CHORAL music lovers of this city, rejoice, and look to your cathedrals and churches for the joy of public performance over three days of Ireland’s finest in sacred music. We write of Limerick Choral Festival, opening on Friday February 26 with the stunning voices of the boys of Palestrina Choir.
From St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral to our own St Joseph’s Church, O’Connell Street for this concert glory, 7.30pm: Gregorian chant, Bruckner, Hassler, Grieg, Charpentier will be directed by Blánaid Murphy and accompanied by Robbie Carroll.
Listen out for the still-making beauty of Pierce Cullen’s solo, ‘Ag Críost on Síol’.
Note that this is the only ticketed (€15 and €12 at www.litmt.ie) concert in rewarding days of “specifically sacred and even more so, church, music,” explains principal organiser, Dr Michael O’Brien of Limerick Choral Festival Society.
By day a lecturer in Computer Science at UL, at other times organist/cantor at St John’s Cathedral, Dr O’Brien has worked for more than 10 years on this festival and its previous incarnations, together with Timothy Schinnick and the late Joe O’Connor.
How many choirs have committed? “This year we have 20 schools, all singing on Friday 26 and 30+ youth and senior choirs for Saturday 27,” explains the good doctor. “It is a wonderful event for the city and we encourage everyone to come along and hear the various choirs, recitals and performances.”
How gifted are we in Limerick that our open, welcoming churches are platform for recitals that will be adjudicated by Dr Ite O’Donovan and Dr Paul McKeever.
Michael O’Brien makes the point that for the first time, St Mary’s Cathedral has joined, with principal organist Peter Barley hosting a recital in Sacred Heart Church at The Crescent, 5pm on Sunday 28.
“After that there will be a closing Solemn Choral Evensong at St Mary’s Cathedral at 7pm, to which everyone is welcome. This is a monthly event at the Cathedral and it’s truly wonderful that it is part of the programme for this year’s festival”.
He lists the five participating churches as St Joseph’s Church, The Redemptorists, The Augustinians, St Mary’s Cathedral and Sacred Heart (former Jesuits).
Reader, you can www.facebook.com/limerickchoralfestival for the minutiae of performances, competitions and choir biographies or check out their website www.limerickchoralfestival.com
Show up in good faith at any one of the concerts/competitions to feel the Hallelujah of wonder in great voices singing in unison.
Special credit to George Boutique Hotel for its nightly hosting February 26-28 of the festival club where all will be welcome.
Limerick Post is media sponsor.
