Mater Dei High School concert venue in Venice, Italy - San Rocco Church

Incantato Concert Tours is proud to be with the Mater Dei High School Choir in Venice, on April 26th, where they will perform in San Rocco Church at 6pm. The church is well known for tourists to come and see the great works of Tintoretto (also known as, Jacopo Robusti, an influential Venetian painter from the late 1500's). 

The church of San Rocco was built between 1489 and 1508 by Bartolomeo Bon, who had also built the churches Campanile in 1494. During the Middle Ages, a Plague had completely spread through the city of Venice and it's lagoons. There are four churches within Venice that are recognized as the four great plague churches (San Rocco being one of them). They display the famous works from artists that concentrate on the stories and the impact that the plague had on it's people and the Saints that had been involved in that time period. 

What makes this church stand out from some of the others, is how well preserved the art is by Tintoretto and it being in it's original places. Once inside the church, you will see there is a plague picture over the first altar on the right (done by the artist named Rizzi), which is representing a late plague patron, Saint Francis of Paola, trying to revive a dead child. In the choir, High Altar, there is a figure of Saint Rocco himself, baring his leg to show the plague spot to which he had. The masterpieces inside done by Tintoretto have often been described as the "Sistine Chapel" of Venice. Pay close attention to the art work on the walls, the ceilings and you will notice how every part was made so conscientiously by the painter. 


6pm april 26th

MDHS is the Featured Guest Choir for Mass at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy

On Friday, April 25, 2014 Mater Dei Catholic HS is going to be the featured guest choir for the evening mass at the St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy. This is not just a special day for the MDHS Choir and its family and friends but also for Venetians.

Did you know that every year on April 25 Venetians celebrate Festa di San Marco (St. Mark's Day)? The festival is traditionally held in Venice and celebrates its patron saint St. Mark.

On this day, Venetian men traditionally give a single rosebud to the women they love. This is why the celebration is also know as Festa Del Boccolo (the rosebud festival).
According to a legend, the tradition originated in the 8th century, when a man of low social standing is said to have fallen in love with a noble woman from Venice. In order to win her father's approval and gain his respect, he became a soldier and got involved in the war against the Arabians in Spain. Unfortunately he was mortally wounded in battle, but managed to pluck a rose from a nearby rosebush for his loved one. A companion was entrusted with returning the blood-stained rose to his lover. He reached Venice the day before St. Mark's Day, and gave the flower to the lady. The morning after she was found dead herself with the rose on her heart, and since that Venetian lovers use the rose bud as a sign for their undying love.

MDHS Incantato Concert venue in Venice: Church of San Stae

The church in central Venice called San Stae is said to have been founded in 966 and dedicated to San Eustachio. The church's name is an abbreviation for San Eustachio, who becomes San Stae in Venetian dialect. 

The first written reference to the church dates back to 1290. The original church, which was side-on to the Grand Canal was demolished in 1678 and the current church was built by Giovanni Grassi, who realigned it to face the Grand Canal. The façade of 1709 is by Domenico Rossi, whose design was the winner amongst twelve designs submitted in competition. It was paid for by a legacy in the will of Doge Alvise Mecenigo and features the work of seven sculptors, the statues being of various virtues, saints and angels. 

The church was restored recently by the Swiss Pro-Venezia Committee and is a bit of a who's who of 18th century Venetian painters. The paintings inside the church include "The Martyrdom" of Saint Bartholomew, which is pretty famous, not just for being a highlight of the "Glory of Venice" exhibition at the Royal Academy in London in 1994. 

Mater Dei HS Chorus presents Haydn's Paukenmesse in Rome

"I know how special this is" - A live report from the Mater Dei HS Chorus concert in Todi

By Molly Freedenberg
After a week of performing in beautiful churches and cathedrals, the Mater Dei HS Chorus had the experience of performing in a beautiful secular venue on Thursday night in the Umbrian hill town Todi as part of their 2011 Incantato Tour. The singers under the direction of Scott Melvin performed at the charming Teatro Communale, a 19th-century public theater with a sloped stage, red velvet seats, four tiers of tapestry-accented theater boxes, and a gorgeous ceiling featuring a glittering chandelier and frescoes of cupids dedicated to famous philosophers like Machiavelli, Aristotle, and Socrates.
The special venue meant that the students could experience how to adjust their voices for different acoustics, since theater acoustics tend to be more dry than a church's live, resonant sound. And because the theater had access to a piano (unlike many Italian churches, who forego pianos for organs or other instruments because cold weather makes pianos expensive and time-consuming to maintain), the students also were able to include songs with piano accompaniment, much to their (and pianist Kent Helwig's) delight.

