Franciscan Renewal Center

Pictured musicians, from left: Norbert Zwickl, Music Director; MG Johnson; Brian Kinzie, Adam Stein

Norbert Zwickl has been on staff at the Casa since 1991, serving as the Director of Music and Liturgy. He is a graduate of the ASU School of Music and the Academy of Music Theatre Training at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles; he also holds a Master's Degree in marketing. Norbert has been a music director, arranger, pianist and vocalist of theatrical, industrial, and recording productions in Arizona and California.

While at the Casa, he has also recorded four volumes of contemporary Catholic music, as well as a Christmas collection. The most recent collection, “Hope Beyond Tomorrow,” features music used at the Casa’s Easter celebrations. Also included are highlights from “I Conoscenti di San Francesco: The Ones Who Knew,” a musical written and produced by Norbert that relates the life of St. Francis of Assisi as told by closest friends and family members. Norbert’s latest project is a musical that tells the story of Greccio, a small Italian town where St. Francis coordinated the first re-enactment of the Christmas nativity story, much like we know it today. Buon Natale Greccio premiered in December, 2005.  Visit Norbert's website at www.norbertz.com.

MG Johnson was called by Norbert to play one weekend in 1992, and he's been playing just about every Sunday since. His 40 years of drumming experience can be seen being passed on to his son, Adam, who joined in to add some auxiliary percussion on Father's Day 2002 and now plays with the ensemble whenever possible. Aside from the Casa, MG has recorded two meditation CDs, which are available in the Casa Book Store. He has also recently completed a third project with his son, Adam, which is a percussion CD entitled “Heart of the Drummer and Son.”

Brian Kinzie joined the Casa staff as Assistant Director of Music and Liturgy in August 2003. He brings with him five years of experience in liturgy and 18 years experience in vocal music, as well as his time in Music and Religious Studies from Arizona State University. In recent years, Brian has served as a liturgist and music director throughout the diocese and has also done work in several diocesan events. Currently, he continues to work on his own compositions as well as arranging and performance.

Adam Johnson, son of MG Johnson, has been playing various percussion instruments at the Casa since he was ten years old in 2002 and is now the full-time drummer during Sunday liturgies along with Norbert, Brian, MG, and Adam Stein. Adam has been in his school’s drumline for the past four years and has participated in other percussion performance groups over his years of playing. Adam loves the Casa and would like to thank all of the staff, as well as the community, for giving him the opportunity to share his music and for all the support he has graciously been given. No matter where life takes him in the future, Adam knows that he will always have a home at the Franciscan Renewal Center.