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Views from the Choir Loft

May 2016 • Major Choral Event In Dallas!

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · January 18, 2016

847 Frank La Rocca HIS EXCITING NEW major work by composer Frank La Rocca will receive its world premiere on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 8:00pm in Dallas, Texas:

  * A ROSE IN WINTER • The life of Saint Rita of Cascia

Dr. La Rocca’s 90-minute oratorio for chorus, orchestra, and soloists was commissioned by Saint Rita Catholic Church (URL) in Dallas, and is the brainchild of Alfred Calabrese, director of music at the parish. The original libretto is by Matthew Lickona. Four outstanding American soloists will take part in the world premiere:

SOPRANO — Melanie Sarakatsannis
BARITONE — Sumner Thompson
TENOR — Brian Downen
BASS — Daniel Cole

The title role—that of Saint Rita—will be Ms. Sarakatsannis. The professional orchestra will be joined by the St. Rita Festival Choir, and the conductor will be Alfred Calabrese (BIO).

HE CONCERT on 21 May will be preceded by a three-day conference entitled “High Above the Stars: Sainthood, Beauty, and Catholic Artistic Expression.” The conference (May 19-21) is designed for musicians, artists, poets, theologians, and Catholic laity, and deals with the creation of sacred music and art, the promotion of beauty, and the quest for sainthood in everyday life. Masterclasses will be held for conductors, composers, and poets. Speakers include: Carmen-Helena Téllez, (University of Notre Dame); David Clayton, artist, writer and educator, and a regular contributor to the New Liturgical Movement website; Ron and Kathryn Rombs (University of Dallas); and the Very Rev. Michael F. DiGregorio, O.S.A, Prior Provincial of the Augustinians of the Saint Thomas of Villanova Province. Fr. DiGregorio is the former director of the National Shrine of St. Rita in Philadelphia and pastor of the parish.

All are invited and encouraged to come to Dallas for this event. A website is being developed for the concert and conference. There you will be able to find registration materials, a complete schedule of events, biographies of all of the principle players, information on travel to and from Dallas, housing options, and fun things to do and see while you’re here. All proceedings will be held on the north Dallas campus of Saint Rita parish, which is a mere 15 minutes from DFW Airport.

Please join us in May for this tremendously exciting moment in the Catholic musical world!

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Dr. Alfred Calabrese

Dr. Alfred Calabrese is Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas, TX. He and his wife have two children.—(Read full biography).

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    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
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    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
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    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
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— Daniel Barenboim (1960)

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