Higher Word Orchestra Finds Growing Audience with Catholic-Inspired Classical Music

Higher Word, a Catholic orchestra based in New York City, is experiencing significant growth, drawing hundreds to its concerts and achieving recognition from notable figures in the music industry.

Co-founder Spencer McIntosh recalled initial anxieties before the orchestra's first concert in October 2024 at St. Anthony of Padua in Soho. With only about 80 tickets sold for an 80-capacity venue, McIntosh was distraught, fearing a financial loss. However, following advice from a priest to write "we will fill the church" and to pray and market aggressively, the event drew 400 attendees. McIntosh described the turnout as a "miracle."

Two years since its inception, Higher Word has continued to expand its reach. The orchestra has grown in audience size and ambition, recently collaborating with legendary composer Bill Conti, known for the "Theme from Rocky." Conti has enlisted Higher Word and saxophonist priest Fr. James O’Reilly to record a new original composition.

Higher Word's programming is often inspired by Catholic themes and feasts. Their upcoming performance is slated for St. Jean Baptiste with a program based on the Feast of the Guardian Angels.

The orchestra's success is attributed by some to its ability to offer an experience that resonates with the mind and soul, particularly in a contemporary world perceived as chaotic. Conductor Jacob Beranek, educated at Juilliard, and Christa Dalmazio, a Manhattan School of Music alumna, lead the ensemble. Dalmazio suggests that modern isolation, political polarization, and a shift towards efficiency over art have led people to seek beauty, a need Higher Word aims to fulfill.

Beranek echoed this sentiment, stating, "Our souls yearn for something bigger, something more beautiful, something higher than just the purely functional or ordinary." The orchestra's performances are seen as a response to a broader "Catholic Renaissance" in New York City, marked by packed masses and an increase in converts in some parishes. The presence of an "American Pope" and the visibility of Catholic influencers on social media are also cited as factors contributing to Catholicism's cultural prominence.

Higher Word began in 2023 as a more informal gathering, a Catholic salon where friends would meet for wine and talks by priests. These gatherings grew, eventually moving to larger spaces and incorporating musical performances that became increasingly elaborate.

By the spring of 2026, their Easter concert at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral attracted over 530 people. The event featured meditations and commentary alongside classical music, culminating in a performance of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."

The orchestra's audience has been described as a mix of "stylish Catholics, young and old." The group has been credited with facilitating at least two marriages and several Catholic conversions among its musicians. McIntosh also attributes some of the orchestra's success to his "obliviousness" to the economic challenges of starting an orchestra.

Higher Word operates as a non-profit, relying on ticket sales, donations, and the volunteer efforts of musicians who often play "for the mission." The organization aims to become financially sustainable, expand its offerings to include lectures and liturgies, and integrate more fully into the cultural landscape of New York City. McIntosh expressed a desire for Catholic arts to not be marginalized, stating, "Anything that’s Catholic shouldn’t be siloed in a corridor, where things that are beautiful are reserved for the secular world."