SBCC Featured Guest Choir for Mass on June 1, 2014 at 11:30 am at Sant' Agostino Church in Rieti

The SBCC Choir will be featured guest choir for Mass on Sunday, June 1, 2014 at 11:30 am in Rieti, Italy at Sant' Agostino Church.

The church is located at Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini and dedicated to Saint August, who decided to establish a type of religious life inspired by the early community of Jerusalem.

Your venue in Florence on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 8:00 pm

The SBCC Choir is going to perform at Santa Maria Maggiore in Florence, Italy on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 8:00 pm.

The ancient church which has existed since at least the 8th century, was first documented in 931 (or 1021) and underwent extensive renovations to the facade and sides in the 13th century.

The rough stone exterior had a marble façade designed for it by Alfonso Parigi which was never built. It was plastered over until a restoration in 1912-13, at which time some of the baroque features were also removed. The romanesque campanile remains with a half-bust of a woman, known as Berta and almost certainly ancient roman. Legend has it that she was a woman who made fun of a passing condemned prisoner who cursed her and she turned to stone.

The interior is simple with a nave and two aisles, ogival arches and groin vaults. Artworks include frescoes by Bernardino Poccetti and a nativity by Matteo Rosselli. Other artworks once housed in the church include the Carnesecchi Triptych, by Masolino da Panicale and Masaccio, as well as the Martyrdom of St. Sebastian and the Lamentation over the Dead Christ with Saints by Botticelli. 

Pictures curtesy of:  http://www.churchesofflorence.com/

Tuesday, June 22, at 7.30 pm: Finale Highlight Concert at Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci in Naples

On Tuesday, June 22, at 7.30 pm the singers of QOV under the direction of Nathan J. Kreitzer are going to perform their finale highlight concert at Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci during their Italy Performance Tour with Incantato.

The Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci is one of the most beautiful baroque churches in Naples and was constructed by the convent of the Francescani Osservanti in 1581. The beautiful sculptures were built by Cosimo Fanzago (1591-1678), an Italian architect. The facade of the church is decorated with white and gray marble. Two lovely angels are greeting the visitors. They are the work of Fanzago as well. After an earthquake in 1980 the entire structure was restored. The Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci hosts by the way the grave of the Italian jurist Giuseppe de Gemmis (1734-1812).
Click here to go to the origin of the picture.

Buongiorno Debbie!

Ciao cara amica, Maureen asked me to tell you everyone says hello and misses you dearly! We are so happy you enjoy the blog and get a chance to "experience" Italy with Quire at least virtually. Arriverderci from Sandra

Quire of Voyces enchantes Amalfi: "You brought Heaven to us"

"Siete Bravi! Ma mamma mia che siete bravi!" - First fomal Quire concerto in Italia a great success

The Quire of Voyces took Maiori by storm. Their first highlight concert at the Church of San Francesco was a great success.
The singers from Santa Barbara, California under the direction of Nathan Kreitzer were warmly welcomed by already over 150 people, but the audience continued to grow and soon there was standing room only. Since there was non-stop opening and closing of the chuch gates, the Parish Priest, Don Domenico re-opened the doors and the locals just kept coming in. The audience loved the various selections from the Quire repertoire and in particular Michael Eglin's arrangement of the popular spiritual "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child!". The people of Maiori demanded not one but two encores. Minute-long applause and standing ovations were followed by an emotional speech and thank yous from Don Domenico who was so moved that he uttered: "Siete bravi! Mamma mia che siete bravi!"

QOV Venue on Sunday, June 20, at 9 pm: Basilica del Crocifisso in Amalfi

The Basilica del Crocifisso in Amalfi welcomes the Quire of Voyces on Sunday, June 20, at 9 pm. It is the most ancient basilica in Amalfi and goes back to the 9th century. The basilica is dedicated to the saints Cosma and Damiano. Inside you can find some beautiful ancient works like a marble coffin which has been containing the mortal remains of the archbishop Andrea de Palearea since 1449. The basilica is part of the Duomo with - as well - its Paradiso Cloister and the precious Carta d’Amalfi. The Duomo overlooks the Piazza Duomo, the heart of Amalfi. It dates back to the 11th century. On the picture you can see the Duomo.

