Monday, November 23, 2009

Incantato Concert Venue: Farm Street Church of the Immaculate Conception


The Cornelia Connelly Ensembles will commence their England and Ireland 2010 Performance Tour with a performance at the Farm Street Church of the Immaculate Conception as the featured guest choir for High Mass on Sunday, June 27. The celebration is followed by a concert.

This is a historic church that is an active center of Catholicism in the heart of London. For over a hundred and fifty year, Farm Street Church has held its reputation for spiritual and intellectual vigor, and many have regularly travelled quite a distance to worship and to seek the advice of the succeeding generations of priests who have served here.

There has been a strong musical tradition at Farm Street Church for well over a hundred years. Then the choir consisted of men, and boys drawn from local Roman Catholic schools. The period after the First World War saw the music reach a pinnacle of achievement, when the choir was under the direction of Fr John Driscoll SJ, later succeeded by Fernand Laloux. At this time the organist was Guy Weitz, a Belgian, who had been a pupil of Widor and Guilmant. Weitz was one of the finest organists, and organ composers, of his generation, and Farm Street Church has long been associated with excellence in organ playing. Weitz's most famous student, Nicholas Danby (1935 - 1997) suceeded him as organist in 1967. Danby's main achievement at Farm Street was re-establishing the choir in the early 1970s, follwing a period of change in the late 1960s, as a fully professional ensemble.

From the early 1920s until the 1960s the repertoire consisted of sixteenth century polyphony, as well as a wide variety of modern and contemporary music, much of this collected by Fr Driscoll. He was particularly skilful in setting religious texts to already existing music. Some of this unique repertoire is still heard at the liturgies in Farm Street.

Today, in the twenty-first century, the repertoire is still very varied and ranges from sixteenth-century Polyphony, the Viennese Classical composers, nineteenth century Romanics as well as a wide variety of twentieth century and contemporary music. Gregorian Chant also plays and important role in the worship.





Friday, November 13, 2009

Incantato Destinations: Straford-upon-Avon, England

Incantato Venue: Warwick Castle, England

Warwick Castle is a medieval castle in Warwick, England. It sits on a cliff overlooking a bend in the River Avon. Warwick Castle was built by William the Conquerer in 1068.

While here, you will be able to take a look around the grand interiors of the castle, as well as enjoy a tour of the beautiful Victorian Rose Garden or the Peacock Garden. You can even witness the world’s largest siege machine, try armed combat with the Warwick Warriors, or learn the skills of an archer.

Incantato Insider Ireland: "The Church" Restaurant in Dublin

A must-stop when visiting Dublin, the capital city of Ireland is the former place of workship, now stunning restaurant fittingly named "The Church".

Sunday, November 1, 2009

History of St. Patrick's Cathedral

Saint Patrick is said to have passed through Dublin on his journey through Ireland. He is reputed to have baptised converts from paganism to Christianity in a well close to where the cathedral now stands. To commemorate his visit a small wooden church was built on the site, one of the four Celtic parish churches in Dublin. In 1191 John Comyn, the first Anglo-Norman archbishop of Dublin, raised this ancient church of Saint Patrick ad insula to the status of a cathedral. The present building, the largest church in the country, was erected between 1200 and 1270. Over the centuries as the elements, religious reformation, and persecution took their toll, the cathedral fell into disrepair, despite many attempts to restore it. Between 1860 and 1900 a full-scale restoration was carried out by the Guinness family.
The cathedral stands majestically as a memorial to our historic past. But it stands for much more. A historic cathedral such as this lifts us out of the realm of things and circumstances which change into the realm of things which are eternal and do not change. It gives us a sense of perspective both in space and time and it brings us face-to-face with our faith in God through Christ, who alone can give our lives true meaning and lasting satisfaction.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Priory School

Interesting information on Priory School, Edgbaston.


Established in Edgbaston in 1936 as one of Convent schools by the order of Society of the Holy Child Jesus, the school changed its name in 2001 to Priory School. In 1986, SHCJ ceased in managing the school, but continues to have close contact with the school's future.2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Cornelia Connelly, the founder of the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus who opened our school on its present site in 1936. To honor Cornelia Connelly, they will hold a grand picnic, just like the one's Cornelia herself would love to have with her students. This is a time honored tradition that not only Priory School keeps, but all schools in her memory.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Incantato Venue: Saint Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland


Welcome to Saint Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, the church which serves as the Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin. Saint Mary’s was constituted in 1825 from Saint Mary’s Chapel Liffey Street, whose pre-Reformation monastic antecedent was the great Benedictine, and later Cistercian Abbey of Saint Mary’s founded in the twelfth century. The present church is built on a site which was part of the ancient monastic foundation. The church was dedicated on 14th November 1825, the Feast of Saint Laurence O’Toole, Patron Saint of the Archdiocese of Dublin under the patronage of the ‘Conception of the Virgin.’

