St. Joachim Choirs

Saturday, February 27, 2010

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I direct 3 English choirs (and 1 Spanish) for St. Joachim Parish and all of them are active in serving the community on Sundays throughout the year. (With a little break in the Summer).

2015 "Water" CD Release Concert


The 












Our morning choir sings each week at the 10:00 mass. Accompanied by Piano, Guitar and Organ with ocasional violin, a small but mighty chorus knocks out everything from Latin Chant to traditional hymns to contemporary songs to the colorful pieces by yours truly!

The evening choir has a repertoire that leans more heavily toward the contemporary. Lots of the music comes from popular Catholic artists such as Tom Booth, Matt Maher and Steve Angisano, while we still use plenty of the more established works of contemporary Cathlolic composers. We usually have about 15-20 good people on this team including the band. (Gtr, Piano, Bass, Drums and percussion)


I also the student choir and they perform about 8 Sunday masses per year. (More on that below)

Ancient History

I began the music ministry at St. Joachim in the fall of 1990 when I took on the task of creating an ensemble for the Sunday evening youth mass. I knew that I had the skills to do this and I needed some part-time work. I realized right away that I would have to take this work VERY seriously when I met my new boss/pastor Fr. Ken Krause. Every meeting or conversation with him was a tremendous learning experience as he helped to deepen my understanding of Liturgy and how music can best enhance the mass. Personalities like Bob Felde (Bass/Vocal) Greg Smith (Gtr) and Pamela Valaika (Vocal) helped get things going and we were soon able to create a decent sound.

2010 "I'll Follow" CD Release Concert

Things went well at the evening mass and in the Spring of 1991, I was asked to take on the role of Music Director for the whole parish, which included a Sunday morning choir. Personalities like Lupe Teel, Skip James, Ruth Mckeon, Swithin Lindbeck, Monica Irwin, Karen Francis and Matt Lloyd, and my “wife-to-be” Diane Reed conspired to form the nucleus of the music ministry, often performing at both morning and evening masses as the ministry began to take shape Eventually we had just enough members to cover both morning and evening masses with a good size group. (Enough to at least split into Soprano, Alto and Tenor/Baritone sections at each mass)

This was no small task for a parish that has a rather small English speaking community. I also insisted that the groups sing together for large events like Christmas and Holy Week. Most parishes I knew of at the time had no contact whatsoever between the traditional morning choir and the ensembles which served at other masses. I’ve always felt that this was a waste of good talent. While some have more traditional skills like sight-reading and classically trained voices, others have better improvisational skills, and some people have both. Some folks have a little natural talent, and just need to be “in the game” a while before they catch on and become great contributors. All types have conspired to make this ministry unique and powerful.

Studio recording with Sopranos & Altos
Music on Sundays & Holy Days at St. Joachim

From early September through late June both masses have excellent music and a deep bench of talented singers and instrumentalists. Come celebrate with us at 10:00am (Family mass with traditional/contemporary music) or 5:00pm masses (Youth centered contemporary selections, chosen and performed in a VERY Catholic way).

The 5:30 Saturday evening mass is covered by our parish cantor Bernadette Kanaly and our parish pianists: Melvin Penano, David Vu & Paul DaSilva. They perform at many of the weddings and also cover the music for most of the Funeral masses. (Except those odd weddings and funerals for families who actually want a GUITARIST!)

Each Thanksgiving, Holy Thursday and Easter Vigil, the English music ministry combines its talents with the Hispanic choir, which I've been leading since 2014. (That's another story!) We have some of the best Bi-lingual masses anywhere here at St. Joachim!

During July and August masses are typically covered by our summer duets. It’s just myself and one other choir member as we drop it into low gear for about 8 weeks. It’s a different, but very good sound, and it allows me to get to know some of my hard working choir members a little better. The down time also affords me time to catch my breath and to prepare for the next choir season.

