From Julliard to Des Moines: Talented Musicians Lead Parish Music

July 9, 2026

By Elizabeth Williams

The Diocese of Des Moines is blessed with talented, accomplished professional musicians, leading and accompanying parish choirs.  Combining their love for music and the sacred liturgy, they have felt a call from God to use their talents to bring others close to God.

Janet Bradford

Bradford, who is a piano accompanist at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines,  also took a circuitous route to her current vocation.

“I started at age five. My parents and Grandma recognized my musical talent so my dad, an engineer, installed a vacuum cleaner motor in an old pump organ my parents inherited so I could play it,” Bradford said.

Bradford played organ for Mass every Sunday in junior and senior high school in her rural Illinois hometown.

“But when I went off to college to pursue a music degree, I met my now husband, who was Protestant, and played piano and organ at Protestant services for 15 years,” Bradford said. Also during that time, Bradford pursued a double masters in Piano Performance and Pedagogy, and was eventually landed at Drake University as a staff accompanist for vocalists and instrumentalists, which honed her collaborative skills.

When Bradford and her family moved to Iowa she longed to be back in the Church. She along with her husband and daughter, joined St. Francis of Assisi Parish, where she has been playing ever since.

“I started to understand the Liturgy and music’s role in glorifying God,” Bradford said. “I don’t just play the piano during Mass. I lead from the keys uniting the music with the words praying for the Holy Spirit to transform the souls in the congregation so they worship God in song.”

Tom Quiner

Back in 1981, when Quiner converted to the Catholic faith, he started going to Mass at Holy

Trinity Parish in Des Moines, which had a piano-driven schola with a contemporary drive.

“At that time, I was really attracted to the Holy Trinity music. I never, ever dreamed I would get involved in music ministry there,” he said.

In 1994, friends asked him to play the piano at their wedding. He became a fill-in accompanist at Masses for almost 20 years, mentored by his good friends Bob and Janice Weast. When the Weasts could no longer play music, the parish asked Quiner to be the music liturgist for the 4:30 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. Sunday Masses.

Worship music is prayerful.

“It’s the best form of prayer for me and I think for a lot of people. It’s a real joy,” he said.

It’s also a method to bring about unity.

 “I’m thanking God every time I’m up at Mass. It unites us. In a world where people are so divided, including within the Catholic Church and at parishes, we come together singing these beautiful hymns. That’s a really powerful thing. Music is healing.”

His pastor, Father Mark Neal, says Quiner continues Holy Trinity’s long reputation for excellent music.

“Growing up, I used to go to a particular Mass when I knew Bob Weast would be playing because it was always so good,” said Father Neal. “Tom has continued providing that level of excellence for Holy Trinity. His dedication to liturgical music plays a big part in the reverence and dignity of our liturgies here at Holy Trinity.”

Quiner expanded his gift of music by composing about 10 faith-based musicals like “Pope of the People,” and “Fire and Mercy,” an operetta called “We Need a Savior” and two non-musicals focused on faith. He calls it evangelization through entertainment. He’s had his compositions performed in just about every Catholic church in the Des Moines metro area, which he fostered deep friendships within the larger Catholic community.

Reflecting on how his music intersects with faith, he said: “I feel blessed that I’ve had this opportunity.”

Marion Scott, Ph.D.

Scott grew up in northern Florida, received his undergraduate degree in piano performance at the famed Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, then went to graduate school at The Juilliard School in New York City. There, he met his wife, Rosa, also a professional pianist. Scott earned his doctorate in Miami where he and his wife performed concerts, formed music groups and led church choirs for 13 years.

However, “we got a strong feeling in our hearts that God was calling us to serve in a different place,” Scott said. “So, my wife looked online and saw that St. Augustin’s in Des Moines was looking for a pastoral music director.”

Neither of the two had never been to Iowa before.

“We took a leap of faith and almost four years ago, we moved to Des Moines,” he added. “We felt we could breathe for the first time when we moved here. The community is very strong and the cooperation is great.”

Music and worship intertwine.

“I think it’s important for the director to pray with the choir,” Scott said. “I believe strongly to begin and end rehearsals in prayer. Our goal is to glorify God.”

Nate Sparks

The music director at Sacred Heart Parish in West Des Moines since 2023, Sparks also went to The Juilliard School to study music. The native of Runnells, Sparks played trumpet and became involved in the New York City jazz scene. But God used the Covid pandemic to call Sparks back to Des Moines.

“I came back here in 2020, returned to the faith, met my wife and we just had our first child [in May] when God pointed me in this direction,” Sparks said.

He feels a deep sense of the sacred in their music.

“I always start with what is called for in the liturgy: to closely align the music with the liturgy,” Sparks said.

Sparks emphasized that the Church gives the faithful clear instruction on music in the liturgy.

“Gregorian chant is called for with pride of place in the novus ordo, with sacred polyphony, hymns and modern sacred music also given mention, and all come under the umbrella of active participation,” he said. “As a music director, I try to revive and incorporate Gregorian Chant and polyphony (an early form of harmony) in proper balance with what our parish is used to, because those former styles belong to a huge treasure trove of music literature dating back to the first millennium which we’re still called to maintain to this day.”

Mark Thomas, Ph.D.

From an early age, Thomas liked church music.

“It’s a wonderful form of prayer. I was drawn to the sound of the organ in particular. There’s just something very powerful about it,” he said.

As he grew in his faith, he saw an analogy in that the organ reflects the full range of God from the majestic sounds to the soft and gentle voice in the Book of Kings. 

He grew up playing the piano and initially taught himself how to play the organ before studying it in college. At the University of Notre Dame he majored in music and philosophy, in which he holds a doctoral degree. 

Now a philosophy professor at Central College in Pella, he spotted an opportunity to play the organ at St. Ambrose Cathedral.

“I really love being part of the music for the big liturgies like the ordinations, Christmas, and holy week at the cathedral. It’s so beautiful,” he said. 

The cathedral’s rector, Father Nivin Scaria, appreciates the gifts Thomas brings to the faith community.

“What I appreciate most is his inclusive spirit and love for the Church,” said Father Scaria. “He has welcomed members of our refugee communities into special liturgical celebrations and helped begin the Children’s Choir with Maggie Parker. Mark’s ministry continues to enrich the faith and worship life of our cathedral community.”