Friday, October 9, 2009

St. Leonard's-Mayfield School

Below is some information on St. Leonard's Mayfield School.

 In 1863, on the 26th of May, Mother Cornelia Connelly who found the Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ) in 1846 would take a group of girls to picnic from the Holy Child school to St. Leonard's-on-Sea to the ruins of the Old Palace of Mayfield. The peacefulness of the countryside and ruins left their mark on Cornelia. Within in weeks the Duchess of Leads purchased the estate and presented it to the religious order. On the 18th of November, 1863 the first mass was said there since the mid-16th Century. They would subsequently being renovations in 1864 on the Old Palace and the ruins of the 14th century hall would be transformed into a church, this only took 14 months. The school started by teaching orphans and it was not until 1872 when the first group of girls was brought over from St. Leonard's to start their academics. It was not until 1953, when St. Leonard's-on-Sea and Mayfield school merged to be St. Leonard's Mayfield. Students remained at St Leonard's up to the age of 13 and then transferred to Mayfield to continue their education to 18. In 1975 the junior school at St Leonard's closed and Mayfield became the school it is today, educating girls from 11 to 18. The links with Holy Child, however, remain strong: three members of the Governing body are nuns and three nuns live in the school grounds, supporting the pastoral work of the Chaplaincy and boarding houses.
There are currently in the region of 425 pupils on roll, organised into Lower School (Years 7 and 8), Middle School (Years 9, 10 and 11) and Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13). The majority of pupils come from homes within a 50km radius of Mayfield, but a number come from further afield, and not only from within Britain: the school has a vibrant international community with girls drawn from Spain, Mexico, Venezuela, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Nigeria and elsewhere.

Group Flight Schedule with American Airlines

Please find below the flight schedule for the air-land package with 70 confirmed seats on American Airlines and their codeshare partner.


Departure to Europe
Friday, June 25, 2010
American Airlines Flight AA 136 departes LAX to LHR (London-Heathrow) at 7:50 PM for an overnight non-stop journey that arrives at 2:15 PM on June 26, 2010


Return to the US

Monday, July 6, 2010

American Airlines Flight AA 93 departes DUB (Dublin) to ORD (Chicago) at 10:35 AM for an non-stop journey to the US that arrives at 12:40 PM and continue on AA 455 at 3:10 PM to LAX with arrival at 5:30 PM.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Intriguing Isles - About the 2010 Cornelia Connelly Performance Tour with Incantato

INTRIGUING ISLES
ENGLAND & IRELAND



A special journey in honor of Cornelia Connelly
starting in London, with excursions to Stratford-upon-Avon, Cambridge, Edgbaston, via the counties of Sussex & Kent to Mayfield, concluding in Dublin and with a sidetrip to Killiney 



Highlights of the Cornelia Connelly 2010 Incantato Performance Tour
•    A series of up to five professionally organized and promoted formal Concerts, High Masses & Recitals in magnificent venues just for your choir
•    Educational and entertaining sightseeing
•    Plenty of opportunities for immersion into local cultures
•    Cultural exchanges with local students/musicians as you travel in honor of Cornelia Connelly
•    Entrances to many sights
•    Nice hotels in safe and student-friendly locations

Your Concert-Venues

•    St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral  —LONDON
•    Prior School —EDGBASTON
•    Kings’ College Chapel, Sussex College  —CAMBRIDGE
•    Medieval Chapel —MAYFIELD
•    St. Patrick’s Cathedral, St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral (Girls Choir), US Embassy —DUBLIN
•    Cornelia Connelly Hall  —KILLINEY
The above listed venues have been carefully selected by Incantato‘s Concert Managers and will be requested for your choir and travel dates. Final confirmation is based on submission of repertoire and recording as well as final approval by the local music directors.

Accommodation & Meals

Incantato‘s Hospitality Managers take pride in working only with pre-inspected hotels that fit your budget and selected restaurants frequented by locals. We encourage you to stay and eat in locally owned properties for a true immersion into the cultures. English and Irish breakfasts along with dinners are included daily, plus a special farewell party.