2012 St Patrick’s Cathedral group photo (taken at St Nicholas Collegiate Church, Galway)

  • 2012 Itinerary

    Ireland St Patricks 2012

     St. Patrick's Catheral, Dublin, Ireland

    We are at the very early stages of deciding on the itinerary, so details will be subject to adjustment as plans are confirmed.  So, consider this an early draft.

    We leave Ottawa on Saturday, Aug 4 and fly to Dublin, most likely via Toronto.  On arrival Sunday morning Aug 5 we drive to Galway on the west coast of Ireland, where we will stay for five nights.  We expect to stay in student accommodation at the National University of Ireland Apartments on the edge of the city.

    Galway is a small city but is the capital of the Gaelic West and has a long history.  It is the only coastal city in Ireland that really seems to open up to the sea, with its docks hard by the compact city centre.  While at Galway we shall do some fairly intensive rehearsing, but there will be time to explore the area, and we may be able to sing a service at The Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas, the largest medieval parish church in Ireland. 

    Galway’s surroundings offer wild landscapes and thriving traditions, including the beautiful region of Connemara to the north west, and medieval churches and castles to the southward.  Offshore are the rocky Aran Islands.  We will probably have one of our “Mystery Tours” during one of our days at Galway (people can sign up for a day adventure that unfolds one surprise site after another).

    On Friday we will drive from Galway to Belfast in Northern Ireland, taking a leisurely route with plenty of sightseeing on the way.  Belfast city centre has grandiose architecture and magnificent Victorian pubs.  There are also some great places within easy reach to visit in the surrounding countryside, and we are hoping to organize a tour to take in at least the spectacular Antrim Coast Road and the Giant’s Causeway (as it happens, the Bushmills Distillery is quite close by as well).

    We expect to stay in university accommodation belonging to Queen’s University, and will be seeking to sing a Choral Eucharist on Sunday Aug 12 at the Anglican Cathedral Church of St. Anne’s.

    We will leave Belfast on Monday morning Aug 13 for an easy run to Dublin, arriving before lunchtime.  We are booked to sing a week of services at St. Patrick’s Cathedral starting on Monday.  Accommodation is likely to be at King’s Hospital School or the Church of Ireland Theological Institute both of which are on the edge of the city accessible by public transit.  Dublin is of course a lively city, and very walkable, with much to see, including notable Georgian houses, the Book of Kells at Trinity College, the site of the first performance of Handel’s Messiah, and the Guinness brewery.

     

  • 2012 Music

    Composer
    Title / notes
       RESPONSES
    Ayleward
     
    Darke
    For S and A only
    Rutter
    For T and B only
    -We have originals; please return photocopies
    Spicer
     
        CANTICLES
    Archer
    Four Cathedrals Service (for S and A only)
    Howells
    Service for Ernest Bullock (for T and B only)
    -We have originals; please return photocopies
    Larkin
    St. Mary’s Service
    -Okay to use photocopies
    Sumsion
    In A major
    Tomkins
    Fifth Service
    -Okay to use photocopies
    Walmisley
    In D minor
        ANTHEMS/MOTETS
    Byrd
    Laetentur Coeli
    -Okay to use photocopies
    Fauré
    Cantique de Jean Racine
    -Okay to use photocopies
    Harris
    Faire is the Heaven
    -Okay to use photocopies
    Lauridsen
    O Nata Lux
    Lotti
    Crucifixus a 8
    -We have originals; please return photocopies
    Philips
    Surgens Jesus Dominus Noster (for T and B only)
    -Okay to use photocopies
    Verdi
    Laudi alla Vergine Maria (for S and A only)
    -Okay to use photocopies
        MASS SETTING
     
    Byrd
    4-part
        OTHER
    Daley
    The Lake Isle of Innisfree (for S and A only)
    Rutter
    God be in my Head
    -Originals are on order; please return photocopies

     

  • 2012 Travel

    Air Arrangements

     As noted in the "Money Matters" document, a traveler who is registering for the trip has choice of paying for "Land-Only" arrangements through the Organizing Team, or of taking the "full package" which includes airline arrangements.

