Uplifting Music to Praise God
God has bestowed upon His people the gift of song. God dwells within each human person, in the place where music takes its source. Indeed, God, the giver of song, is present whenever His people sing His praises. Here at Saint Ambrose, we strive to provide each person an opportunity to praise the Lord with music, no matter where you are in your faith journey. Join us!!!
The Mission of the Saint Ambrose Music Ministry is to encourage and uplift the body of Christ through high quality musical experiences that give glory to God.
Current members: click here for ministry practice site
Join our Music Ministry!
Angels Choir
This choir is for any PSR, day school, or home-schooled child in grades 2 – 6. The choir practices every Thursday from 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm and sings once a month at a Sunday Mass from September through May.
This choir also sings for the Cleveland Indians Catholic Day at Progressive Field (National Anthem), First Communion, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Easter.
Worship the Lord with gladness; Come into His presence with singing. ~ Psalm 100:2
fiat Band
The fiat (Faith in Action Teens) Band is open to all high school students in grades 9 through 12. The band plays at Sunday 5:00 pm Masses, in coordination with Confirmation and FIAT nights. Rehearsal is on Sunday, prior to Mass from 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm in the church. All instruments welcome!
fiat Choir & Cantors
The fiat (Faith in Action Teens) Choir is open to all students 7th through 12th grade. The choir sings at Sunday 5:00 pm Masses, in coordination with Confirmation and FIAT nights. Rehearsal is on Sunday, prior to Mass from 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm in the church. From the choir, members are then encouraged to become cantors for the mass!
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth. ~Psalm 57: 7, 9-11
Adult Choir
The choir sings weekly at the 10:30 am Sunday Masses from September through May. The choir also sings for Parish celebrations and holy days, including: Christmas, Easter, First Eucharist, Confirmation, etc. Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm September through Pentecost.
Saturday 4:30 pm Vigil Mass Chamber Ensemble
This is a great opportunity and an easy beginning into the Music Ministry at Saint Ambrose. Emphasis is singing melody, with an instrument or a few to enhance and encourage the congregation’s participation at mass. Rehearsal is on Saturday before mass at 3:45 pm in the Church.
Instrumentalists
The instrumentalists rehearse with the cantors on Wednesdays from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm and play at weekly Masses from September through Pentecost. Separate rehearsals are also scheduled during seasonal preparation for Christmas and Easter. Instrumentalists also play for holidays, including: Christmas, Easter, All Saints’ Day, etc. Instrumentalists include: flute, guitar, bass drum, trumpet, trombone, violin, oboe, etc.
I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. ~I Corinthians 14:15
Cantors
The cantors volunteer their time and lead the congregation in song. Cantors rehearse on Wednesdays from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm. Cantors are assigned to sing 2 – 3 liturgies a month. Based upon availability, cantors are also assigned to sing for all Parish Celebrations and Holy Days, including: Christmas, Easter, First Eucharist, Confirmation, etc.
Hand Bell Choir
We ring hand bells joyfully, prayerfully and for the glory of God! The hand bell choir plays a prelude song, before Communion and at other times during Mass once per month, as well as other prayer services during the year and holidays. Practices are held on Thursday evenings from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm, September through Pentecost. Some background in music is helpful, but not necessary. We are looking for dedicated people who will attend practices each week and to play at Masses. Feel free to stop by after Mass or speak to any of the members to join!
New Life Choir
The New Life Choir is a group that sings at funeral Masses, using their voices to console the family and friends of the deceased. Rehearsals are held in the church on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:00 am. We sing whenever there is a funeral held in the church. While the New Life Choir members are not required to be able to read music, they must have a love of singing!
New Gloria
as of September 2024
Music Ministry Staff
Director of Music Ministry: Travis Jürgens
Travis Jürgens has been the Director of Music Ministry at Saint Ambrose Parish since July 2020. He won 2nd Prize and the President of the Jury Award at the 2019 Bucharest Music Institute
International Conducting Competition. He has conducted the Rochester Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic, and Denver Philharmonic, among others. He has worked with esteemed conductors, including Michael Tilson Thomas and Marin Alsop, who invited Travis to attend the Conductors Guild Composer/Conductor Workshop at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music.
Jürgens has performed in the United States, Europe, and Japan. He has been praised as “a superior conductor” and “well on his way to becoming a major conductor in the world of symphony orchestras” (Opus Colorado). Musicians who have played under his baton have commented on his exceptional talent, dynamic musicianship, efficient rehearsals, and strong leadership.
The fully professional Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra appointed Jürgens as their next Music Director and Conductor in July 2018. Previously, he was the Music Director and Conductor of the Ohio Northern Symphony for five seasons, the Lima Area Youth Orchestra for three seasons, the Philharmonia of Kansas City for six seasons, the Associate Conductor of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, and a cover conductor for the Colorado Symphony. He also held the position of Associate Conductor of the Lamont Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre in Denver, where he received the Leon Guide Outstanding Conductor Award. Additional info is available at www.travisjuergens.com.
Minister of Performing Arts: Michelle Cha
Michelle Cha has always had a love of balancing her faith and music. Her bachelor’s degree is from Ohio Northern University where she studied voice and piano. She studied with Kristen Osbun-Manley and Dr. Dennis Kratzer. At The University of Akron Michelle studied with Dr. Laurie Lashbrook for her master’s. She has taught pre-k through 8th grade band, music, choir, and drama. After working for both community and professional theaters she found God’s calling to help enrich the lives of St. Ambrose and she could not be happier.
Director of the Handbell Choir: Cece Till
Cece Till is currently a 2nd year student at Baldwin Wallace University studying both Music Therapy and Music Education. She has been a member of the St. Ambrose music ministry since she joined the Angels Choir in 2012. She has remained active in the music ministry, transitioning from the choir to cantoring with the FIAT Band at 5:00 mass starting in 2018. Everything came full circle when she got the position of Handbell Director here at Saint Ambrose this past summer of 2024, and she is so excited to work in the same ministry and community that she grew up in.
Music Ministry Assistant: Helen Lanzarotta
Liturgical Musicians
Jacob Bremkamp
Jacob is a local Music Director, Private Vocal Coach, Composer, Arranger, Lyricist and Librettist working in the greater Northeast Ohio area. He also serves as the administrative assistant for The Cleveland Contemporary Players, the resident chamber ensemble for Cleveland State University’s School of Music. He earned his BFA in Theatre Arts from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia (2010) and has worked as a freelance music director and accompanist for over a decade in Philadelphia, NYC, Washington DC, and Cleveland. His Broadway credits include rehearsal/ tech accompanist for Dear Evan Hansen at Arena Stage, as well as music transcriptionist for the world premier new musicals of Destiny of Desire and Snow Child. He received his Master of Music Degree in Composition from Cleveland State University (2022). He is also the composer of several new musicals, one of which, Poe is Dead, recently received its world premier concert reading through the CSU Vocal Theater Workshop.
Allison Duniec
Allison is a versatile musician with over 15 years of experience playing piano and a proud alumni of the Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music. As a mother of two beautiful daughters, Allison balances her artistic pursuits with the joys of family life with her husband Mike. When she is not performing, she works as a nuclear medicine technologist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. In her rare moments of free time, Allison loves to unwind with crocheting for the blanket ministry and friends. She likes to stay active with walking the metroparks or lifting weights at the gym.