A visiting choir from an historic German cathedral will set hearts soaring when they premiere a new Mass setting composed by local organist Kurt Ison in Sydney.
Mr Ison, the principal organist at Mary Immaculate Church in Waverley, was commissioned to write the Mass setting for the Aachen Cathedral Girls Choir in Germany, which officially premiered in its historic cathedral last month.
Seventy members of the 100-strong choir will be in Sydney this week to perform at several locations including the re-premiere at St James Anglican Church, King Street, Sydney on 20 October at the morning liturgy at 11am.
They will also sing at St Finbar’s Catholic Church, Glenbrook on 18 October at 6pm, at 5pm Mass at Mary Immaculate on 20 October and a concert at St Peter’s Catholic Church, Surry Hills, at 6pm on 23 October.
The choir members will also take in some of the local sights and wildlife, including a short stay at Katoomba. “They are almost bursting with excitement about the prospect of visiting Australia,” said Mr Kurt.
Last month Mr Ison travelled to Aachen to accompany the choir as it premiered his original Mass setting titled Missa Filiabus Aquisgranensis, Mass for the daughters of Aachen.
The cathedral has a proud history as one of the oldest in Europe and is an important place of pilgrimage.
The Cathedral’s choir of men and boys was founded over 1200 years ago by the Emperor Charlemagne, who constructed the cathedral, and is the oldest choir in Germany. The girls’ choir is a more recent addition to the cathedral’s extensive music program and was founded in 2011.
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