Meet the diocesan director of sacred music, Benjamin O’Brien

The U.P. Catholic

It’s hard to miss the impressive sound of the organ as well as the resounding voice of the diocesan director of sacred music, Benjamin O’Brien, when attending Mass at St. Peter Cathedral on a Sunday, or at special diocesan events.

O'Brien began his position as the new diocesan director of sacred music one year ago in August 2022, having moved to Marquette from the Lakes Region area of New Hampshire. He is a seasoned musician with musical talents ranging from pipe organ, conducting, singing, piano, and guitar playing all across a wide range of genres.

He graduated from the University of New Hampshire in the spring of 2012 and earned a B.A. in vocal music performance. In the spring of 2018, he was accepted into the graduate program at Boston University for a masters in sacred music pipe organ but ended up declining the pursuit. The timing wasn’t right as he would be getting married that very summer and starting his family.

Previously, O’Brien was the director of sacred music at St. Andre Bessette Parish in Laconia, N.H. for almost 10 years, serving as a staff accompanist in 2012, and then as director from 2013-2022. He also was the music teacher at two diocesan Catholic schools during that time at Holy Trinity School PK-8 in Laconia and St. Benedict Academy PK-6 in Manchester. Additionally, he had a thriving private music studio named “Benjamin's Music Studio,” where he taught piano, voice, and guitar to 35 or more students each year, and put on annual Christmas and spring recitals, and shared his love and passion for music with kids of all ages. One of his favorite jobs from this time of life was playing cocktail piano weekly at Fratello's Italian Restaurant in Lakeport, N.H. for over 10 years, from 2010-2022, providing live entertainment with dinner music as guests dined to the musical sounds of a baby grand piano showcasing a diverse repertoire ranging from classical, jazz, musical theatre, oldies, pop and rock.

O’Brien said, “I think working in sacred music is incredibly fulfilling as it combines for me the two things I’ve always loved most aside from my family which is God and music. I had family members growing up who were hugely into sports and while I certainly enjoy sports too, music was definitely my passion. To me, when you combine God and music, you’re always going to get evangelization which is something that makes my job so exciting. I love seeing people come to know Jesus more. I love seeing people discover the rich traditions and treasures our Catholic Church has to offer as animated through sacred music.”

He added, “Bishop Robert Barron has a wonderful quote saying, ‘Begin with the beautiful, which leads you to the good, which leads you to the truth.’ I find that resonates so much with me and why I do what I do. I try to create something beautiful with the gifts God has given me and the voices that are in my choirs and together we try to reflect God’s goodness and truth through the beauty we create. Our prayer is always that the music will glorify God and lead people back to Him.”

O’Brien now lives in Marquette, splitting time between the diocesan offices as well as St. Peter Cathedral, where he plays the pipe organ and directs the choirs. He and his wife Hannah have two daughters with a third on the way this fall. They love being in the Upper Peninsula and are on fire for their Catholic faith and love sharing the joy of Jesus with everyone they meet.

To read this story and others in The U.P. Catholic, visit https://www.upcatholic.org/.