Music Team
Music Personnel
- Director of Music
- Assistant Music Director
- Assistant Organists
Director of Music & Principal Organist – Bernard Kirkpatrick KSS
Bernard Kirkpatrick is the current Director of Music and Principal Organist at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, having been appointed in 2006. His passion for sacred music began as a child in Tasmania in his local parish church, and further developed as a music student and Organ Scholar at the University of Sydney, studying with Sydney City Organist, Robert Ampt.
In 1991, he pursued improvisation studies in Paris, with M. Naji Hakim (then Organist Titulaire de Basilique Sacre Coeur) and later participated in masterclasses with eminent organists, Peter Hurford, David Hill (Westminster Cathedral), and Dr. Christopher Dearnley (formerly St. Paul’s Cathedral, London). Bernard is also a former winner of the Senior section of the Sydney Organ Competition. Since then, he has given many recitals including performances at the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Town Hall and music festivals; he has been an accompanist for many Sydney choirs including Sydney Philharmonia, Innominata, and University of NSW ‘Collegium Musicum’.
Bernard has served as Assistant Organist at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney (1988-1999), and Director of Music at St Francis of Assisi, Paddington, (1995-2006). He has been active in seminaries, schools and universities, fulfilling roles of music director, choir trainer, organist, composer and cantor. He is Music Director at the Seminary of the Good Shepherd in the Archdiocese of Sydney, and at Campion College Australia. In 2008, he was invited to be the organist for the World Youth Day Mass celebrated in Sydney by Pope Benedict XVI at Randwick.
Bernard is a Music Consultant to the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Commission for Liturgy and was secretary of the National Liturgical Music Board for 10 years, overseeing collation and publication of the Catholic Worship Book II (2016). His compositions have been published by CanticaNova, Crescendo Publications and Oregan Catholic Press (“Mass of Christ the Redeemer”).
Now, more than ever, Bernard enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with others, especially by encouraging younger generations of musicians and clergy to develop their musical talents in the service of the Liturgy where the “true purpose of sacred music, ….is the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful.” (Musicam Sacram 1967). In 2021, Bernard was awarded a Papal Knighthood in the Order of St. Sylvester by Pope Francis, in recognition of his contribution to sacred music.
Assistant Music Director – Eric Grella
Eric Grella was appointed to the role of Assistant Director of Music at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, as well as the Music Formation Facilitator for the Diocese of Parramatta in 2023. He began piano studies at the age of 6 and completed his AMusA in 2015. After joining the Parramatta Cathedral Choir in 2017, he took a great interest in the organ and began to pursue further musical studies. He is currently preparing for his AmusA on Organ, and is tutored in choral conducting by the cathedral Director of Music, Bernard Kirkpatrick. Eric has been very active in church music ministry for the last 15 years, playing and singing at major Diocesan events including priestly and diaconate ordinations as well as the Diocese of Parramatta’s first synod. He also plays and sings at weddings and funerals across the Diocese. Eric is passionate about preserving and learning more about the traditions of sacred music in the Catholic Church, including the use of the organ during Mass. He is committed to helping others learn to play and understand the instrument.
Assistant Organist – Patrick Newman
Patrick Newman was born in 2002 in Westmead, Western Sydney and is currently Assistant Organist at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Although he is completing a Bachelor of Actuarial Studies and Bachelor of Commerce at UNSW, Patrick has long held a passion for music and its role in supporting liturgy at the cathedral. Patrick began piano lessons at the age of four with Sue Spooner through the Suzuki method and subsequently Colin Watts. He is also proficient in violin, having commenced studies with Victoria Spooner at the age of five. Inspired by the cathedral organ, at the age of nine, he started learning the organ under the tutelage of Bernard Kirkpatrick, Director of Music at St Patrick’s Cathedral, becoming an Organ Scholar and subsequently promoted to Assistant Organist in 2022. In 2021, Patrick was awarded an Associate Diploma (AMusA) in Organ and achieved an Associate Diploma (AMusA) in Piano in 2022. In 2023, Patrick gained his Licentiate Diploma (LMusA) with Distinction, in Organ. He hopes to continually expand his musical repertoire and his organ playing in the years to come.
Assistant Organist – Michael Taylor
Michael Taylor’s love of music began in early childhood and grew over many years as a hobby. After many years of amateur performing, he decided to leave his successful career in engineering to dedicate his life entirely to music and performing on piano and organ. He is organist at the Our Lady of Mercy Shrine near Berrima, assistant organist at St Patrick’s Cathedral Parramatta and frequently plays in churches far and wide for weddings, funerals, and other occasions.
Michael loves performing in public, and has performed in organ recitals at St Andrews Cathedral, Christ Church St Lawrence and St James in Sydney, as well as at Sydney University and at the Shrine at Berrima. He has given piano recitals, provided accompaniment for other performers, and provided entertainment at clubs and other similar venues. Michael has also been involved in teaching and lecturing in piano, and music theory and history. Michael holds a Bachelor of Music, A.Mus.A and L.Mus.A diplomas.