Quire sings "Angele Dei" from Giuseppe di Bianco at St. Peter's Basilica

QOV Maiori June 19 Concert on Italian Facebook

"IL SUONO DELL'ESTASI" - QUIRE OF VOYCES Santa Barbara, California (USA)

Date:	Saturday, June 19, 2010
Time:	8:30pm - 9:30pm
Location:	19 Giugno, Maiori (Sa) - Chiesa di S.Francesco // 20 Giugno 2010 - Amalfi, Basilica del Crocifisso ore 20.30 // 22 Giugno 2010, Napoli, S.Maria degli Angeli alle Croci ore 19.30

Description

Per la prima volta in tour in Italia, i "Quire of voyces" (Santa Barbara, CAL, USA), fra i gruppi corali a cappella più accreditati a livello internazionale, propongono un raffinato excursus tra brani di polifonia vocale del '900. Ribattezzati dalla critica con l'appellativo "spirituality for the connoisseur" per la magistrale ricercatezza delle nuances timbriche, i Quire proporranno musiche di Franz Biebl, Rene Clausen, Knut Nystedt, e due première di Giuseppe Di Bianco e Michael Eglin.
___________________________________________________

OFFICIAL TOUR

GIOVEDI 17 GIUGNO, ore 17.00
Pantheon - Roma

VENERDI, 18 GIUGNO, ore 17.00
St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican City - Roma

SABATO, 19 GIUGNO, ore 20.30
Chiesa di San Francesco - Maiori

DOMENICA, 20 GIUGNO, ore 21.00
Basilica del Crocifisso - Amalfi

MARTEDI, 22 GIUGNO, ore 19.30
Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci - Napoli
___________________________________________________

PROGRAMMA


* Cry Out and Shout - Knut Nystedt

* Tu es Petrus - Robert Pearsall (1795–1856)

* Angele Dei - Giuseppe di Bianco [première]

* Magnificat - Rene Clausen

* Missa Maria- Michael Eglin

(Kyrie / Gloria /Ave Maria / Credo / Sanctus / Agnus Dei )

Temmo Korisheli, tenor — Nichole Dechaine, soprano

* Ave Maria - Franz Biebl (1906–2001)

Temmo Korisheli, James McNamara, tenor
Michael Bland, baritone

* The Little Family - Michael Eglin

* Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child - Michael Eglin
(Nichole Dechaine, soprano)
_________________________________________________________

I “Santa Barbara Quire di Voyces”, fondato nel 1993, sono uno dei gruppi corali più prestigiosi dello stato della California, USA, con un repertorio che spazia dalla letteratura corale sacra a cappella del Rinascimento fino a quella contemporanea. I “Quire di Voyces”
collaborano stabilmente con la “Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra” per l’
esecuzione di importanti capolavori del periodo barocco, dal "Requiem"
di Mozart alla "Massa in Si minore” di J.S.Bach; con la “Music Academy
of the West” e la “Camerata Pacifica”. I Quire of Voyces hanno effettuato tournèe internazionali di successo in America ed Europa, con importanti concerti tenuti in Inghilterra, (cattedrali di Salisbury, Canterbury e Saint James Picadilly di Londra), a Vienna, Praga e Budapest, Finlandia ed Estonia; sono stati invitati al celebre Festival medievale di Gotland, Visby (Svezia).

Hanno all’attivo sei incisioni di CD, oggetto di unanimi consensi da
parte della critica specializzata. Il ciclo di concerti italiani 2010,
nell’ambito della organizzazione InCantato tour, prevederà esibizioni
in Roma, presso la Cappella Sistina, la Basilica di S. Pietro in Vaticano ed il Pantheon, nonché a Napoli e in alcune importanti località della costa di Amalfi (Amalfi, Maiori).
L’ensemble, diretto da Nathan Kreitzer, conta circa trenta cantanti professionisti dalla Central Coast, e collabora con molti compositori contemporanei, tra cui Eric Whitacre, Stefano Paulus, Michael McGlynn, Steven Sametz, Carl Rütti, Giuseppe Di Bianco e Frank Ticheli, con frequenti premiers di nuovi brani appositamente selezionati.

