This past June, the University suffered the great loss of music student, Thomas Kanzelberger. Thomas had just finished his freshman year in the music performance program. At just nineteen years old, Thomas left a lasting impact on both students and professors at Catholic University.
“His smile was just so contagious,” said Maestro Simeone Tartaglione, Thomas’s conducting professor. “He really had a gift. His presence was not that common, especially for a freshman. He emanated peace and light.”
After learning of the unexpected news, Maestro Tartaglione commissioned a piece titled, “Prayer of St. Francis,” from Thomas’ friend and Rome School alumnus, James Krom.
“He was always very firm on the idea that music should be something beautiful,” said Krom about Thomas. “That it should be something hopeful or joyful in its overall and it’s moving you towards that kind of thing.”
Krom’s task was twofold; he was to create an orchestra piece to be ready by the start of the fall semester and he had to find strength to remember and honor his friend through this beautiful music.
“Remembering my interactions with Thomas and then talking with some of Thomas’ other friends, we just kept coming back to the joy that Thomas’ presence would bring to campus,” said Krom. “I wanted that to be another aspect of the piece and that it would in some way commemorate and celebrate that joy that he brought.”
When first seeing and hearing Krom’s new piece, Maestro Tartaglione noticed some familiar sounds and made a connection: Krom included melodies from both his and Thomas’ studies into “Prayer of St. Francis.”
“It was very clever, very unique,” said Maestro Tartaglione. “It really brings memory of what we were doing together for the whole year.”
Aidan Feeney, a junior composition and conducting student, as well as a good friend of Thomas, has been given the opportunity to make his CUA Orchestra conducting debut with “Prayer of St. Francis.”
“It’s a really special thing for me because I knew him pretty well,” said Feeney. “I’m going to do this with everything I’ve got.”
The world premiere of “Prayer of St. Francis” will be performed at the opening concert of the 2024-2025 orchestral season on Saturday, September 28th at 7:30 p.m. in Ward Recital Hall. Tickets to the event can be reserved here.
“It’s really hard to overstate how much of an impact Thomas had around here,” said Feeney. “There were so many people who just met him or encountered him just a few times, to those he got to know really well, and he impacted them in so many different ways.”
Thomas’s memory will live on at CUA and his joy and love will continue to radiate in The Rome School.
A Memorial Mass for Thomas Kanzelberger will be held and announced at a later date.
Article written by Alexis Griess