Choir to perform Ireland tour repertoire

The Episcopal Church's Transfiguration Choir is only a month away from its choral tour of Ireland, and the choir plans to serenade Sisters in a "dress rehearsal" of the musical selections to be performed on tour. Concertgoers will be offered a choice of free afternoon or evening performances on Saturday, May 21.

Two years ago, the Transfiguration Choir conducted a European tour with performances at nine venues in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria. That trip was such a success that the choir will soon be headed back across the Atlantic for a 10-day tour of Ireland. The choir has been rehearsing for the performances since last summer.

The concert tour to Ireland will include a performance at Kylemore Abbey and a concert in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. St. Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny will host the choir as part of their morning worship service. That beautiful Gothic cathedral was built in the 13th century and has been a site of Christian worship since the 6th century. The choir will also join with Irish choirs in Killarney and Dingle for two special "friendship concerts."

The choral performances offer an interesting range of selections, including spirituals, classical music, contemporary works, traditional Irish folk songs, and even a Russian rendition of "Ave Maria," by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Another of the selections was originally written in German by Franz Joseph Haydn in 1798. One song sure to please is from a poem written in 1805 by Irish poet Thomas Moore; "The Last Rose of Summer" is a melancholic and metaphoric reflection on a life that has outlived those of its contemporaries.

One selection, "Be Thou My Vision," is a very familiar traditional hymn that dates all the way back to the eighth century. What is not so frequently heard, however, is the unusual arrangement and the four-part harmony produced by the two dozen members of the Transfiguration Choir.

Joining the choir for Saturday's performances and the Ireland tour will be Washington D.C. concert violinist Danae Engelbrecht, who will be featured on select choral songs and as a soloist.

Both concerts will be presented at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, 68825 Brooks Camp Rd., just east of Sisters Middle School. The performances will be at 3 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 and are free to the public. The Transfiguration Choir is directed by Stephanie King.