Trish Foti
LOVED - 2012 RELEASE
Trish Foti, New Orleans native and national recording artist, is excited to announce the release of her 6th solo project entitled “Loved”. The CD is a thoughtful collection of love songs, hymns, inspirational ballads, and Broadway favorites. Foti who is known for her commitment to the New Orleans music scene, recorded and produced the project locally. The project includes the artistic mastery of Dr. Robin Holtz Williams, Chair of the Music Department at The University of New Orleans, on piano.
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Foti is also joined by John Rankin (guitar), Anne Chabreck (flute), Mike Enseault (keyboard), Joseph Meyer (violin), Lissa Stolz (oboe), Karen Ray (cello), and Vance Woolf (trumpet). On Sunday, February 26, 2012, Foti will kick off her CD release concerts at 5:00 PM at Trinity Episcopal Church, as part of the Trinity Artist Series. Additional concerts will take place on Sunday, March 4 at 7:30 PM in Myra Rodgers Chapel at Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. The ensemble visits the northshore on Sunday, March 11 at 6:30 PM at St. Anselm Catholic Church, Madisonville LA. All concerts are free and open to the public.
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To purchase CDs visit: trishfoti.com. For additional information email fotitrish@gmail.com.
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Singing Praises
The Times-Picayunne June 11, 2010
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The Plight of Haitian earthquake victims recently made an impact on three local contemporary Christian singers (Kitty Cleveland, Trish Foti, and Lorraine Hess). To fulfill their desire to help those in need, sopranos Lorraine Hess, Kitty Cleveland, and Trish Foti lifted their voices at the benefit concert 3 Sopranos, Praise to Raise on Thursday at St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church in Metairie. Donations will be used to provide food for Haitian earthquake victims, organizers say.
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Three local singers hold concert for Haiti relief
Its first collaboration for trio of voices
The Times-Picayunne June 6, 2010
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The plight of Haitian earthquake victims recently made an impact on three local contemporary Christian singers. To fulfill their desire to help those in need, sopranos Lorraine Hess, Kitty Cleveland and Trish Foti knew exactly what to do.
The singing trio will lift their voices at the benefit concert, "3 Sopranos, Praise to Raise," on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church, 4317 Richland Ave., Metairie. The free concert will feature contemporary Catholic music to benefit Haitian relief.
Cash donations will be collected, and 100 percent of the money will be used to provide food for Haitian earthquake victims, organizers say.
The concert will be the first time the three popular recording artists have performed together. Each has performed with the other, but the three have never joined together on stage.
All three sensed the need to help the victims when the earthquake occurred in January. Hess said she felt helpless as news reports came in.
"When you can't do anything, then you have to do what you can do," said Hess. "And we could sing."
Hess, who will soon release her second compact disc titled "Child of God," knew that through music the trio could bring Christ to others and help their fellow human beings. As a Catholic singer and songwriter, as well as a music ministry director of Divine Mercy Parish in Kenner, she has used her talents in this way many times in the past.
Cleveland was excited when Hess contacted her about the concert.
"I loved the idea of collaborating with great singers, who do what I do, for such a worthy cause," said Cleveland.
Cleveland, a classically trained inspirational singer, has recorded seven CDs featuring such singles as "Eye of the Storm" and "Surrender." She also wrote and recorded the tune "In the Breaking of the Bread," which is a favorite when she performs at the annual Divine Mercy service held at St. Joseph Church.
Once the idea of a concert was agreed upon, the sopranos selected Croatian Relief Services to help disburse the money they will raise. Money collected through Croatian Relief Services will be used to benefit the victims directly. The non-profit organization, based in Fairfield, N.J., was formed in the early 1990s to provide relief for Croatian refugees and has grown into a global relief operation. The director, the Rev. Giordano Belanich, personally oversees the food distribution in Haiti and will attend the concert to show videos of the organization's operations in Haiti.
It has been more than five months since the earthquake, but Foti knows that now is the time when money is most needed. All three singers lived through Hurricane Katrina and saw the hardships that a natural disaster can cause innocent victims and the need for continued support for the recovery.
"After Katrina, there was a large outpouring (of donations) at first, but as time went on the donations fell off," Foti said. "We understand what the people of Haiti are going through and that they need our support now."
Foti, a Catholic recording artist whose rendition of "Ave Maria" is a favorite at local wedding ceremonies, acknowledges that it is a blessing to be able to use her talents to help the victims of a natural disaster.
The public is invited to attend the benefit concert. Anyone who is unable to attend but would like to support the Croatian Relief Services for the victims of the Haiti earthquake can donate online at www.croatianrelief.org.
Talented musicians featured at free concert series
Clarion Herald, November 7, 2009
By: Christine Bordelon
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Immaculate Conception Church kicked off its third year of free concerts for the public on All Saints Day.
Music director Trish Foti coordinated an evening of sacred wedding music performed by local musicians Dreux Montegut on organ, Vance Woolf on trumpet, Tom Schissler on violin, Anne Chabreck on flute and Karen Ray on cello.
You can't beat the quality of the musicians, said Jesuit Father Stephen Sauer, Immaculate Conception pastor and series host. Several have played with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and Foti sings locally.
For the benefit of the brides-to-be and her family, Foti selected music utilizing a combination of instruments and voice. This gave brides several making notes on their programs an idea of what to expect in sound, depending on the musicians selected and their budget. The standard musician fee is $300 a person.
Foti emceed the program, introducing appropriate selections for all parts of a nuptial Mass from the opening prayer, prelude music, processionals, music for the liturgy of the word, the liturgy of the Eucharist, preparation of the gifts and Communion, devotionals and recessionals and gave tips on learning the regulations for music in a church, what to discuss with cantors and how to coordinate music with readings.
