Jacob Cantu

North West and Stone Oak

Voice
Beginning to advanced, age 7 to adult
Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance, St. Mary’s University
Master of Music, Texas State University

Teaching Philosophy

Mr. Cantu believes that both performing and learning go hand in hand. He provides his students with opportunities to perform regularly in recitals and encourages his students to seek other events and venues in which to perform.

Biography

Jacob Cantu began his music teaching career in 1982. He is currently the Choir Director for the Vigil Choir at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church. Most recently Mr. Cantu was both the Music Instructor and Choir Director at St. Jose Sanchez Del Rio Catholic School. Before that he was Director of Opera Workshop at St. Mary’s University producing, directing and conducting operas and musicals as well as teaching Vocal Pedagogy, Diction, and Music Appreciation.

Cantu studied voice under Herald Stark, Spiro Malas, Sam Sakarian and Bert Neely and took master classes with Margret Harshaw, William Warfield, Gian Carlo Menotti and Mignon Dunn. In New York, his vocal coaches included Jane Steele, Dale Dietert and Met Opera coach Joan Donerman. Cantu concertized at several venues in New York City and Connecticut. He served as Organist and Choir Director at Trinity Episcopal Church at Inwood.

Locally, he has appeared with the Texas Bach Choir, San Antonio Opera, San Antonio’s Three Tenors, Viva Musica, Bejar Opera, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and 24th Street Experiment Theater. Cantu was also with Opera in the Schools, a group that performed in elementary schools throughout South Texas.