High Mass at Saint Peter's Basilica (Vatican City) on Tuesday, April 5, at 5 PM with La Canada High School Concert Choir and Chamber Singers

The La Canada High School Concert Choir and Chamber Singers under the direction of Mr. Jeff Brookey will sing and celebrate High Mass at Saint Peter's Basilica on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 5:00 PM.

The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter is located within the Vatican City. St. Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is the symbolic "Mother church" of the Catholic Church and is regarded as one of the holiest Christian sites. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".
In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession. Tradition and some historical evidence hold that Saint Peter's tomb is directly below the altar of the basilica. For this reason, many Popes have been interred at St Peter's since the Early Christian period. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century. Construction of the present basilica, over the old Constantinian basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed on November 18, 1626.
St. Peter's is famous as a place of pilgrimage, for its liturgical functions and for its historical associations. It is associated with the papacy, with the Counter-reformation and with numerous artists, most significantly Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475-1564), an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer. Michelangelo took over a building site at which four piers, enormous beyond any constructed since the days of Ancient Rome, were rising behind the remaining nave of the old basilica. He also inherited the numerous schemes designed and redesigned by some of the greatest architectural and engineering brains of the 16th century.
Incidentally there are over 100 tombs within St. Peter's Basilica, many located in the Vatican grotto, beneath the Basilica. These include 91 popes, St. Ignatius of Antioch, Holy Roman Emperor Otto II, and the composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Exiled Catholic British royalty James Francis Edward Stuart and his two sons, Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart, are buried here, having been granted asylum by Pope Clement XI. The most recent interment was Pope John Paul II, on April 8, 2005.

Impressions from the La Canada HS Italy Performance Tour

The La Canada HS Choirs in Cocert at the Teatro di Rieti

La Canada HS Choirs make the news in Rieti

A Journey of Light, a Rieti il concerto per coro dei licei La Cañada e JSerra Lunedì prossimo al teatro Flavio Vespasiano dalla Redazione sabato 2 aprile 2011 «Un concerto di musica corale che risveglia i sensi, ispira l’anima e scalda il cuore». Così Sandra Weinacht, titolare di Incantato Tours, definisce il concerto per coro che si terrà il 4 aprile al Flavio Vespasiano , il cui tema è “A Journey of Light” (Un viaggio di Luce). Dopo il successo di critica e pubblico riportato dal concerto del coro della South Carolina University, il prossimo lunedì 4 aprile alle 18.30 secondo appuntamento di prestigio al Flavio Vespasiano, con le serate organizzate da Incantato Tours e l’Assessorato alla Cultura del Comune di Rieti nel quadro del progetto di Wealbiz .  Sandra Weinacht, Gianfranco Formichetti e Diego Di Paolo sottolineano con soddisfazione che l’iniziativa sta riscuotendo grande consenso, sia per la qualità dei cori in tournee europea che passeranno da Rieti, sia per il coinvolgimento della realtà scolastica locale che approfitterà di volta in volta di queste presenze per stringere accordi di collaborazione con le scuole americane.  È un’operazione che interessa non solo l’ambiente artistico della città ma anche quello culturale e turistico, ed il fatto che non comporti alcun costo ne’ per l’amministrazione pubblica, ne’ per gli spettatori (i concerti sono ad ingresso libero) ne fa ovviamente un modello di sviluppo sostenibile che viene osservato con molta attenzione . Lunedì pomeriggio sarà la volta del liceo di La Cañada , piccola cittadina della contea di Los Angeles con un altissimo tenore di vita. La scuola, premiata due volte nel 1993 e nel 2004 con il Blue Ribbon, onorificenza americana riservata alle scuole d’eccellenza , è in questo momento classificata al 23 posto tra le scuole pubbliche degli Stati Uniti.  Il coro è diretto dal Professor Jeff Brookey, ed eseguirà un programma che include brani di Monteverdi, Schubert, Durufle , Whitacre, canti spiritual afro-americani e musica Gospel. Sempre nell’ambito dello stesso progetto, martedì 5 aprile alle 17 , nella mistica quiete del Santuario di Fonte Colombo, sarà la volta del coro del liceo JSerra . Il coro ha volutamente scelto un’esibizione lontano dal clamore, che si terrà alla presenza dei frati novizi e di pochi fortunati spettatori. Il tema del concerto sarà “I saw Eternity “ un pellegrinaggio spiritual attraverso la musica del passato e del presente.  I ragazzi provengono dalla cittadina californiana di San Juan de Capistrano, fondata come missione francescana da Giovanni da Capistrano nel 1776. Alle già citate collaborazioni istituzionali si somma in questo caso il neonato Comitato degli Amici del Cammino di Francesco e l’iniziativa vuole essere un momento di promozione del Cammino di Francesco nel mondo. L’ingresso per entrambi i concerti è libero. Per saperne di più: http://www.amicicamminodifrancesco.it