Though gorgeous, the Teatro Communale stage was small for a group of 140, but Scott Melvin made magic with his carefully planned "human tetris," beginning with the hand bell choir entering the theater from the back and playing several pieces at the front of the stage, followed by a rotating combination of singers (just girls, just boys, just Chamber Choir) positioning themselves at different parts of the stage, and concluding with singers surrounding the audience and filling the aisles for an inspired concert-in-the-round experience. Highlights of the night's program included a lively, unusual African piece performed by the men that had even the two grey-habited nuns in the audience bobbing their heads; the Chamber Singers' rendition of "Battle of Jericho," including a gorgeous soprano solo; and "Set me as a Seal" hich director Scott dedicated to his "dear sweet wife and little girls," who watched the show lovingly from a theater box on the second floor. Another show-stopper for audience and performers was the finale, "My God is a Rock," which Kirina S. says always "feels very communal."
The small but appreciative crowd gave the performers a standing ovation, and many of the parents on the tour presented their children with roses and chocolates they'd purchased earlier in town. All were smiling as they took pictures in the gorgeous theater before packing up the buses and heading towards dinner, sleep, and another exciting day on Italy tour that started on March 24. But many of the parents' smiles were bittersweet.
"Kirina is graduating this year," said Chamber singer's mom Karen. When speaking about getting to spend this time touring Italy with her daughter and sharing the choir experience, she teared up. "I know how special this is."

Rome concert a success for the Mater Dei High School Chorus - Enriching performance of Haydn's Paukenmesse at gorgeous Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo al Celio

The Mater Dei High School Chorus presented Haydn's Paukenmesse on Friday, April 1, 2011 at 8:30 PM at the Basilica de Santi Giovanni e Paolo al Celio to an audience of almost 500 comprised of family and friends, but also many local friends of choral music."I am so proud of our students", commented Patrick Director from MDHS and Assistant Principal Anna-Lisa George could only agree. Audience and performers alike were moved, many of the parents had tears in their eyes as they listened to the 140 singers from Santa Ana, California present this master work with professional orchestra. And what better Roman venue than the lovely church perched high upon a hill near the Coliseum.

The Basilica de Santi Giovanni e Paolo was commissioned in the year 398 by Senator Pammachius and named in honor of two martyred Roman officers, John and Paul, who were executed under the reign of Julian the Apostate. Located on the Celian Hill section of Rome, the basilica rests atop the ruins of the house in which the officers were killed. Recent excavation revealed the remains of the ancient Roman house beneath the church.

The Basilica de Santi Giovanni e Paolo currently serves as the official home of the Passionists. Two of the church’s previous Cardinal Priests went on to reign as Pope—Pope Honorius III and Pope Pius XII.

The current building was constructed in the 12^th century. The interior is adorned with Rome’s best-preserved wall paintings, including Cristoforo Roncalli’s Redeemer in Glory, painted in 1588. The combination of the sanctuary’s steep rounded apse and the 16^th century coffered ceilings offer performers a full and pleasantly natural musical sound.

Photos courtesy of Photopedia.

Mater Dei HS Chorus sings at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City today at 5 pm

All 140 singers of the Mater Dei High School Chorus will be the featured choir for  mass at Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City at 5 pm on Friday April 1, 2011 - the Chamber Choir will sing at the same time on Saturday, April 2.
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.

Incantato Video: Mater Dei High School Chorus sings for the Pope

Mater Dei High School Chorus perform at Teatro Comunale in Todi at 7 PM on Thursday, March 31

The Mater Dei High School Chorus directed by Mr. Scott Melvin performs at Il Teatro Comunale in Todi at 7 PM on Thursday, March 31, 2011. Todi’s Il Teatro Comunale, or Community Theater, is considered one of the most beautiful theaters in the entire Umbrian region.
Designed by architect Carlo Gatteschi and completed in 1872, the theater opened in 1876 with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Un ballo in maschera".
The auditorium boasts the traditional Italian horse-shoe design. The interior details were designed by Annibale Brugnoli, decorator of the Rome Opera House. Brugnoli adorned the stage with a vast curtain fresco depicting Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto’s 1531 visit to Todi. The theater, located near the center of town just off the Piazza del Popolo, accommodates up to 500 spectators. Today's invitees include students from the local music school, the residents of Todi and the surrounding villages. 

Recording from the Mater Dei HS Chorus Paukenmesse Concert in Amalfi now on Youtube

Incantato performance venue for the Mater Dei High School Chorus: Recital at Montecassino Abbey

The Mater Dei High School Chorus, in addition to touring the site, presented a recital at the Montecassino Abbey on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 after bidding farewell to the Amalfi Coast.

