Teri DiRocco was in the seventh grade at Holy Trinity School when she began singing and playing the guitar at school masses.  Throughout high school, she continued to lead the music for school liturgies at Mary Star of the Sea.  On Sundays, Teri sang with The Leaven, a contemporary choir, at Holy Trinity.  After graduating, Teri relocated to pursue educational goals.  During that time, she remained active in music ministry and gained experience directing contemporary choirs at two different parishes.

After being away for nearly a decade, Teri returned to San Pedro and settled in once more at Holy Trinity.  She joined the Adult Contemporary Choir and, for the past 22 years, she and Justin Ezzi have been co-directing the group.  Justin and Teri have also co-written and recorded several original compositions for which they have received awards.

Teri has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, but has also studied music and vocal performance, extensively, in academic and private settings.  She has had training in classical styles, as well as specialized training in pop vocal styles and recording techniques. Teri also completed the Cantor Formation courses through the Los Angeles Archdiocese, and regularly attends workshops and training seminars in liturgical music and music education.

Teri has cantored for parish masses, Archdiocesan liturgies, and countless weddings and funerals.  She has held positions at other local churches, including Mary Star of the Sea, where she cantored and directed a small contemporary ensemble.  For twelve years, Teri planned and directed the music for mid-week campus masses at Marymount College in Palos Verdes, as well as the college’s annual commencement liturgies.  Teri has also performed at community events, graduation ceremonies, Christmas concerts at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and has sung the National Anthem at Dodger’s Stadium in Los Angeles.

In addition to conducting the Contemporary Choir, Teri enjoys directing the Youth Hand Bell Choir for the parish.  Mrs. DiRocco also teaches classroom music, full-time, to the students in Grades 1 through 8, right here at Holy Trinity School.  As an interdisciplinarian, Mrs. DiRocco teaches the subject of music across the curriculum; as a liturgical musician, she reinforces the importance of music in worship as she prepares the students for school masses, trains student cantors to lead the singing, and directs the children’s choir at the liturgies.

When she’s not at Holy Trinity, Teri loves spending time at home with her husband and children (and her little Pomeranian, Maya!).  She is also writing and producing an album of children’s songs (My Dog’s a Junk Food Junkie) and maintains a teacher’s website at http://teacherweb.com/CA/HolyTrinitySchool/MrsDiRocco and a Blog at
http://sightforsoreminds.blogspot.com/. You may email her at diroccomusic@gmail.com.

Teri is grateful for the opportunity to share her gifts, and prays that she may continue to serve God and the Holy Trinity community as both music minister and teacher.