Sistine Chapel Choir
Tuesday Sept. 26 | 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: SOLD OUT
Sacred Music Concert
Also featuring the voices of St. Michael’s Choir School
This September, the Sistine Chapel Choir will make a historic trip to North America. Commonly referred to as the “Pope’s Choir,” this highly-accomplished group of 30 boys and 22 men sing for the Holy Father’s liturgies. The Sistine Chapel Choir is considered the most prominent and oldest choir in the world, dating back to the 7th Century.
Founder’s Day Concert
Friday Oct. 13 | 7:00 p.m.
General Seating
“With Glowing Hearts”
150 Years of Canadian Sacred Music
The Choirs of St. Michael’s Choir School
Maria Conkey, Teri Dunn, Peter Mahon – conductors
William O’Meara – organ
The annual Founder’s Day Concert honours the memory of Monsignor John Edward Ronan, who founded St. Michael’s Choir School in 1937. In this sesquicentennial anniversary of Confederation, the 280 choristers of SMCS present a special program of Canadian sacred music from the mid-19th century to the present.
Duo Voce Humana
Tuesday Oct. 24 | 7:00 p.m.
General Seating
Franck Besingrand – organ
Marie-Noëlle Cros – soprano
From France, Duo Voce Humana performs music for organ and voice by César Franck, Louis Vierne, Charles-Marie Widor, and Saint-Saens, interspersed with solo works for organ.
Franck Besingrand has performed throughout Europe and is distinguished as a composer and author, most recently with a biography of French organist & composer Louis Vierne.
Marie-Noëlle Cros performs throughout Europe in oratorio, opera and contemporary music. Her discography includes works by Vivaldi, Handel, Dvorak and Honneger.
Organ Spectacular
Friday Nov. 24 | 7:00 p.m.
General Seating
John Paul Farahat | Paul Jenkins | Christopher Ku | William O’Meara | Manuel Piazza
Casavant Opus 3907, 56 stops/76 ranks gets a workout at the hands and feet of the five organists of St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica. Each will perform one of the world’s favourite organ showpieces, along with a quieter selection, demonstrating the huge range of expression of Toronto’s newest pipe organ.
Toccata & Fugue in D minor – J.S. Bach
Toccata (Symphony V) – Charles-Marie Widor
Carillon de Westminster – Louis Vierne
Finale (Symphony I) – Louis Vierne
Toccata (Suite Gothique) – Leon Boëllman
Advent Lessons & Carols
Sunday Dec. 17 | 3:00 p.m.
General Seating
Lessons and Carols is a service of Christian worship celebrating the coming birth of Jesus at Christmas. It tells the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus in short readings of scripture and in sacred song. St. Michael’s Choir School will provide the hymns and choir music. This event will also mark the closing of the 175th Anniversary of the Archdiocese of Toronto.
Vesuvius Ensemble
Tuesday Feb. 27 | 7:00 p.m.
General Seating
“PASSIO” – THE MATER DOLOROSA IN POPULAR TRADITION
Francesco Pellegrino – tenor, chitarra battente
Marco Cera – mandolin, ciaramella
Lucas Harris – lute, theorbo, baroque guitar
Vesuvius Ensemble will transport you to Southern Italy circa 1600 in a program of traditional folk music about the Sorrowful Mother. Anguished melodies mix with settings of the Stabat mater and other texts in a meditation on the mystery which has inspired so much passion and faith.
Messiah (Part II & III)
Saturday Apr. 14 | 7:30 p.m.
General Seating
Cathedral Schola Cantorum
Men & Boys
Baroque Orchestra
Peter Mahon – conductor
Meredith Hall – soprano | Richard Whitall – alto
Simon Honeyman – alto | Michael Colvin – tenor
Joel Allison – bass
George Frideric Handel’s beloved oratorio, Messiah, was premiered in Dublin on April 13, 1742, by the men and boy choristers of St. Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedrals. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear Messiah performed with a chorus of men and boys’ voices. Part I featured in the SMCS Christmas concert. Parts II & III relate the Passion and Resurrection story and the promise of eternal life.
Peace Be Within
SMCS Spring Concert
Friday May 11 | 7:00 p.m.
General Seating
The Choirs of St. Michael’s Choir School
Maria Conkey, Teri Dunn, Peter Mahon – conductors
William O’Meara – organ
With the school year drawing to a close, the choirs of St. Michael’s Choir School present their final concert. The program will highlight repertoire from the past year and some choral gems performed during their Spring Tour.
The Glory of Chant
Friday June 15 | 7:00 p.m.
General Seating
William O’Meara – organ
Cathedral Schola Cantorum
A devout Catholic immersed in the ancient chants of the church, Charles Tournemire (1870-1939) transformed some of these chants into vast tone-poems for organ, improvised and recorded at the Basilique Ste-Clotilde in Paris in 1930. Transcribed from the phonograph recordings by Maurice Duruflé and later by Rupert Gough, they have since become a staple of the organ repertoire.
The Cathedral Schola Cantorum will sing the chants that inspired Tournemire’s improvisations.