Active, Longstanding Members

Along the way, many members have come into the ministry and stuck with it. (Why? I'm not sure!) Long standing current members (In chronological order as best as I can remember) are my wife Diane, Frank Calabretta, Jill and Kevin Cavanaugh, Tim Murphy, Bob Lee, Cynthia Morehouse, Joe McCarthy, Katy Loving, Cheryl Hebestreit, Bernadette Kanaly, Mark Rathsack, Alex Frausto, Mireya Velez, Aileen Penn Briceno, Liza Marmaud, Gene Gleason, and Hilda Fores. The youth mass group has grown considerably lately as teens continue to swell our ranks.

Outstanding Veterans of the Past

Fr. Ed Becker, sang tenor and was cantor at many a mass in the mid-late 1990s as he was discerning his vocation. Being called from his career as a lawyer, Ed answered and entered St. John’s Seminary in 2000 and became a diocesan priest in the Spring of 2005. He served as parochial Vicar at St. Pius V church in Buena Park from 2005-2009 and has recently completed Eclesiastical studies in Rome. He served as Pastor of St. Joseph's parish in Santa Ana for a while and is now pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Habra.

Martin McSweeney played Bass and Guitar with us in the late ‘90s and went on to receive his bachelors in music at Berkely School of Music in Boston. He returned to Southern Cal and is now serving at St. Agathas Catholic Church in Los Angeles. (Last I checked, he was still single!) St. Agathas is THE Catholic church to attend if you appreciate good Gospel music!

The Student Choir

The student choir is for all St. Joachim Parish students who are between 3rd and 8th grade. It is currently made up primarily of students at St. Joachim School, but is open to all students here at St. Joachim Parish. (Bulletin Announcements will tell you when each event is coming.)

This choir got started in 1998 as I attempted to pull together school talent for school events such as Catholic Schools Week and Graduation Mass. It was pretty hapless and disorganized until I had the good fortune of meeting Jill Cavanaugh, who offered immense help in organization and in co-directing the students. She is very detail oriented, which is absolutely necessary when working with me as a partner! Her vocal skills help to facilitate the choirs ability to sing in 2 and 3 part harmony and her experience as a classroom teacher helped immensely in understanding the needs of kids this age and in communicating with parents.

This partnership has been quite fruitful for the parish as the student choir typically sings at Sunday mass closest to "All Saints Day", Christmas eve 5:00 mass, Catholic Schools Week mass on the last Sunday of each January, mass on the 2nd Sunday of Lent, Good Shepherd Sunday during Easter season, the School 1st Communion mass and the School Graduation mass each year. The Student choir also performs at the annual Diocesan Choir Festival each May. Many members also go on to sing in the Youth Choir at 5:00 on Sundays.

Jill has since retired from teaching and I continue to direct solo; I would love to have help such as hers in the future!

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The Albums


Water: The CD!!! 



Some of our best stuff ever! Don't miss this CD with 13 superbly written, performed, and recorded songs from Andrew Everson. Sales are off to a brisk start, especially considering how difficult it is these days to market a "CD" in a flurry of on-line alternatives.

Five of these songs are now published by World Library Publications! ("Call On The Lord", "Heaven and Earth Are Wed", "Water", "The Sound of One Voice" and "Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled".

We still believe in the "Album Package" with art-work, credits and all the trappings that should surround a great collection of recordings. A 7 minute montage of clips from the album can be heard by clicking HERE

I’ll Follow (Studio Album)



"I'll Follow" CD sales have surpassed 600 mark! That might just be a "teflon" record according to Billboard standards.

Here was a great review of the "I'll Follow" CD up at a Catholic music website. It's rather short, but flattering none the less, and can be accessed here at Catholic,com . This article allows you to comment on the review, so go on and say something nice!


Recorded between 2007-2009, this collection features 11 original songs by Andrew Everson, 4 of which have been published by OCP and are available now for choirs everywhere.

The manuscripts for “Give Jesus a Dwelling Place”  “He is Risen”and “Good and Faithful Servant” have been selling briskly and several other hot cuts like “Jesus!”, “From the Wood of a Manger” and  have been submitted for publication.

Another song included is “When Angels Sound the Trumpets Call," a collaboration combining the music of Andrew Everson with a vibrant apocalyptic text by Steven Ottomani. Steven was the winner of the 2008 National Pastoral Musicians Hymn writing contest, who also has songs published by OCP, Pepper music and others.

