Cathedral of St. Andrew Concert to Raise Funds for New Music School

    GRAND RAPIDS, MI, February 22, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3 and Paul Mealor's Stabat Mater will be performed at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25 at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, 215 Sheldon Ave. SE. The funds raised from the event will help establish the Cathedral Music School, which is currently building a pool of resources to provide after-school education to students otherwise unable to take advantage of music education programs.

"Music is the universal voice that brings us all together," said Nicholas Palmer, music director for the Cathedral of Saint Andrew. "Our goal is to bring that voice to students, through high-quality music instruction, who may not have another opportunity."

Slated to open fall 2016, pending building renovations and sufficient start-up funds, the school will draw students from around the greater Grand Rapids area. Featuring both choral and instrumental instruction, the school will focus on sacred works in classical and folk traditions from around the world with a special emphasis on Central and South America.

"Many of the students attending this school will be Hispanic," Palmer said. "We hope to inspire a sense of pride among the students by incorporating the rich musical contributions Latin Americans have made to our faith community and beyond."

Górecki's Symphony No. 3, also known as his Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, has three movements featuring Polish text:
The first movement is taken from a 15th century lament of the Virgin Mary from the Lysa Gora Songs collection of the Holy Cross Monastery in Poland.
The second movement evokes writings from a young girl found on the wall of a Gestapo prison cell in Zakopane after World War II.
The third movement uses text from a folk song that gives voice to a grieving mother unaware where her son, killed in battle, was laid to rest.

Under the direction of Palmer, the Cathedral Orchestra will perform the three movements with Grand Rapids soprano Madelaine Lane. The concert will also include a performance of Paul Mealor's Stabat Mater featuring Mystical Voices, a choral group founded by Palmer.

Combining a love of music and drama with an academic approach to each role she prepares, this May, Lane will make her role debut as Mimì in La Bohème with the Kent Philharmonic Orchestra. Lane has also appeared in productions with Opera Grand Rapids, West Michigan Opera Project and the Savannah VOICE Festival, as well as with the Cathedral of St. Andrew and Diocese of Grand Rapids music programs.

"Music has had a profound impact on my life," Lane said. "The opportunity to partner with other talented musicians to raise funds for a music school is an incredibly meaningful experience to me. I'm honored to play a part in this tremendous effort."

Tickets can be purchased for $15 at the door or from the Cathedral Office at 215 Sheldon Ave. SE.

"This concert will not only be an evening to enjoy wonderfully talented musicians, but to raise funds so all students have the opportunity to experience and grow from a musical education," Palmer said.

For more information, please visit http://cathedralmusic.weebly.com/cathedral-concerts.html#February25.

About the Cathedral of St. Andrew Music Ministry

Using talented musicians from across the Diocese of Grand Rapids, the Cathedral of St. Andrew Music Ministry provides sacred music for liturgical celebrations at the Cathedral in addition to performing an annual concert series. For more information visit http://cathedralmusic.weebly.com/.

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