Our History

Founded by Dr. Helmut J. Roehrig in 1965, Musica Sacra’s first performance was at St. Gertrude’s Church in Madeira in February 1966, featuring selected motets, sacred sonatas, and the Coronation Mass by Mozart.

The inspiration for Dr. Roehrig’s ambitious endeavor was a recognition that the tradition of performing choral compositions with orchestral accompaniment during church services had virtually disappeared and deserved a revival through the dedicated efforts of an interested group of classical music devotees.

Today, our repertoire continues to include sacred masterworks by composers such as Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Schubert, Rutter, Finzi, Charpentier, Vaughan Williams, Durante, and Holst.

A new era

In 2014, Musica Sacra entered a new era with the announcement that Dr. L. Brett Scott would become the organization’s second Music Director.  Dr. Scott was nominated by Dr. Helmut J. Roehrig, who assumed the title and duties of Music Director Emeritus. Dr. Scott has been a faculty member at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music since 2007.  He conducts the CCM Chorale and the Opera D’Arte undergraduate operas.

Dr. Scott has not only honored and helped to preserve Musica Sacra’s rich history of performance of well-known masterworks of sacred choral literature, but he has introduced our audiences to lesser-known composers, including women and persons of color. Recent performances have included pieces by Marianna Martines and José Maurício Nunes Garcia, both of whom were contemporaries of Mozart & Haydn and well-respected composers of the era in their own right. Dr. Scott also established Musica Sacra’s Apprentice Conductor program in 2016, which provides graduate-level choral conducting students the opportunity to work with us for one season as they continue their education.

Honoring our founder

On November 6, 2017, the entire Musica Sacra family was saddened by the passing of our founder, and former Director of 50 years, Dr. Helmut J. Roehrig. He was a quintessential musician, and willing teacher of his craft. He was dedicated to his family and to presenting the choral works of the masters in the sacred places for which they were composed. He devoted his life to these two entities. He will be sorely missed by his loving family, the musicians whose lives he touched and the students he inspired.

In his memory, Musica Sacra established the Helmut J. Roehrig Memorial Endowment Fund. Should you wish to make a contribution to this Endowment, you may donate online, or contact us to make a gift of stock.