In November 2013, members of the Saint Joseph’s College Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, as well as several parents and faculty members, will travel to Italy for a series of concerts and religious services at ancient sites rich in history and tradition.
The highlight of the trip will be the closing weekend celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Cappella Giulia at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The Cappella Giulia is one of the Basilica’s two chapel choirs. As part of its anniversary, notable choirs from around the world were invited to sing, either in concert or Mass, at the Basilica. The SJC Choirs were invited to sing with members of the Resurrection Choir from St. John Cantius Church in Chicago, where SJC’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers have sung alongside the Resurrection Choir three times since the beginning of September. Their next joint performance in Chicago will be Sunday, November 3 at 3:00 pm CDT.
Aside from St. Peter’s Basilica, the group will sing at Masses at major venues in Florence, Siena, Rome, and Pompeii. St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest Christian church in the world, seems to be generating the most excitement among the group. There, the SJC Choirs will be singing a large share of music independently in addition to singing with the Resurrection Choir.
The performances will be unique not only because of the locations, but because of the learning experience they will provide for the singers. The tour schedule will be very demanding, with the group singing once or twice a day, usually without any time for practice in the venues. Therefore, everyone must be familiar enough with the music to be able to adapt to varying acoustics, conditions, and unfamiliar settings.
For questions about the tour, SJC Choirs, or SJC Department of Music, contact Professor Kelly Ford at kford@saintjoe.edu or 219.866.6251.