    However, please note that the Organizing Team's willingness to make air arrangements is restricted to those travelers whose travel plans qualify as part of the "group booking", which provides a number of benefits (e.g. late payment and ticketing, small discounts, and sometimes a free seat or two, the benefit of which is spread across the group). Generally, to qualify as part of the group booking, you will need to travel with the main group for the flight over on August 4/5, and you must return either with the main group on August 20th, or within seven days thereafter from the same airport.

    For any other travel variations (including travel using airline points), it only complicates matters to involve the Team as a "middle man" as the arrangements are sorted out, and so it will be easiest for you and all involved if you make your own travel arrangements and select the "land-only" package from the Chorale. (Please note that if you do make your own travel arrangements, you are also expected to arrange for your own trip cancellation and medical insurance.)

    A few final points:

    ·      Individual travelers always have the option of making their own travel arrangements if they are think that they can obtain a better deal than our group booking. We acknowledge that this is sometimes possible, as the Organizers are obliged to make bookings which are in the best interests of the group as a whole, and individuals may sometimes be able to save a little if they are willing to fly on a charter airline, for example, or take chances that a better seat sale price will become available closer to the time of the trip.

    ·      Even if you are making your own flight arrangements, you may nonetheless wish to deal independently with the same travel agent who will be making the group arrangements for the Organizing Team. This will allow the travel agent to coordinate your flights with the Chorale's plans where that would be of benefit. Please contact Signi Damus of the Organizing Team if you would like to be put in touch with our travel agent.

    ·      Although the tour organizers will typically keep all members informed of changes to the group flight routes or times, they cannot be responsible if these occur in such a way that make your alternative arrangements less convenient. This is a risk that you assume when you decide to make your own arrangements.

    ·      Travelers who would like to spend significant extra time in the UK or Europe are respectfully asked, where possible, to achieve this by staying on after the trip, rather than by leaving Ottawa early to do the same before the trip. We typically schedule our final rehearsals for the final weekends before the trip, and it would of course be best if all singers were available for those.

    ·      For those who do elect to make their flight arrangements through the Chorale, we will be asking in the summer or early fall for the information which will be necessary for booking purposes. As airfares have become increasingly volatile in recent years, we want to make sure that we have all of the necessary information on hand so that we can make a group booking on very short notice should that become necessary.

     

  • 2012 Services

    Wednesday, August 8 – Evensong - Galway:

    Responses: Spicer

    Canticles: Larkin (St. Mary’s Service)

    Anthem: O Nata Lux (Lauridsen)

     

    Sunday, August 12 – Morning Eucharist - Belfast:

    Introit: God Be In My Head (Rutter)

    Communion Setting: Byrd – Mass for Four Voices

    Motet: Crucifixus a 8 (Lotti)

     

    Monday, August 13 – Evensong - St. Patrick’s, Dublin:

    Responses: Ayleward

    Psalm: 69 vv 16-22

    Canticles: Walmisley (in D Minor)

    Anthem: Cantique de Jean Racine (Fauré)

     

    Tuesday, August 14 – Evensong - St. Patrick’s, Dublin (SA):

    Responses: Darke

    Psalm: 73 vv 1-15

    Canticles: Hogan

    Anthem: Laudi alla Vergine Maria (Verdi)

     

    Wednesday, August 15 – Evensong, Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin:

    Introit: God Be In My Head (Rutter)

    Responses: Spicer

    Psalm: Awaiting Confirmation via Trish

    Canticles: Larkin (St. Mary’s Service)

    Anthem: O Nata Lux (Lauridsen)

     

    Thursday, August 16 – Evensong - St. Patrick’s, Dublin (TB):

    Responses: Rutter

    Psalm: 83

    Canticles: Howells (Men’s Voices Service for Ernest Bullock)

    Anthem: Surgens Jesus Dominus Noster (Philips)

     

    Friday, August 17 – Evensong - St. Patrick’s, Dublin:

    Responses: Ayleward

    Psalm: 89 vv 20-36

    Canticles: Tomkins (Fifth Service)

    Anthem: Laetentur Coeli (Byrd)

     

    Sunday, August 19 – Morning Eucharist, St. Patrick’s, Dublin:

    Communion Setting: Byrd – Mass for Four Voices

    Psalm: 111

    Motet: Crucifixus a 8 (Lotti)

     

    Sunday, August 19 – Evensong, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin:

    Responses: Spicer

    Psalm: 92

    Canticles: Sumsion (in A)

    Anthem: Faire is the Heaven (Harris)