The Golden Echo
THE TREASURES HE BROUGHT TO ST. MATTHEW
C. Anthony Pessarra arrived at STM about 15 years ago, when an organist was needed. On the heels of organist,
Garrett Delacerda, Anthony accepted the position and dedicated himself as a part time organist to the church's
musical needs. He took this job seriously and went about a course of upgrading and reshaping the impression of
St. Matthew in the city of Houston.
Through music and artistic application, he brought to bear on the situation all of his creative powers that included
music, performance, marketing, development of programs, Internet compatibility through web site promotions and
eventually this all funneled into a thrust to enlarge the small organ existing in the church to concert capability. With
this cornerstone in place it appeared that all was possible given the time and the work input to make it happen.
Below is a bullet point outline of the accomplishments.
- Recitals on the existing organ
- Embellished the liturgy music and incorporated innovation in hymn playing
- Many weddings performed with the old organ and instruments
- Hired musicians for services
- Brought in solo players and recitalists
- Accomplished the large pipe/digital organ purchase and installation
- Dedications recitals & many weddings
- A.G.O. Events held for the first time at St. Matthew
- Developed a comprehensive wedding print and online customary (deleted )
- Developed a dedicated web presence for weddings outreach (deleted )
- Hired professional wedding coordinator
- Brought c. 34,000 guests to St. Matthew through weddings
- Funded the music budget with wedding fees
- Promoted purchase of the digital carillon and organ console upgrades ( not completed )
- Weddings in the grand manner with timpani, brass and vocal artists
- Visiting choirs from Germany
- Guest artists from the U.S.A.
- Concert Series Started (not functional at this point )
- Concert Grand Piano project started (not completed )
Most of the above was de-constructed well before 2006.
A concert series was attempted but with no funds and little incentive, it popped
and sighed out as I thought it would. Virtually all of the above features above are gone now.
The Carillon is in need of repair and my apologies go to the Lundstrum family.
The pipe organ section has some problems and there will be ongoing situations regarding voicing.
As a result of the build-down ALL of the archival images, documents and all records of
concerts, installations, technical procedures etc. were deleted in addition to all wedding
customaries and other online and print tools. In addition, marketing lists, name lists, mail lists and other
marketing tools such as press books and ad templates and data bases are no longer available.
Approximately 15 years (1995-2010) of musical documented history of the church is no longer extant.
cap / 2010
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