Meet the Staff of the
St. John Cantius Music Program
Massimo Scapin
Director of Liturgical Music
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Massimo Scapin is an Italian conductor of both opera and the symphonic repertoire, a composer, and pianist.
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He holds diplomas in piano and in choral conducting from the State Conservatory of Music in Perugia, Fellowship diplomas in orchestral conducting and in composition from the National College of Music in London, and the baccalaureate in religious sciences magna cum laude from the Pontifical Lateran University.
Scapin played piano from age eight. He attended the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, where he took courses, among others, in gregorian chant with Giacomo Baroffio and composition with Domenico Bartolucci; the International Academy Mozarteum in Salzburg, where he studied piano with Sergio Perticaroli; and the Accademia Musicale Pescarese, where he studied conducting with Donato Renzetti.
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Massimo appeared as guest conductor and pianist in Europe, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, and the United States. He was conductor at the Musical Theatre of Galaţi in southeastern Romania (2001-03) and at the Musical Theater of Karaganda in central Kazakhstan (2008). From 1996 to 2008, Scapin conducted the symphonic concerts of the Portuguese Cultural Institute in Rome, some of them recorded on 14 CDs, including his Te Deum for tenor, baritone, chorus and orchestra, on commission for the aforementioned Institute.
From Christmas 1999 - 2010, Scapin worked as the Assistant Music Director of the Sistine Chapel Choir. On the occasion of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, the Office of Papal Liturgical Celebrations commissioned him to compose and conduct music for the Mass celebrated by Pope St. John Paul II at Rome’s Olympic Stadium for the Jubilee of Sports People. He was also a Vatican Radio commentator and entertainer. He became assistant professor in vocal literature and piano accompanying at the Catholic University of Daegu, in southeastern South Korea, in 2011 and director of music at the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2013. In October 2013 Massimo took the podium as associate conductor of the Karaganda Symphony Orchestra. Since July 2019, he has become the Resident Composer for the Sistine Chapel Choir.
Rev. NATHAN FORD, SJC
Director of Youth Choirs
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Fr. Nathan Ford, SJC has been a member of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius since June of 2011 after graduating from high school where he studied basic music theory, history, trumpet, and choral singing. He made his final profession in August of 2016 and was ordained a priest in May of 2021 after completing undergraduate studies at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut, and acquiring a Masters of Divinity Degree through Mundelein Seminary.
Throughout his time with the Canons, Fr. Nathan has sung in multiple choirs, including: the Resurrection Choir and Orchestra, St. Cecilia Choir, and the St. Gregory the Great Schola Cantorum. During his time as a student at both Holy Apostles and at Mundelein Seminary, Fr. Nathan taught basic music theory and singing techniques to the seminarians. He also organized and directed multiple choral groups formed from the seminary body.
This is Fr. Nathan’s first year conducting the Magnificat Choir and he is excited to develop a beautiful sound from these young singers and hopes that the music they share will be an overflow of their common love for God and His Church.
Dr. Corrado Cavalli, DMA
Organist
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Corrado Cavalli is an organist from Turin, Italy. He has been the organist of St. John Cantius Church in Chicago since June 2015. He has two Master’s Degrees from the National Conservatory “Giuseppe Verdi” in Turin and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois.
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As an organ soloist, he has performed in many international festivals, cathedrals, and concert halls across Europe and the USA. He has recorded for several music labels, including Biretta Books, De Montfort, AimHigher, Sony Classical, Elegia Records, and ElleDiCi. He has also published for Biretta Books in Chicago and the Italian edition, “Armelin musica.”
Click here to read Dr. Corrado Cavalli’s full biography.
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