Monte Cassino is a rocky mountain approximately 80 miles southeast of Rome. Saint Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery here, the source and foundation of the Benedictine Order, in 529. The monastery stands as one of the few territorial abbeys remaining within the Catholic Church.

According the Gregory the Great’s biography of Saint Benedict, the monastery was constructed on an older pagan sight, a temple of Apollo that originally crowned the hill. The biography claims that Benedict’s first act was to smash the sculpture of Apollo and destroy the pagan altar. He then reused the temple, dedicating it to Saint Martin, and built a new chapel which he dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Once established at Monte Cassino, Benedict never left. There he penned the Benedictine Rule which ultimately became the founding principle of western monasticism. Monte Cassino became the model for future Benedictine developments throughout the world.

Unfortunately the Abbey has fallen target to numerous military insurgencies throughout the years, including the infamous 1944 Battle of Monte Cassino. On February 15, 1944, the Abbey was almost completely destroyed by Allied air-raids after being mistakenly identified as a German stronghold. In fact, the Abbey was being used as a refuge for women and children attempting to shield themselves from the war. The Abbey was rebuilt after the war, financed by the Italian State, and was reconsecrated by Pope Paul VI in 1964.

Mater Dei High School Chorus sings on the steps of the Amalfi Duomo

Day 4 of the Mater Dei HS Chorus Italy Tour - Pictures from Maiori

Incantato performance venue for Mater Dei High School Chorus: Duomo di Amalfi - Sunday, March 27 at 7:30 PM

After receiving standing ovations for the first concert of their 2011 Italy Performance Tour and Pilgrimage, the Mater Dei High School Chorus performs Haydn's Paukenmesse with organ accompaniment on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 7:30 PM in the Duomo di Amalfi. The 140 singers under the direction of Mr. Scott Melvin are teaming up with local musician and composer Giuseppe di Bianco to present the master work also known as "Missa in tempore belli". In addition to the chorus, the Mater Dei HS handbell ensemble will be performing on Sunday evening in the majestic cathedral. 

The Amalfi Duomo, located on the Amalfi Coast on the Gulf of Salerno, is recognized for its significant art and architecture and played an important role in the decision to designate the Amalfi Coast as an official UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The town and its cathedral rest approximately twenty miles south of Naples. The Duomo, also known as the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, was originally constructed in the twelfth century, dramatically situated at the top of a steep flight of stairs overlooking the sea.

The first structure initially built on this site in AD 596 was replaced by a new church in the ninth century which now serves as a museum. The present Duomo di Amalfi was built in the early thirteenth century directly next door to the previously existing building for the purpose of providing an appropriately grand final resting place for the relics of Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Amalfi, Russia, and Scotland.

Saint Andrew served as one of the first apostles, spreading the Christian gospel throughout Greece prior to his ultimate execution. His remains were transferred from Greece to Constantinople (present day Istanbul) in 357 during the Byzantine Empire. During the Fourth Crusade the relics were moved again to the Amalfi Cathedral where they can still be viewed in the Chapel of the Relics.

Although minor remodeling has occurred on the Duomo throughout the years, primarily during the Baroque period, the majority of the structure has been restored to its original form, revealing intricate medieval frescoes.

Photos courtesy of sacred-destinations.com

Mater Dei High School Chorus performs at San Francesco Church (Maiori): Sunday, March 27, at 11 AM

The Mater Dei High School Chamber Choir, under the direction of Mr. Scott Melvin, will sing mass at San Francesco Church (Chiesa di San Francesco) in Maiori on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 11 AM.

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. The church is famed world-wide for the miracle of the springing water in the convent. Please click here to go the picture's origin.

Full House for the Mater Dei High School Chorus at Santa Maria a Mare a Maiori

Incantato proudly presents the Mater Dei High School Chorus at Santa Maria a Mare in Maiori on Saturday, March 26 at 7:00 PM

On Saturday, March 26 at 7:00 PM the Mater Dei High School Chorus performs at Chiesa di Santa Maria a Mare in Maiori. Maiori 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 patron saint of the city is Santa Maria a Mare and the saint day is August 15.

Santa Maria al Mare, Maiori: Aint Got Time to Die by the CSULB ChamberChoir

Quire of Voyces 2010 Italy Tour: "Angele Dei" by Giuseppe di Bianco in Maiori

Quire of Voyces Italy Tour 2010: Biebl "Ave Maria" in Maiori