Quire of Voyces performs at the Chiesa di San Francesco in Maiori on Saturday, June 19, at 8.30 pm

Incantato Tours proudly presents the QOV concert venue for Saturday, June 19: la Chiesa di San Francesco in Maiori.

The beautiful Chiesa di San Francesco was constructed in 1405. It is located between the convent and the Cove of the Announced one (Grotta dell'Annunziata) in Maiori. The church has a rough history: In 1435 it was destroyed by the army of Muhammad II (Turkey) and rebuilt one year later by Saint Bernardino from Siena. A sea storm hit the Chiesa di San Francesco hard in 1440. It was destroyed and in 1517 reconstructed on the oriental side of the convent. But the work was interrupted again by a Turkish invasion. In 1590 the construction was finally completed. Last but not least there were several constructive modifications after two seas storm in 1631 and 1674.

Click here to go the picture's origin.

Welcome to Maiori!

The Quire of Voyces spends Saturday (June 19) and Sunday (June 20) in Maiori. It is a town and commune on the Amalfi coast in the province of Salerno (Campania, Italy). It has been a popular tourist resort since Roman times, with the longest unbroken stretch of beach on the Amalfi coastline. The origins of the town are unclear but the original name of the town was Reghinna Maior, in contrast to the neighbouring town, Minori, Reghinna Minor. All places along the coast were formed by alternating conquerors - such as the Etruscans or the Romans. Between 830 and 840, the places of the coast united to form a confederation of Amalfi States. In this Amalfi Sea Republic, the places between Lettere and Tramonti and between Cetara and Positano, along with the island of Capri, were united; and their inhabitants were all called Amalfitaner. At that time, each city retained its own name and administrative autonomy, but had a specific role in this federation. Later it became part of the Principality of Salerno, and then of the Kingdom of Naples, of which it followed the history until the 19th century.

The Quire of Voyces performs at St. Peter's Basilica (Vatican City) on June 18 at 5 pm

Today, June 18, at 5 pm the singers of QOV under the direction of Nathan J. Kreitzer are going to perform at St. Peter's Basilica during their Italy Performance Tour with Incantato. Let's have a closer look at this venue:


The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, commonly known as St. Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church 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 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, the basilica 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. As a work of architecture, it is regarded as the greatest building of its age. Contrary to popular misconception, Saint Peter's is not a cathedral, as it is not the seat of a bishop. It is properly termed a papal basilica.

Quire of Voyces at Basilica San Pietro in Vatican City

Quire of Voyces performs at the Pantheon in Rome on June 17 at 5 pm

This is the first performance venue for the Quire of Voyces: The Pantheon in Rome. On June 17, at 5 pm they will have a recital in the ancient building.
The Pantheon was built by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD. A near-contemporary writer, Cassius Dio, speculates that the name comes from the statues of many gods placed around the building, or from the resemblance of the dome to the heavens. Since the French Revolution, when the church of Sainte-Geneviève, Paris, was deconsecrated and turned into a secular monument, the Panthéon, the generic term pantheon may be applied to any building in which illustrious dead are honored or buried. The building is circular with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment opening into the rotunda, under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus) to the sky. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. A rectangular structure links the portico with the rotunda. It is one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" but informally known as "Santa Maria Rotonda”.