This album, like the one before it was recorded by Jim Monroe, and Rich Mouser, who also mixed and mastered the CD with Andrew Everson. Soloists include Bernadette Kanaly, Cynthia Morehouse, Liza Marmaud, Aileen Penn Briceno, and Andrew. The St. Joachim Music Ministry performs all of the choral works. The instruments are also played by the capable hands of our own St. Joachim musicians.

Click on the name of the song to hear a sample.


Psalms & Canticles (Studio Album)
Recorded from 2003-2005, this is a collection of responsorials for use in the Liturgy of the Word. The settings are all what we call "Andrewisms" which usually means that they will be a bit odd. Many of them are well known texts such as “If Today You Hear His Voice” and “The Lord is My Light," while many others are the more obscure texts (which only come up once every three years) like “You Are A Priest Forever” and “You Are My Inheritance." All are given equally vibrant settings.

It is full of powerful music and is a very prayerful listening experience. The first cut “Canticle of Zechariah” has been published and is available from OCP. Mezzo-soprano Helena Buscema, cantor at St. Monica’s Catholic Church in Santa Monica adds her hauntingly beautiful voice to the mix, while the St. Joachim Music Ministry performs all of the choral works.

Click on the name of the song to hear a sample.

If I’m Alive CD
(A collection of Andrew's Banjo recordings from the mid 80s-the mid 90s
This album features the best of “Banjo in a Briefcase” combined with the new “Southern Cal” recordings. Due to a condition diagnosed as "Focal Dystonia" I was unable to complete the final cuts on my beloved 5 str. Banjo, so they were finished using other instruments in my arsenal like fiddle and guitar. (Please click HERE to learn more about the condition which torpedoed my banjo playing) Packed with energy and passion, this album sets positive minded lyrics to some VERY original music which features the banjo in a  "Bela Fleck" meets "Yes" style. (If you can imagine that!)



The Pizza Song
Those familiar with this recording from the 1980s have officially dubbed this the National Anthem of Pizza. In a “Weird Al” sort of way, Andrew presents the many assets of pizza on the crust of his usually “rockin" banjo. Click The Pizza Song to listen or download a free mp3 copy. 
Dr. Dimento is the only executive of any sort that has expressed any interest in the song, but it’s good for a few chuckles.


The Life of Christ in Song (Live Recording available at St. Joachim Church)

A few of these are still left from a concert which took place in 2002. Though a little rough on the edges, it does capture some of that elusive “live” energy that is hard to get in the studio. The Album features a Marc Robinson rendition of “Prepare Ye” which has become a staple at St. Joachim during the Advent season. Other favorites such as “Glory in the Cross” by Stephen Janco, The Servant Song by Gillard, and the Taize “Jesus Remember Me” highlight moments in the life of Christ.

This album was recorded, mixed and mastered by our own Frank Calabretta and Martin McSweeney and as of now can only be purchased at St. Joachim church.

1. Prepare Ye (Marc A Robinson) 2. God’s Surprise (John Bell and Graham Maule)3. O Sanctisima (Beethoven) (School Choir) 4. I Will Arise (Everson) 5. The Servant Song (Gillard) 6. Were You There/Jesus Remember Me 7. Glory in the Cross (Stephan R. Janco) 8. This Is The Day (William Rovan) 9. Agnus Dei (Michael W. Smith) 10, Revelation (Greyson Warren Brown and Val Parker)

St. Joachim Choir Presents: (Cassette Tape; No longer available) This was the choir in its early stages at St. Joachim. This collection of favorites includes a unique gospel arrangement of Amazing Grace and a few others like “Before the Sun Burned Bright” and “May We Praise You” by the St. Louis Jesuits. It was our first crack at a studio recording which turned out quite well and sold about 400 copies.

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About Andrew Everson


I have been Director of Music at St. Joachim Catholic Church in Costa Mesa CA since 1990. There I direct 4 choirs and manage music for weddings, funerals and masses/liturgies of all sorts. The majority of my energies are poured into the 10:00am and 5:00pm English masses each Sunday as well as the 12:00 Spanish Choir.


I also teach Music Appreciation to grades K-5 for St. Joachim School. Through the years I have served under 6 pastors and 7 school principals.


