For more than 40 years, the Madison Diocesan Choir has shared the beauty of sacred music throughout the Diocese of Madison and beyond. The choir has toured internationally, singing in some of the most treasured churches in the world — including Cologne Cathedral, Freiburg Münster, and Vienna’s Karlskirche during a 2007 tour of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. In 2001, the choir traveled to Italy and had the honor of singing for Pope John Paul II. Other international tours have taken the choir to Spain, France, Ireland, the British Isles, Scandinavia, and Iceland, as well as across the western United States.

In recognition of its long-standing ministry and service, Bishop William H. Bullock awarded the choir the Bishop’s Distinguished Service Award — the Diocese of Madison’s highest honor — on December 22, 2002.

John SittardJohn Sittard, a native of Massachusetts, received the Bachelor of Music degree in Organ Performance, as well as the prestigious Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.  Mr. Sittard continued his studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music at Bloomington, earning the Master of Music degree in Organ in 1993 and continuing post-graduate studies in organ and choral conducting until 1995.  In July of that year, John was appointed Assistant Organist at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, where he played for internationally televised liturgies and assisted Dr. Leo Nestor in conducting the Choir of the Basilica, as well as day to day operations of a large and active music program of national stature.

From 1997-2000, he served as Director of Music of the Cathedral of St. Paul in Worcester, Massachusetts, conducting the semi-professional Cathedral Festival Singers, overseeing the renovation and expansion of the cathedral's two pipe organs, and serving as Co-Program Chair and as an artist for the 1999 Region I Convention of the American Guild of Organists.  

From 2000-2007, he lived in Columbus Indiana, and served as Director of Music of North Christian Church and as Director of the University Choir at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.

John was also Director of Music at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg, PA and directed several choirs, administered the Cathedral Music Series, and was diocesan musical consultant. Before coming to Madison, Mr. Sittard served for twelve years as Director of Music for St. Hugo of the Hills Parish in Bloomfield, Michigan, a large suburban parish in the Archdiocese of Detroit.  While at St. Hugo's, John was a member of the Archdiocesan Academy of Sacred Music, an advisory committee established by Archbishop Vigneron.

Mr. Sittard has been heard in concert and liturgy throughout the United States, Great Britain, and Scotland.  An active composer, he has published liturgical and choral music for CanticaNova Publications (www.canticanova.com.)  He has recorded a CD featuring the organs of the Cathedral of St. Paul (Worcester, MA), and appears on the Great Organs of Worcester CD, produced by the Worcester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.  Both are available through the Organ Historical Society at www.ohscatalog.org.

He is married to Siegrid Marks Sittard, who is a professional soprano.  They have a son, Luke, who is an aspiring jazz guitarist.

The Schmelzer Organ was commissioned to be built by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company in 1949 (Opus 1204). Following a delay due to the lack of materials and workers during the Korean War, the organ was installed at First Congregational Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1953.

From 1905 to 1965 the E. M. Skinner Company and its successor firm, the Aeolian Skinner Organ Company were considered the “gold standard” in church organs. They were generally commissioned by larger city churches because of the cost. They were designed to accompany a congregation as they sing praise to God.

When Holy Name was originally built, accommodations were made for a pipe organ. Two large chambers on either side of the choir loft and a conduit in the cement allowed for the wiring of an organ console. When the building opened in 1964, an electronic organ (built by the Rodgers Company) existed in the chapel. That organ remained here for 54 years, long past the life expectancy of an electronic organ. It was time for a replacement. (The current organ in our chapel should be around for centuries!)

After prayer, study and discussion, Bishop Robert Morlino expressed his desire for a pipe organ, as called for in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, promulgated during the Second Vatican Council (see no. 120). It was determined that we would first seek to recycle an organ being removed from another church.

Bruce Case of Case Organ Builders (Madison, Wisconsin) assisted in identifying possible organs available throughout the Midwest. The Diocese finally settled on the organ from Kenosha’s First Congregational Church.

In January of 2017, a team of workers under the supervision of Mr. Case carefully removed the organ and packed the 1,173 pipes and countless other parts into large wooden crates. Mr. Case oversaw the complicated task of restoring and refinishing every individual piece of the organ, finding original Aeolian Skinner parts to replace broken or worn pieces, and enhancing the sound of the organ for our chapel.

Each pipe had to be stripped, cleaned, repaired and replaced. The original console had to be stripped, rebuilt and stained. While the working parts of the organ are mostly original, Mr. Case was able to incorporate modern technology into the console, allowing for more flexibility. After 5,427 hours of work, the organ was completely installed. 

The restored organ bears the name of Msgr. Delbert Schmelzer. Thanks to a generous gift from his estate, the Diocese has been able to restore and install this organ in the Holy Name Chapel. We hope that it will allow us to promote sacred organ music through celebrations of the Sacred Liturgy, concerts and recitals, and education–particularly organ lessons.
Schmelzer Organ Stop List