Father Alphonse Stephenson

    Father Alphonse's very first orchestra was formed in New York's Theater District while he served at St. Malachy's, the Actor's Chapel. His conducting debut was with bass soloist Paul Plishka of the Metropolitan Opera. In 1980, the late Broadway director and choreographer Michael Bennett engaged him as conductor and music director of his smash hit, A Chorus Line. 

    A student of the late George Schick of the Metropolitan Opera and Dr. Robert Abramson of the Juilliard School, Father Alphonse has been guest conductor of the Fresno Philharmonic, Delaware Valley Philharmonic, Metro Lyric Opera, the Greater Palm Beach Symphony Orchestra and the Key West Pops Orchestra. 

     He is the founder and conductor of the Festival of the Atlantic in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey's largest outdoor music festival. The Festival's popularity has led to Father Alphonse receiving the Monmouth and Ocean Development Council's Silver Gull Award for Tourism Development.

    He is a Colonel and the Command Chaplain of the New Jersey Army and Air National Guard, Headquarters, Fort Dix, NJ. 

Cecelia Foundation

Responding to the great need to introduce young people to good music, Father Alphonse is founder of the Cecelia Foundation, a non-profit organization funded solely through private contributions and the sale of our Christmas recordings, which brings the full orchestra to Catholic schools throughout the state and awards professional quality instruments to deserving students.