Cathedral Choir Instills Strong Music Values in Youth

Music is an essential part of many children’s growth and development, especially for a select group of talented young singers in Garden City.

The Cathedral of the Incarnation is home to several highly regarded choirs, including groups for young boys and girls. This unique program is modeled on the cathedral choirs of England, according to Larry Tremsky, the Cathedral’s choir director of 12 years.

“We have quite a few singers who really gone on to do a lot musically,” said Tremsky. “We have kids in music programs in college and graduate schools.”

Treating them as equals with professional adult singers, the children are schooled in music reading, sight singing, singing in different languages, music production and vocal history during their rehearsals. The boys and girls, who range in age from seven to their teenage years and hail from many area towns, rehearse two to three times a week and perform almost every Sunday – sometimes even twice.

Additionally, each child is paid a small stipend for their time, giving them a “sense of commitment and professionalism that isn’t offered in other activities,” Tremsky said.

“It is really about exposure,” he said in regards to enlightening the young singers on professional practices. “We train them how to be part of a team with adults and perform with adults on a professional level.”

Tremsky said that the kids benefit from the standards that are placed on them “to interact with one another and to lead one another.” He added that they learn many essential life lessons, such as leadership, self-confidence and teamwork.

Garden City resident Stephen Tamke, 21, has had the opportunity to travel because of his involvement with the Cathedral's choirs, including trips to choir camp in Montréal, as well as a tour of Scotland and England to sing at different cathedrals in 2004.

“I have sang in England twice since and I am going again this summer with a group from Lexington, Kentucky,” he continued.

Kieran Kerekes, 22, of Hempstead, who sang in the boys choir from 9 to 14 years of age, continued his music education at Boston Conservatory, where he received his bachelor’s degree in voice performance.

“[The Cathedral] is where I learned how to sing, read music and further developed my love of singing,” he said. “It has carried me throughout these years. I truly value the experience I was able to attain while in that choir.”

Being apart of the boys choir taught him humility, leadership, courage, trust and “confidence in oneself,” Kerekes said.

“Those experiences early on are extremely beneficial for someone – it doesn’t even have to be singing," he continued. "I know I have gained a large amount of good things from my training.”

Tamke added that his participation in the choir has taught him teamwork and leadership, in addition to introducing him to many new friends.

“They gave me a very nice musical education I wouldn’t have gotten in school,” he said.

All of the choirs from the cathedral will perform a concert on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. entitled “Music for a Royal Occasion: The Cathedral Choirs in Concert” in honor of the recent royal wedding. They will also hold a recruitment day for new singers at the end of the month.