Trish Foti Genco: Articles of Interest on Trish

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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 University’s Roussel Hall.

Top Catholic music performers including locals Trish Foti Genco, 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,” Genco said.

“We’ll have everything from rock and roll, country, rap and international music. We have contemporary artists and those from Latin America and Canada.”

Genco, 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.”

“It’s a wonderful nod to New Orleans musicians that people can recognize such talented musicians here,” Genco said.

Christian music is much more diversified than people think, Genco said, with Christian rock, rap, hip hop, devotional and other genres. That’s what’s so great about the awards show – it promotes all forms of Catholic-oriented Christian music and videos.

Genco 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,” Genco said. “It’s a great chance for international artists to see that we are still the center of music and center of soul music. It’s a great chance to show these artists that it’s a great place to record their CDs and videos. It’s a great night for revitalization for New Orleans families and a night for wholesome music in every genre. Another reason is that it’s important to let people know that quality Catholic music exists.”

Dominican choir to perform
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Genco will perform at the Unity Awards with local St. Louis Cathedral organist Dreux Montegut and the choir of her alma mater, St. Mary’s Dominican High School.

“The girls will take peoples’ breath away,” she said. “They sound so beautiful.”

She’s looking forward to again meeting music giant John Michael Talbot and others at the event.

“It’s 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.”

Genco 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.

“Are these Catholic artists Catholic artists because they couldn’t make it in the regular world?”

Genco said. “No. We are Catholic artists because we make a decision. It’s the way I want to live my life and raise my children.” Genco 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.

“My debt of gratitude to the Dominican Sisters and that training is profound,” Genco 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.”

‘God’s 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 (God’s) design. This is his plan.”

Although Genco 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. It’s important to make this event successful to make the board see we can do this.”

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Trish Foti Genco: ANSWERING GOD'S CALL
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Answering God’s call is not always an easy thing to do. In her twenties, Trish Foti Genco suffered a stroke that should have kept her from singing again. But her firm belief that God helps those He calls changed all that.

Picture it. It’s December, it’s cold, Christmas is only a few weeks away. In the frost air of the twilight you can still see your breath in front of you as you speak. You’re walking along Jackson square in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans. Off to one side you can see the lofty spires of the St. Louis Cathedral. You pass by the statue of Andrew Jackson, the hero of the Battle of New Orleans, after whom Jackson Park is named. Then you hear voices. A group of carolers is singing. You smile as you see the little girl singing along in the group.

You think, “my, she has a beautiful voice! She’ll grow up to be a great singer one day!” And you would be right.

The voice belongs to Trish Foti Genco, now married to Randy Genco, and mother of two; a 14-year-old daughter, and a 8-year-old son. Trish has been singing her whole life and has recently recorded her second CD. She has a deep-rooted faith in God and chooses to use her incredible talents to give glory to God in song, and to teach others to do the same. Trish was born and raised in New Orleans. In the South, the family was important. Trish and her younger sister grew up around parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who taught the girls to love and enjoy their family, and that faith in God is the glue that keeps the family together. Music was one of the things that made their family special. Singing Christmas Carols in Jackson Square; singing their picnic songs while she and her grandma, “Mama Dear” would can pickles out on the patio; writing a song and singing it to win a talent competition in the sixth grade; these were all stepping stones that led Trish to become the woman she is today.

Her first brush with music happened in the sixth grade. She remembers it clearly.

“One of the Sisters handed me a guitar, sat me down, and told me I would be playing for Mass on Friday. ‘Yes, Sister!’ was the only option here, so I got busy.”

Trish learned drums in a similar fashion when one of the Dominican Sisters, who ran her school, had her play the drums for one of the New Orleans. famed Mardi Gras parades. Today, Trish can play guitar, drums, piano, and saxophone.

Her vocal talents became obvious during one of her guitar lessons. She was in the eighth grade at the time, and she had written a song and she sang it for her guitar teacher. He was so impressed that he had some friends at Loyola College of Music listen to her performance. They, too, were impressed, and recommended she study voice. She began to take singing lessons and started to sing in local theater productions. It was during one of those summer plays that she met Dreux Montegut, a student at Loyola, who became her accompanist. It was a friendship that she would cherish all her life.

Today, Trish leads a busy life. She teaches music at St. Clement of Rome Catholic School in New Orleans, where she also serves as Choral Music Director, directing two choirs. She sings at Mass at St. Clement Of Rome Catholic Church and guest cantors often at churches throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans. She also performs concerts of her music throughout the area with Dreux. Plus she has a family to take care of. How does she do it?

“I strongly believe in carving in family time,” Trish says. “Family has to be right after God.” Trish also believes in preserving her heritage, so traditional Catholic devotions such as praying the Rosary are a priority in her house.