I play most Stringed and percussion instruments and sing tolerably well. To that end I spend two afternoons per week offering private lessons at Fullerton Music on every stringed instrument ranging from violin/viola/cello to banjo, and mandolin, and even straying further off the beaten path to the Andean Charango and the Chinese Er-hu.


Before moving to Southern California I was raised in Colorado Springs Colorado with my 8 brothers and sisters. I graduated from William J Palmer High School in 1979 where I participated in marching band, jazz band, and earned a spot in the '79 edition of "Who's Who In Music". I went on to earn a 2-year degree in broadcasting as a back-up in case things did not work out in music. I soon discovered that both fields were brutally competitive and poured all of my energy into music.


Most of my education from this point was private as I studied violin for several years, first with Prescilla Paeche, and then with Don Robinson (Concert Master of the Colorado Springs Symphony) I also took several years of vocal, ear training and composition with Bob Crowder (Colorado Springs Children's Chorale) Growing up I had a big thirst for musical knowledge but not a lot of money to obtain it. My general approach was to make appointments with a variety of great musicians who would spend time with me either pro-bono or cheaply. I would regularly approach a performer after a show and schedule time with them. At age 11 I would take a bus trip accross town to meet with a contact, all on my own dime earned doing odd jobs to support my musical thirst. I can't enumerate how many times this happened for free/really cheap and the cumulative conglomerate of tips, hints, habits and overall knowledge gained from this approach touches everything I write and everything I play. I found that really great musicians are often quite generous with their time when someone who approaches them for knowledge is serious about learning. (And, perhaps a bit on the financially desperate side!)


During all of this time I continued performing with Catholic choirs in and around Colorado Springs including Mount St. Francis, Holy Trinity and St. Mary's Cathedral. I also maintained my passion for all kinds of roots music playing Celtic, Western Swing, Bluegrass, and Romani (Gypsy) music in a number of small bands. I spent most of the early 80s as a pit musician for the Iron Springs Chateau in Manitou Springs which afforded me the opportunity to play all of the instruments I could muster every night. The late 80s were spent in an excellent cover-band called 'Shrink-to-Fit' which played an incredible variety of Country, Blugrass, and Folk music with a heavy emphasis on vocal harmonies.


My most beloved instrument has always been the 5 string banjo and I was forging into uncharted territories with the instrument in the late 1980s. You can see me performing with 'Shrink-To-Fit" on banjo by clicking here.


I produced an album (on vinyl!) called Sea to Sea and then a Cassette ('remember those?) called "Banjo in a Breifcase" which showcased the banjo in an alternative rock format. I then moved to Southern CA to pursue this project in hopes of becoming the world's 1st rock star on the banjo. (A title which was destined to be held by the great Bela Fleck)


I recorded more of this music in Southern CA with Gold Record Producer Richard Mouser and was on my way to showcasing the project in LA when things took a dramatic downturn. A nagging right hand overuse injury called Focal Dystonia (click for more details of my saga) slowed my playing to a crawl and after consulting every sort of medical specialist, alternative medicine specialist, Carpal Tunnel MDs and some other goons and Gurus I eventually had to give up this particular dream. I did however, press a CD collection of the best of these works entitled "If I'm Alive", a few of which are still available in the Albums page of my personal website. (sound-clips are there as well)


Since then, (1996) the Violin/Fiddle has become my instrument of choice when gigging, and I have blossomed as a music director at St. Joachim Church where Guitar is my primary instrument. I now compose choral music for my choirs and I have had 11 compositions published by Oregon Catholic Press and World Library Publications and GIA. As always, I am seeking publication for more of my work, and to that end, I continue to participate regularly with Christopher Walker's "Southern California Liturgical Composers Forum" which meets and focuses on liturgical composition every few months.


I reside in Fullerton CA with my wife and four children.​ I occasionally pull a Celtic gig with 'Fingal's Cave' featuring my oldest son, Kadrick, who backs my fiddling on guitar along with Brian Carrol on Accordion and Whistles. My son and I put together a band prior to this one which featured my daughter, McKayla and Colleen, who sing many favorite Irish songs. (We were called 'Eversons and Daughters'.)


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