Highlight Concert: La Canada High School Concert Choir and Chamber Singers perform at Teatro Flavio Vespasiano in Rieti on Monday, April 4 at 6:30 PM

The La Canada High School Concert Choir and Chamber Singers will perform at feature concert at the Teatro Flavio Vespasiano di Rieti on Monday, April 4, 2011 at 6:30 PM. The Theatre Flavio Vespasiano is the main theater of Rieti, a town in the commune of Lazio in central Italy. The current structure dates back to December of 1883 but was not officially inaugurated until September 20, 1893, featuring productions of Goethe’s Faust and Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana. The theater, named for the Roman Emperor Vespasian, required ten years of construction under the direction of Milanese architect Achille Sfondrini. The theater underwent complete restoration from 2005 through 2009. A grand re-opening celebration commenced on January 10, 2009 featuring conductor Marcello Rota, and soloists Karina Grigoryan, Jessica Pratt, Anna Gorayacheva, and Roman Burdenko. The Secretary to the Prime Minister as well as Senator Franco Marini were in attendance. The restoration efforts totaled more than 3.3 million Euro.

The reopening of the theater also fostered the formation of the Flavius Vespasian Foundation, aiming to promote international artistry and music. The Rieti Theatre also annually hosts the Rieti Dance Festival, the International Competition for the New Opera Voices of Mattia Battistini, and the National Competition for Young Actors. The theatre is well known for its excellent acoustics, a characteristic that earned the structure the very first National Award for the Acoustics. In referring to the acoustics, Professor Bruno Cagli, president of the National Academy of Saint Cecilia, once called the theatre “the world’s best in that respect”.

The La Canada High School Concert Choir & Chamber Singers perform at the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence on April 3 at 7 PM

The La Canada High School Concert Choir and Chamber Singers present a feature concert together with the JSerra Catholic High School Chamber Choir  at 7 PM, at the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence on Sunday, April 3, 2011.
The Basilica di San Lorenzo stands as one of Florence, Italy’s largest churches, situated in the center of the city’s main market district. It is one of several churches claiming to be Florence’s oldest, having been consecrated in the year 393. The Basilica di San Lorenzo served as the city’s cathedral for 300 years until the Bishop’s official seat was moved to Santa Reparata.
In 1419 parishioner Giovanni di Bicci de Medici offered to finance a new church to replace the Romanesque building. Filippo Brunelleschi, the leading Renaissance architect of the first half of the fifteenth century, was commissioned to design the new structure, although the new building did not reach completion until after the architect’s death.
 The church is part of a larger monastic complex that boasts numerous additional important architectural works including the Laurentian Library by Michelangelo and the New Sacristy based on Michelangelo’s original designs. The sanctuary’s left aisle displays a large fresco by Bronzino depicting the Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence, and the marble choir loft was designed by Donatello, as were the two bronze pulpits.

Incantato presents La Canada High School Concert Choir and Chamber Singers at St. Mark's Basilica (Venice) on Friday, April 1 at 6:45 PM

The La Canada High School Concert Choir and Chamber Singers from La Canada, California, will sing High Mass at Saint Mark's Basilica in Venice on Friday, April 1, 2011 at 6:45PM.