“Balancing family and work is sometimes like being in the circus. I often feel like the fire juggler in the circus. I stay focused by offering up my work. I give it all to God. God makes it all happen, not me. I learned a long time ago that God truly equips those he calls. He makes all things possible!”

Answering God’s call is important to Trish. She describes it this way. “God calls each of us to do His will. I believe He has a plan for our lives. I love the encyclical of education that calls us ‘to teach as Jesus did.’ I have devoted myself to educating God’s children. I don’t think you can have longevity in education today unless it truly is a vocation from God. It’s not an easy job. I teach music to PK to the 8th grade and direct two performing choirs, and there are times when it is overwhelming. Last year, I counted 52 liturgies, plus concert performances and plays, not counting my solo work. I couldn’t do this without God. I think if you keep yourself grounded, you will find that God will carry you.”

In 2003, Trish, with the help of her friend Dreux Montegut, recorded her first CD called “Inspired.” It is a project that included songs like the Twila Paris hit “How Beautiful,” Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” “How Great Thou Art,” and a song made famous by Amy Grant, “El Shaddai.” Trish has felt a kinship to Amy, whom she considers her favorite artist. They are near the same age, both have had children around the same time, and Trish admires the genuineness in Amy Grant, and met and even sang with her during a concert in New Orleans. Grant’s self-titled album and her “Age to Age” album both remain among Trish’s favorite albums.

Trish recently released a second CD called “In the Stillness.” “This is about finding God in the midst of the business life; finding God, finding peace. There are some beautiful contemporary lullabies originally recorded by Twila Paris and Sandi Patty, as well as beautiful classical pieces. There are some more praise and worship tunes to help kids of all ages connect to God in the quiet.”

Her favorite song on the project is one called “My Whole Life Long.”

“As a Mom, it’s my sole desire for my kids to know God their whole life.”

Dreux Montegut helped produce both projects. His own credentials are impressive. Also a New Orleans native, he graduated from Loyola University and has a Masters Degree from Eastern School of Music at the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans where he directs the St. Louis Boy Choir, the Cathedral Choir, and the concert Choir.

“Trish and I share a dedication to music ministry and to devoting ourselves to educating God’s children,” Says Dreux. “Music is such a gift and inspiration in today’s youth. Our friendship helps make the ministry together easy and is a gift to each other, as well as to our audiences.”

Trish talks about her reason for recording music.

“People in the area have been asking us to do this for years. We decided to get together to record a few things for utilitarian reasons. We were definitely moved by the Spirit and saw the need to do this not for ourselves, but for God and our community. I had not been shy about tackling this because I had a stroke when I was In my twenties. Once people heard the end result of the first demo, it became obvious that people needed to hear this. They gained strength and peace from it. It was what we had to do.”

My stroke was definitely a turning point in my life. My daughter was six months old, and quite frankly, I wasn’t supposed to be able to sing again. I knew this was God’s plan. My faith keeps me strong. I knew I needed to do this to inspire other who had hardships in their lives and to let them know that with God, all is possible.

With the talents she has, Trish could have done just about anything she wanted. Why Catholic music?

“To me there was no other way. Everything I have learned prepared me for this. Catholic music is just who I am. It’s my calling…it’s what I’ve done all my life.”

Trish cities two examples as to why she feels her music is important. One fall while she was signing copies of her CD for fans, two women, both moms, came up to her separately and told her that they had children with special needs, and that her music was the only thing that could calm them down. The second incident involved her grandmother’s best friend, whom Trish had not seen since her grandmother’s funeral three years earlier. The women had come to a retreat center to see Trish perform and told Trish that her grandmother would have been proud of her.

Trish has eclectic taste in music. She names artists Julie Andrews, Josh Groban, Rene Fleming, Amy Grant, Erin O.Donnelll, John Michael Talbot, and Susan Ashton as some of her favorite artists. She also loves classical music Samuel Barber, J.S. Bach, and Faure.

Her Catholic faith is the core of her life. She and her family share a rich prayer life. In addition to praying the rosary, she and her family take part in the liturgical and para-liturgical celebrations. Her favorite saint is St. Therese de Lisieux. Her favorite scripture passage is 1 Corinthians 2: 9-10 “what eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him, this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.”

Trish holds a special devotion to our Blessed Mother.

“Mary is central to my life,” Trish explains. “I admire her ability to say ‘yes’ completely to God, no matter what the cost. As a child of God, she comforts me; and as a Mom, she inspires me.”

“I love the saying ‘hands to work, heart to God.’ Truly all we do must be offered for His glory. There is a simple prayer I say with my own children: ‘Jesus, please make me more like you each day.’ With this in our hearts, we can do God’s work.”

“My definition of a hero is someone who gives you wings to fly and hope to try!”