Christopher Ganza is Choir Director-Organist at the Cathedral of Saint Paul, MN, and the Artistic Director for the Cathedral Music Series. Chris is also the Director of Choral Music at Saint Agnes School (Saint Paul, MN), where he conducts the choral ensembles for grades five through twelve.

 

Chris began studying the organ at the age of nine with Ray Cornils, Municipal Organist of Portland, Maine. He was soon appointed organist at Corpus Christi Parish, and at the Universalist-Unitarian Church of Waterville, Maine. He earned the degree of Bachelor of Music in Church Music from St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN), studying organ performance and improvisation with John Ferguson and Catherine Rodland. He was the first Organ Scholar at the Church of St. Louis, King of France (St. Paul, MN), under the supervision of Brian Carson. Chris earned the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees at the University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK), studying organ performance and improvisation with John Schwandt, and choral conducting with Richard Zielinski.

 

Awards for his playing include First Prize in the Paul and Ruth Manz Scholarship Competition, the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival National Competition, the University of Michigan Organ Improvisation Competition, and the John R. Rodland Memorial Scholarship Competition. He was a semifinalist in the American Guild of Organists National Competition in Organ Improvisation. Professional memberships include the American Guild of Organists and the Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians.