Description
Geraldine Biggs McGrath was born in October 8th, 1929 to Richard Keys Biggs, a prominent organist and composer, and Lucinne
Gourdon Biggs. Her parents were pioneers in bringing traditional Roman Catholic Church music to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
They moved to California, where the rich church music environment influenced McGrath into pursuing choir and Gregorian chant.
She graduated from Mount Saint Mary's College in Los Angeles in 1951 with abachelor of music degree in choral conducting and
became music director at St. John Baptist de la Salle Church in GranadaHills. Through her lifetime, she taught at the Los
Angeles Archdiocesan Seminary of Our Lady Queen of Angels, was appointed to the Los Angeles Archdiocesan Music Commission,
and was a founding member of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, as well as a recipient of the Papal Cross Pro
Ecclesia et Pontific awarded by Pope Benedict XVI. She also campaigned for keeping traditional music, such as chant, in modernizing
churches. The collection is rich in information concerning Gregorian chant and Catholic liturgical music composed for the
organ.
Background
Geraldine Biggs McGrath was born in October 8th, 1929 to Richard Keys Biggs, a prominent organist and composer, and Lucinne
Gourdon Biggs. Her parents were pioneers in bringing traditional Roman Catholic Church music to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
They moved to California, where the rich church music environment influenced McGrath into pursuing choir and Gregorian chant.
She graduated from Mount Saint Mary's College in Los Angeles in 1951 with a bachelor of music degree in choral conducting
andbecame music director at St. John Baptist de la Salle Church in Granada Hills. Through her lifetime, she taught at the
Los Angeles Archdiocesan Seminary of Our Lady Queen of Angels, was appointed to the Los Angeles Archdiocesan Music Commission,
and was a founding member of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, as well as a recipient of the Papal Cross Pro
Ecclesia et Pontific awarded by Pope Benedict XVI. She also campaigned for keeping traditional music, such as chant, in modernizing
churches.
The collection is rich in information concerning Gregorian chant and Catholic liturgical music composed for the organ.
Restrictions
McGrath Sacred Music Collection is the physical property of
California State University, Los Angeles, John F. Kennedy Memorial Library,
Special Collections and Archives.