ADVENT pROCESSIONAdvent Sunday was marked in a special way with a candle-lit Advent Procession, accompanying the light leading from the east of the Pro-Cathedral to the west. Advent Carols and Motets were sung by the Cathedral Girls' Choir and the Gentlemen of the Palestrina Choir.
Tickets selling fast for Christmas With The Palestrina Choir at the National Concert Hall on Saturday 10 December at 8pm. Our first concert back at NCH since December 2019, this concert will be special as it launches the Palestrina Choir's 120-year celebrations. Tickets are available at www.nch.ie Palestrina Choir Dublin – Celebrating 120 years of excellence in music
The Palestrina Choir is celebrating 120 years of consistent excellence in expressing the most sublime creativity of the human spirit through music. In present day, the Palestrina Choir, upholds the time-honoured tradition of cathedral music which connects those at all stages of the pilgrim journey through life. with the One who inspires all creativity. The Palestrina Choir of St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin has grown into a much loved and respected institution which continues to develop its unparalleled reputation for the singing of sacred music. Like the Abbey Theatre or the Artane Band, the Palestrina Choir is extraordinarily fortunate to hold a unique position within the diverse tapestry of Dublin’s Cultural and Social History. Since its foundation, the choir has had an inextricable link with the history of the nation, providing a sombre musical backdrop to iconic events, such as the state funerals of Michael Collins and that of former Irish President Eamon De Valera, to name but a few. In 2023 the choir is delighted to be celebrating 120 years of excellence in music and has designed an exciting programme of events which will be held in the Pro Cathedral and various other locations throughout the country during the year. The 120 celebrations will commence at the annual sell-out “Christmas with the Palestrina Choir” concert at the National Concert Hall on 10 December 2022. NEW LIFE IN THE CHOIR - SIX YOUNG CHORISTERS ADMITTED AS FULL MEMBERS OF THE palestrina CHOIR21/11/2022
Throughout history, the Church has kept Advent as a season of great solemnity – a time in which to meditate upon the ultimate issues of death, judgement and heaven. Advent, though, was also a time of great rejoicing. For Christ would come, not only as Judge, but also as Saviour. Advent, therefore, provided a vivid preparation for Christmas.
The Advent Procession aims to recapture something of the longing and hope of Advent. It begins in darkness. As the service unfolds, the Light is carried to other parts of the Pro-Cathedral as the procession moves from west to east. The Cathedral Girls’ Choir has sung a selection of Advent carols and seasonal music at this special service for the last few years. This year they will be joined by the Gentlemen of the Palestrina Choir for the first time. This is a particularly special way to start Advent. We hope that many of you will join us on Advent Sunday, 27th November at 8pm for Darkness to Light, the Advent Procession. The first trip the Palestrina Choir has taken since the outbreak of the coronavirus and it's a double whammy to Tallinn, Estonia and Helsinki, Finland! It wouldn't be a Palestrina Choir tour if we didn't have to wake up obscenely early and this trip is no different...with a 5AM start for us all. The boys arrived in their choir blue at 7AM, all of them on cloud-nine.
Nothing is more wonderful to the choir than meeting past choristers. Over the years, we've held various events for Palestrina Choir Alumni, most notably in 2019 (pictured below). Last Friday, former chorister Christy Costello and his wife and daughter made the journey all the way from Cork to Dublin to hear the Boys sing at the final Vespers in Lent. He was a member of the choir back in the early 1950s under, the then Organist and Choir Director; Oliver O'Brien, whom he remembers very fondly. His daughter, Ann Costello trekked all the way up the stairs after Vespers to present the Choir with a photo of Christy from a trip the choir took to Rome to sing for Pope Pius XII. At age 85, Christy is still as sharp as a tack and we look forward to meeting him again in the near future!
Please join us this Sunday at 13:15 for the first in our Lenten Concert Series. The St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral Girls' Choir brings us a wonderful array of upper-voice lenten motets.
Admission is FREE! ​See full concert programme below: We are very pleased to announce these forth-coming choral concerts at the Pro-Cathedral:
LENTEN LUNCHTIME CONCERT SERIES featuring Pro-Cathedral Girls' Choir, Continuum Youth Choir and the Palestrina Choir - all singing programmes of varied lenten motets. Admission is free and all are welcome. And the Dublin Bach Singers will be back at the Pro-Cathedral once again in GERMAN BAROQUE LENTEN MASTERPIECES - works by composers J S Bach and Johann Adolf Hasse - BWV 196 Der Herr denket an uns, BWV 150 Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich and Hasse Miserere in C Minor. Soloists: Aisling Kenny, Pierce Cullen and Nathan Phipps-O'Neill. Tickets for this are available at www.eventbrite.ie/e/german-baroque-lenten-masterpieces-tickets-275120732517 |
AuthorsBlánaid Murphy - Dir. Archives
March 2024
Categories |