The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture. It lies on Piazza San Marco adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. Originally it was the "chapel" of the Venetian rulers, and not the city's cathedral. Since 1807 it has been the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. For its opulent design, gilded Byzantine mosaics, and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power, from the 11th century onward the building has been known by the nickname Chiesa d'Oro (Church of gold).
The original Saint Mark's was a temporary building in the Doge's Palace, constructed in 828, when Venetian merchants stole the supposed relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria. This was replaced by a new church on its present site in 832; the first St. Mark's Campanile (bell tower) dates from the same century. The new church was burned in a rebellion in 976, rebuilt in 978 and again to form the basis of the present basilica since 1063.
The spacious interior of the building with its multiple choir lofts was the inspiration for the development of a Venetian polychoral style among the composers appointed maestro di cappella at St. Mark's. The style was first developed by a foreigner, Adrian Willaert, and was continued by Italian organists and composers, Andrea Gabrieli along with his nephew Giovanni Gabrieli, and later Claudio Monteverdi.

Have a look at the Chapman University Choir's 2008 Incantato Italy Tour

For pictures and videos of the 2008 Chapman University Choir Italy Tour with Incantato that followed a similar itinerary to La Canada, have a look at our main blog. Here is also a video from the final highlight concert in Rome.

La Canada Choirs to atted Papal Audience on Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The La Canada High School Choirs are confirmed to participate in and briefly perform at the Papal Audience at the Vatican at 10:30AM on the morning of April 6, 2011.

Papal Audiences are held on Wednesdays if the Pope is in Rome, giving pilgrims and visitors the chance to "see the Pope" and receive the Papal Blessing or Apostolic Blessing from the successor of the Apostle Peter during their visit.
The Audience with the Pope consists of small teachings and readings mainly in Italian but also in English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese and sometimes other languages depending on groups visiting.
The Pope will offer a greeting in each language and specially mention any visiting group such as choirs from various countries.
At the completion of the Audience, the Pope will join with the attendees in praying the Lord’s Prayer in Latin.
At the end of the Prayer, as Head of the Catholic Church, he will impart his Apostolic Blessing upon the crowd, which extends to loved ones who are sick and suffering, and also blesses any religious articles such as rosary beads that people have brought with them for the purpose of the blessing.

Visit the Art Monastery

The Art Monastery Project, founded in 2007, is a community of artists dedicated to fostering creativity through commitment to a disciplined, contemplative, and sustainable monastic lifestyle.

Established by American, San Francisco-based artists Betsy McCall and Christopher Fülling, the project works to transform an historic Italian monastery into an international arts production center. The project investigates what the Art Monks refer to as “social sculpture,” developing a diverse variety of visual and performance art in a manner which focuses just as much on the creative process as the final product.

In striving to meld historical tradition with contemporary culture, the Art Monastery presents on-site exhibitions and performances as well as collaborations with the surrounding communities. However, work created within the monastery premieres locally before ever touring internationally.

Previously located in the small Italian town of Calvi dell’Umbria, the Art Monastery relocated to the hilltop town of Labro, approximately seventy minutes north east of Rome. The San Antonio monastery, a former 17^th century Franciscan abbey, now serves as the official home of the Art Monastery Project. The site holds a state-of-the-art 150 seat theater for performances and exhibits. Hotel Colle di Costa and Ristorante Ulisse are also located within the structure.

A radical contemporary experiment in “social sculpture,” the Art Monastery is “ready to indulge visitors without hesitation…”

In addition to Labro, the Art Monastery hosts chapters in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Reno, Bloomington, Chicago, Buffalo, and New York City.

Incantato proudly presents the La Canada Choirs at Sant'Agnese in Agone (Rome) on Wednesday, April 6 at 6:00 PM

The La Canada Choirs perform a final feature concert at Rome's Basilica Sant'Agnese in Agone at 6:00PM on Wednesday, April 6, 2011.

The Basilica Sant’Agnese in Agone in Rome was constructed in 1652 on the site of Saint Agnes’ martyrdom, now the location of the Piazza Navona. The designs for the Baroque church were commissioned by Pope Innocent X, whose funerary monument now lies within the church. The Pope’s family even had a large palace adjacent to the church. Baroque architect Francesco Borromini ultimately introduced a concave volume in the center of the sanctuary, creating prime acoustics for vocal music. Visitors enjoy the interior’s premier sculptural artwork, accented by the marble relief found in the main altar, as well as Bernini’s famous Fountain of the Four Rivers that lies in front of the church.