Celebrating PALESTRINA 500

Throughout 2025, the Palestrina Choir will sing the music of G.P. da Palestrina (1525 - 1594)

The 500th anniversary of the birth of the Italian composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina occurs in 2025.  Giovanni Pierluigi, named after the town of Palestrina where he was born, became one of the most influential composers of the mid- 16th century Catholic Reformation. The election of the Cardinal Bishop of Palestrina as Pope Julius III changed Giovanni Pierluigi's fortunes. The new pope summoned him to Rome to work at the Vatican. Pope Paul IV decreed in 1555 that singers were to be clerics. Giovanni Pierluigi, who was married with children was forced out of his position. On the death of his wife he remarried a wealthy widow. 
Palestrina composed a large corpus of music including 105 Masses, 68 Offertories, more than 300 Motets, 72 Hymns, 35 Magnificats, 11 Litanies, and four or five sets of Lamentations.. In addition, he composed at least 140 Madrigals.
He is famous for his beautiful polyphonic (many voiced) settings. Palestrina's ethereal music continues to inspire to the present day.
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"He is the real king of sacred music and the eternal father of Italian music." Giuseppe Verdi

The Palestrina Choir was founded at Dublin's Pro- Cathedral in 1903. Now, 121 years later, the choir continues to sing at the Latin Mass every Sunday morning. Composed of over 20 boys and 10 men, the choir is preparing a series of concerts, recordings, broadcasts, national and international visits to celebrate the life of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina in 2025.  This will all happen alongside music by Palestrina weekly at the 11am Solemn Latin Mass at the Pro-Cathedral.