Choir and cantors
On Sundays, the St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir sings for the 11am Mass and the St Patrick’s Cathedral Singers at the 6.30pm Mass. Music is led by a cantor for the Saturday 6pm and Sunday 9.30am Masses.
Director of Music and Choir Director
- Dr Philip Matthias
Cathedral Organist
- Dion Henman
Director, Gregorian Schola
- Christopher Watson
St Patrick’s Cathedral Singers
- Director: Mr Christopher Mason
- Organist: Mr Thomas Grubb
Organists
- Mr David Agg
- Mr Christopher Cook
- Mr Thomas Grubb
- Mr Dion Henman
- Mr Jerome Walles
Cantors
- Ms Larissa Cairns
- Dr Brianna Chesser
- Mr Michael Chesser
- Dr Leighton Triplow
- Ms Olivia Fedorow-Yemm
- Ms Kristina Lang
- Dr Geraldine Larkins RSJ
- Mr Nigel Patawaran
- Mr Michael Petrucelli
- Mr Alexander Rodrigues
- Mr Christopher Watson
Music Administration
- Dr Leighton Triplow
Director of Music
Music at St Patrick’s Cathedral is coordinated by Dr Philip Matthias, PhD, B Mus (Hons), FRCO (CHM), ARCM, Hon FGCM, who joined the Cathedral in 2020. Philip is the Conductor of St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir and a Vice President of the Guild of Church Musicians (UK).
Born in Sydney, Philip was a chorister in the Choir of St James’ Church, Sydney, under the direction of Walter Sutcliffe. He won a Commonwealth Scholarship to Sydney University, becoming Organ Scholar there. He furthered his studies at the Royal College of Music, London, and was awarded the Royal College of Organists Fellowship Diploma, and the John Brook Memorial Prize for the highest marks for its choir training diploma (CHM). Philip was a tutor to the London Boys’ Choir, Director of Music at Lingfield Parish Church and St Mary the Virgin, Ewell, Surrey, and conductor and assistant of Royal School of Church Music courses.
Returning to Australia, he became Director of Music and Organist at Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle. The music at the Cathedral was later recognised as the ‘envy of most Cathedrals in the UK’ by the former Warden of the Guild of Church Musicians, the Very Reverend Richard Fenwick, due to the ‘creativity, energy and strength of the music program’. In Newcastle Philip was also Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Newcastle, and Director of the University’s Chamber Choir, Echology, which choir won numerous national eisteddfods, the ABC Choir of the Year Adult Choir, and Channel Seven’s Battle of the Choirs. The Choir won first prizes at the 2010 World Choir Games in the Open Mixed Choirs and Musica Contemporanea divisions. Echology was ranked sixth in the world by Musica Mundi, based on international competition results.
In Newcastle and Townsville and more recently in Melbourne, Philip and his family are privileged to collaborate closely with Torres Strait Islander communities, working closely with Toby and Tat Whaleboat, and Fr Elimo Tapim, Beimop Tapim and John Parsons amongst others. This connection has led to Philip being with members of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities on a broader basis. These associations and friendships are now integral to Philip’s cultural and spiritual journey. He acknowledges the long history of this Country, its song, culture, traditions and its peoples, and the threads that bind us together as contemporary Australians.
Philip is the recipient of the University of Newcastle’s Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Learning Support He is a recipient of the Newton John Award, and the Australian Learning and Teaching Council Award for Teaching Excellence for ‘developing a vibrant and creative culture of choral and organ music that inspires and motivates students to perform professionally at international levels’.
