Scecina student’s ministry of music
By Beth Murphy, Director of Marketing Communications
Music is an integral part of the Catholic Mass.
At Scecina, students take part in the school Mass liturgy as servers, lectors and Eucharistic ministers. And music, with a liturgical choir and junior Anthony Higgins playing the piano.
Anthony Higgins
Music ministry runs in Anthony’s family. His sister Monica, Scecina Class of 2018, served in the liturgical choir at Scecina and helped plan school liturgy. His brother Johnny, Scecina Class of 2012, played for Scecina Masses while he was a student and now is the director of music and coordinator of youth education and ministry at St. Michael Greenfield. He’s the son of Jeff and Judith (Joson) Higgins ’84.
Playing the piano at Mass is a great opportunity to serve the Scecina community and improve his keyboard skills, said Anthony, who has been playing at Scecina since his freshman year.
“Anthony truly exemplifies Scecina’s call to servant leadership,” said K.J. Fallon, Scecina’s liturgy coordinator. “Through his musical talents and creative inputs, Anthony is able to create a sacred and prayerful space for worship, in a school gym, to ultimately bring others moments to encounter Christ.”
He’s also filled in at Masses at his parish, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, when its music director is off, and at St. Michael Greenfield.
Anthony, who started taking piano lessons at age 6, also plays the saxophone and is expanding into other instruments. Scecina has helped deepen his knowledge of and interest in music.
He was in the honors concert band class as a freshman and sophomore and took part in extracurricular music opportunities of Rock Band and the pep band. He currently takes Music History and Appreciation and Composition classes from music teacher Chris Ritchie.
“Hopefully, by the end of the school year, I’ll compose something. I definitely think that’s something I need to get into now, composing music,” he said. “You enjoy playing other people’s music but you can get more freedom in composing in your style,”
Anthony Higgins plays the piano at a Scecina school Mass.
This year he’s backed off the music extracurriculars to try some new Scecina opportunities: Student Council and Student Ambassadors. He’s also played soccer for three years and been in the Archery Club for two. But he might return to pep band or Rock Band in his senior year.
“This was my year to balance out some, because junior year is a tough year, academically,” he said. “I want some time to just enjoy myself before I completely furl myself into music.”
He’s also formed a band with some other Scecina students. “We’re just a bunch of people hanging out and playing music and having fun,” he said.
Anthony does plan a music career, but not as a performer, he said. He’s considering colleges such as Berklee College of Music in Boston or Belmont University in Nashville.
“I’m looking more into the technical side, music production and audio engineering, working in recording studios,” said Anthony.