Quire in the local press

From POSITANO NEWS:
10/06/2010
IL SUONO DELL´ESTASI: il tour italiano dei Santa Barbara

Sulla scia di una precedente esperienza maturata nell’estate 2008, anche per il 2010 InCantato, organizzazione americana leader negli scambi culturali di prestigiose compagini corali tra USA ed Europa, ha volutamente incluso la costiera amalfitana quale location di uno fra i concerti dell’“InCantato Summer tour”. Il progetto, realizzato con il patrocinio dei Comuni di Maiori ed Amalfi e la consulenza artistica di Sandra Weinacht per Incantato e il M° Giuseppe Di Bianco, affermato musicista e compositore della costa d’Amalfi, prevederà un ciclo di concerti dei Santa Barbara “Quire of Voyces”. I “Quire”, diretti da Nathan Kreitzer, sono unanimemente considerati una fra le compagini corali a cappella più prestigiose dello stato della California, USA, con tournèe internazionali di successo tenute tra America ed Europa (Inghilterra, Austria, Ungheria, Finlandia, Svezia ed Estonia). Il tour italiano, muovendo dalla capitale (con performance tra Pantheon, Cappella Sistina e S. Pietro in Vaticano), volgerà alla volta di Napoli e della costiera amalfitana, ove avrà possibilità di esibirsi sul territorio nostrano presso la Chiesa di S. Francesco in Maiori (19 Giugno, ore 20.30) e la Basilica del Crocifisso di Amalfi (20 Giugno, ore 20.30). Il programma sarà caratterizzato da un repertorio di spiritual e gospel afro-americani e composizioni moderne e contemporanee tra cui, in prima esecuzione assoluta per il tour italiano 2010, mottetti a cappella composti appositamente dal compositore americano Michael Eglin e una première dello stesso Di Bianco. I rapporti tra la città di Maiori, meta fissa prescelta dalle prestigiosi compagini corali americane, si sono ulteriormente rinsaldati grazie al sodalizio artistico maturato con Di Bianco, invitato nel 2008, in qualità di composer-in-residence, per un ciclo di concerti e seminari presso la North Carolina University di Chapel Hill. Il tour italiano dei “Quire of Voyces”, pertanto, si pone quale importante manifestazione volta a consolidare una proficua ricaduta turistica sul nostro territorio, all’insegna della cultura e della musica corale di altissima qualità, promuovendo positivamente oltreoceano l’immagine, il patrimonio di storia e tradizioni di Maiori e della costa d’Amalfi.

Quire of Voyces Italy Tour 2010 - Concert Overview

Thursday, June 17, 5 pm
Pantheon - Rome

Friday, June 18, 5 pm
St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican City

Saturday, June 19, 8:30 pm
Chiesa di San Francesco - Maiori

Sunday, June 20, 9:00 pm
Basilica del Crocifisso - Amalfi

Tuesday, June 22, 7:30 pm
Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci - Naples

QOV Venue on June 20 at 9 pm: Basilica del Crocifisso in Amalfi

The Basilica del Crocifisso in Amalfi welcomes the Quire of Voyces on June 20 at 9 pm. It is the most ancient basilica in Amalfi and goes back to the 9th century. The basilica is dedicated to the saints Cosma and Damiano. Inside you can find some beautiful ancient works like a marble coffin which has been containing the mortal remains of the archbishop Andrea de Palearea since 1449. For more information, please click here (website in Italian).

Venue Confirmed: Tuesday, June 22, at 7.30 pm Quire of Voyces sings at the Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci in Naples

Tuesday, June 22, at 7.30 pm the singers of QOV under the direction of Nathan J. Kreitzer are going to perform at the Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci during their Italy Performance Tour with Incantato.

The Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci is one of the most beautiful baroque churches in Naples and was constructed by the convent of the Francescani Osservanti in 1581. The beautiful sculptures were built by Cosimo Fanzago (1591-1678), an Italian architect. The facade of the church is decorated with white and gray marble. Two lovely angels are greeting the visitors. They are the work of Fanzago as well. After an earthquake in 1980 the entire structure was restored. The Chiesa di S. Maria degli Angeli alle Croci hosts by the way the grave of the Italian jurist Giuseppe de Gemmis (1734-1812).
Click here to go to the origin of the picture.

Quire Recital at the Pantheon confirmed

With more information to come soon, we just wanted to share that the Quire of Voyces has been granted permission for a 25 minute recital at the Pantheon on June 17, 2010.
Arriverderci from Germany, Sandra & Team