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Cathedral Choir, directed by Ariel Quintana, provides the musical anchor for the Classic worship service in the Sanctuary at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays. An ensemble from this choir also sings at the Contemplative service at 8:30 a.m. in Wylie Chapel. This is an auditioned group whose members have many years of musical experience and share a desire to serve God through the ministry of music. Cathedral Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings from September through June. For more information or to schedule an audition, call the Music Office at 323.606.5225.
A Testament of Song is the Cathedral Choir's latest CD. This 2-CD set contains 44 of the Choir's favorite pieces from the past 50 years, all digitally re-mastered.
Cathedral Choir History
Directors since Dr. Hirt have been Ben Bollinger, Doug Lawrence, William Hatcher, Loren Weibe, Dr. Fred Bock, and Ariel Quintana. Dr. Fred Bock, composer, music publisher, and former student of Dr. Hirt's, directed the choir from 1983 until his death in 1998. During those years the choir developed a variety of singing styles and a professionalism that is much sought after in the recording and movie industries. Cathedral Choir has recorded albums with such respected Christian artists as Amy Grant, Ronn Huff, Debby Boone, Bob Krogstad, Brian Duncan, and Michael W. Smith. It has done soundtrack work for movies including Round Midnight, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, and Guilty by Suspicion, not to mention a commercial for the Olympic Games. The choir also sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium and participated in the annual Christmas Concert at Disneyland, which was begun by Dr. Hirt and later directed by Dr. Bock. 
Ariel Quintana became director in 2002 and has taken the choir to new heights. The choir has been privileged to premiere some of his compositions and was invited to sing for the National Association of Church Musicians convention in June 2003. The choir toured Rome, Venice and Florence in the summer of 2005. In addition to several evening concerts, the choir sang at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and St. Mark's in Venice. Cathedral Choir has been privileged to work with many prominent directors, such as the late Roger Wagner, who led the choir in the Mozart Requiem, Duruflé Requiem, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. In an entirely different style, Jester Hairston led the choir in a morning of spirituals, including his own arrangement of "Amen." Cathedral Choir has toured the British Isles, Europe, Scandinavia, and the northwest United States. The group has presented 13 Musical Comedy Variety Shows, which raise money for various choir and church projects and are an effective outreach to non-church-goers.
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The choir sings for Christmas Eve, Holy Week, plus other special services and concerts. Our church organist, Dr. Kimo Smith, accompanies the choir.
Cathedral Choir began in 1941, when Dr. Charles and Lucy Hirt came to Hollywood Presbyterian Church to expand the music program. In its first year, the choir staged a Christmas performance of Handel’s Messiah and followed that with the Mozart Requiem in March.
By 1944, Dr. Hirt had begun his distinguished career in the music department at the University of Southern California and Cathedral Choir was performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The Hirts retired from the music program in 1970; however, Dr. Hirt continued his association with Hollywood Presbyterian Church as Music Director Emeritus until his death in 2001.