We begin our celebration with a congregational hymn, Foti said. You want to pick something familiar to you and those gathered at your wedding; something that everybody can participate in. Its a wonderful way to begin your celebration.
Trust your music director
She implored the audience to trust the recommendations of each church's music director. Every church has different acoustics and sound systems, and every director is accustomed to working successfully with particular musicians.
She said that sacred music is whats suitable at Catholic weddings; non-sacred music can wait until the reception. From the opening notes, music should set a tone of prayer.
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We want to make sure the bride understands that the center of their service should be God, she said. The bride should understand how music fits and complements the liturgy.
Foti and other music directors try to use wedding music as a complement to what couples have selected for liturgical readings.
Each wedding has a theme or message, and we try to coordinate the songs with the theme so when people leave, they have a sense of who you are (as a couple), she said.
Sacred wedding music is always one of the offerings at the free concerts, Foti said. Past series have included Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra musicians, opera singers and others. Tentative future concerts will include national Catholic artists, a gospel choir and classical guitarist.
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Its wonderful, audience member Darlyn Ramirez said of the concerts. I love the trumpets, the flutes and all of it. Trish is very talented.
Father Sauer is happy to host the varied concert series. He believes that the church has always been a patron of the arts.
Music and art speak to the soul, he said. Anything of beauty is of God. This is one thing that we can give this city. Come hear and experience beauty beauty architecturally and musically.
He said theres an unwritten understanding in the city that Immaculate Conception is a respite for Catholics and non-Catholics to just stop in, sit and pray.
They feel touched by God, Father Sauer said. They dont know that this space does that for them, but I am convinced it is the beauty and a place for God.
The next scheduled concert is a Christmas concert Dec. 13 at 5:30 p.m. Foti will headline, singing music from her Unity award-winning CD. Each free concert lasts approximately 75 minutes. Following each concert, attendees are invited to stay for the adoration at 7 p.m., and Mass at 7:30 p.m.
Immaculate Conception Church is located at 130 Baronne St., one block off Canal Street. Free parking is available at the Chevron parking garage on Common Street and OKeefe Avenue. Christine Bordelon can be reached at cbordelon@clarion herald.org.
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Unity Catholic awards show comes to New Orleans
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Family-styled entertainment is always hard to find, so take note of the ninth annual Unity Awards presented by the United Catholic Music and Video Association Oct. 25 at Loyola Universitys Roussel Hall.
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Top Catholic music performers including locals Trish Foti, Kitty Cleveland and Kara Klein and international musicians John Michael Talbot, Matt Maher (No. 2 on the Christian charts) and composer Sarah Hart will participate. It will be a good night of entertainment for the whole family, Foti said.
Well have everything from rock and roll, country, rap and international music. We have contemporary artists and those from Latin America and Canada.
Foti, who has been singing professionally for 25 years and is the choir music director at Immaculate Conception Church on Baronne Street and a cantor at St. Louis Cathedral, is nominated in several categories, including Devotional Song of the Year, Seasonal Song of the Year, Seasonal Album of the Year and Gospel Song of the Year. Kitty Cleveland also is nominated in several categories, including Female Singer of the Year, Artist of the Year and Producer of the Year.
​Its a wonderful nod to New Orleans musicians that people can recognize such talented musicians here, Foti said.
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Christian music is much more diversified than people think, Foti said, with Christian rock, rap, hip hop, devotional and other genres. That's whats so great about the awards show it promotes all forms of Catholic-oriented Christian music and videos.
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Foti had suggested bringing the awards show to New Orleans in 2006. Now, the organization is considering New Orleans to be the permanent
home of the awards.
That the music awards show is coming to New Orleans is good in so many reasons for the area, Foti said. Its a great chance for international artists to see that we are still the center of music and center of soul music. Its a great chance to show these artists that its a great place to record their CDs and videos. Its a great night for revitalization for New Orleans families and a night for wholesome music in every genre. Another reason is that its important to let people know that quality Catholic music exists.
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Dominican choir to perform
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Foti will perform at the Unity Awards with local St. Louis Cathedral organist Dreux Montegut and the choir of her alma mater, St. Marys Dominican High School.
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The girls will take peoples breath away, she said. They sound so beautiful.
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Shes looking forward to again meeting music giant John Michael Talbot and others at the event.
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Its beautiful to witness the different ways people go about to reach people through their music, she said of the awards show, to have that opportunity to share with other artists your struggles and successes.
Foti emphasized that Catholic and Christian artists make a choice to use their talents singing this music. A truth exists in Christian music that cannot be found in secular music.
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Are these Catholic artists Catholic artists because they couldnt make it in the regular world?
Foti said. No. We are Catholic artists because we make a decision. Its the way I want to live my life and raise my children. Foti said the nuns at St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans helped her realize her God-given musical talent through the choir and band. She now is cantor at the televised 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Louis Cathedral and has recorded five CDs.
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My debt of gratitude to the Dominican Sisters and that training is profound, Foti said. It grounded me. It's driven everything I've done. It made the choice to do what I do instead of secular music easy.
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Gods plan
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She said singing Christian music is who she is.
This wasn't the plan I had for my life, she said. It was important for me to teach music at a Catholic school and be a mom. The part where things (a music career and raising a family) work so well together is his (Gods) design. This is his plan.
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Although Foti wants to win a Unity Award, she said she is honored just to be nominated. She encourages New Orleanians to fill the house Oct. 25 to make (the United Catholic Music and Video Association) see that this is a natural place for their home. Its important to make this event successful to make the board see we can do this.
Christine Bordelon - Clarion Herald (Oct 18, 2008)