Cathedral School for Boys

Making a Difference with Music

From the soaring space of the Cathedral to the auditorium of Gresham Hall, you cannot enter Cathedral School for Boys without being aware of the vitality of the music program. In every grade music plays an important role in the lives of the boys.

Teaching Music

Lower School boys enjoy weekly small group classes in the music room with Sean Breen, the school’s much-loved educator and composer. Mr. Breen teaches singing through the renowned Kodàly method. Kodàly believed that music is necessary for healthy human development and his system enables each student to master the rudiments of music notation in a fun way. In addition to learning to sing, the boys learn percussion, guitar, recorder and hand bells as they progress through the school. This year, we are pleased to have Ms. Susan Sonnemaker lead the Music curriculum while Mr. Breen is away at school.

In the Upper School classrooms, music and drama enrich learning in every class from Mandarin to math. Throughout the grades, music classes expose the boys, hands-on, to a wide range of instruments and musical styles. The joy of making music and appreciating it is a lifelong gift.

Building Community
Music at Cathedral school is also about community. Beginning in the 4th grade and continuing through 8th, boys can choose to learn either a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument and participate in the school band along with faculty. Instrumental instruction is offered free of charge by jazz musician and teacher Bonnie Fraenza. A string ensemble period once a week during the school year enables current string players to meet and rehearse. Jazz electives in the upper school are an opportunity for piano, guitar, woodwind and bass players to participate in jazz combos. On Friday mornings, parents and friends are welcome to attend all-school chapel in the Cathedral. The boys help choose the hymns, singing along enthusiastically when their favorites get picked.

Singing in the Choir
In 2nd grade, boys may audition for the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys. The school was originally founded in part to train boys for the choir. This is an enriching musical experience for those who are selected and decide to join. As well as a musical training, it gives the boys the chance to work daily with boys older and younger than themselves for a communal goal. Once trained, each chorister receives an annual scholarship towards his tuition.

The choir sings Sunday morning and Thursday evensong services during term time and these services are broadcast to thousands of listeners over the Internet. The choir ends the year with the famous Grace Cathedral Christmas concerts. They also sing the national anthem at a Giants’ Game each season. The week before school starts, choristers have fun regrouping at their summer camp in Sonoma. The Choir of Men and Boys tours domestically and internationally and has sung at Notre Dame, Chartres Cathedral and in Westminster Abbey.

Encouraging Hearts, Hands, Minds & Voices
Much research has been done on the advantages of learning music to enhance brain development, especially in the areas of math and languages. CSB’s strong musical tradition is reflected in the motto of the school: Hearts, Hands, Minds and Voices.

Music has also been shown to build confidence and enhance social intelligence. It offers the boys a way to express themselves that is an international language and is about building community too. Hearing the magical strains of a visiting harp player or the majestic organ in the Cathedral, singing rousing hymns once a week, playing the hand bells at Lessons and Carols on the last day of the winter term, being part of a jazz quintet with your teachers and boys from other grades, playing guitar while you march around the plaza with your classmates--all this and more makes up the unique experience offered by the Cathedral School for Boys' music program.