December 24, 1992 and their first non-Christmas concert in 1994. In 1996, they released their first cd, The Lord is With You. Also in 1996, they were invited by the Vatican to give a concert and sing at a papal Mass and in November of 1998, they traveled to Rome where they gave a concert at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church and sang at two Masses in St. Peter's Basilica, one of which was presided by the late Pope St. John Paul II.  In addition, they traveled to Assisi, where they sang at a Mass held above the tomb of St. Francis and were guests at the villa of a count who was a cousin to Prince Charles of England.
   
The Cathedral Chorale continues to sing for special liturgical occasions and give their annual pre-Mass Christmas concert which has become a beloved tradition in the parish.  The unofficial motto is "Ministry first; music second."