(11/17/2004) Fifteen members of the Mount St. Mary’s University Chorale will travel to New York City’s Carnegie Hall later this month to perform Mozart’s "Coronation Mass."

They will join approximately 100 singers representing eight choirs from around the country. The New England Symphonic Ensemble will accompany the chorus. The concert will be conducted by Dr. Earl Rivers of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, who invited participation by choirs that are directed by several of his former choral conducting students.

The concert will take place on Sunday evening, November 21, at 8:30, in Carnegie Hall, the culmination of a four-day residency in New York, during which the singers will participate in hours of intensive rehearsal.

The hard work doesn’t just begin in New York, however; from the beginning of the semester, the singers from the Mount have put in a lot of extra effort to learn the music in order to be thoroughly prepared for this residency. "What most excites me about this opportunity is that I view it as a sort of reward for all the hours of work the singers dedicate to the ensemble. All of the members of the Chorale are among the most dedicated, talented, and hard working students in the university, and I am proud that we’ll have a chance to showcase the best of the Mount at such a notable venue as Carnegie Hall," says Dr. Rosenfeld.

Mozart was 23 and living in Salzburg when he composed his Mass in C Major, K.317 in 1779. It is nicknamed "Coronation" because it was supposedly composed for the ceremonial crowning of an image of the Blessed Virgin. The work is considered among the finest of all of Mozart’s liturgical compositions.

Since the founding of the Mount Glee Club by Father David Shaum more than 50 years ago, choral music has been a vital part of the schools’ cultural life. Touring is a standard part of the Chorale’s routine. In 2003 the Chorale undertook a very successful tour of southern Spain, with concerts in Madrid, Seville, and Granada. Stateside, the choir has also performed before audiences in many locales, including Williamsburg, Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, and Baltimore. At home, the choir performs at least one major concert per semester, as well as for a number of college liturgies, special convocations, and other events throughout the year.

Amberly Battersby, class of 2007, and a member of the choir is "overjoyed that the Mount has the talent and opportunity to participate in a concert at the legendary Carnegie Hall! I cannot wait for this wonderful experience."

For ticket information contact Carnegie Charge at (212) 247-7800 or online at www.carnegiehall.org. The concert is being organized by Mid-America Productions, a New York based music agency. For other information, please contact the Office of Communications at 301-560-4611.