Mozart comes alive
A rare Choral Concert of Classical sacred Music presented by St Cecelia’s choir of St. Joseph’s College Colombo will come alive on Saturday, 3rd October with the great choirs of 6 other leading schools at the St. Joseph’s College Chapel at 6.30 pm.
This Choral Concert of incomparable will feature six top Catholic Schools involving over 400 student choristers.
This presentation will be backed by an excellent organ accompaniment and a fine orchestral ensemble and will involve the equally renowned choirs of St. Joseph’s College, St. Peter’s College, St. Sebastian’s College- Moratuwa, Good Shepherd Convent-Kotahena, St. Bridget’s Convent, Holy Family Convent- Bambalapitiya and St. Lawrence’s Convent- Wellawatta.
The choir of St. Joseph’s College will open the event with selections from Mozart’s Requiem and the beautiful Laud ate. Thereafter the Choral Concert will continue with the compositions from Beethoven, Verdi, Wagner, Vivaldi, Handel, Palestrina and Lotto as each school choir will make their own presentations in their own unique styles.
The line – up includes:
St. Peter’s College – Jesu Joy (Bach), Creation Hymn (Beethoven)
Holy Family Convent – Panis Angelicus (Caesar Frank)
St. Bridget’s Convent – Amen DicoVobis (Rocci) Ave Maria (Schubert)
Good Shepherd Convent – AdoramusTe (Palestrina) Rex Admirabilis (R. Rodgers)
St. Sebastian’s College – Gloria (Vivaldi) Ave Maria (Caccini)
St. Lawrence’s Convent – Regina Coeli (A. Lotto)
St. Cecelia’s Choir will continue the concert with Wagner’s Pilgrim Chorus, Handel’s Worthy is the Lamb and the Glorious Slaves Chorus by Verdi.
The evening’s choral concert will conclude with the majestic rendition of Mozart’s Ave Verum by the combined choir of all schools numbering over 400 young singers.
The unique event will take place under the patronage of Colombo’s Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, who is anxious to revive and promote sacred classical music in all Catholic schools, parishes and adult choirs.
He views the decline of sacred classical compositions and the Gregorian Chants as tragedies of the past 50 years of the Church History and needing a redoubled effort for revival.
Sri Lanka Pueri Cantores Federation, a branch of the International Pueri Cantores Federation which combines local Catholic school choirs as well as the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission are involved in the organisation under the Rector of St. Joseph’s College.
Astonishingly, this historic presentation is free of charge and all are welcome.