News 2014-2015
May 2015
The Schola led the music at the confirmation ceremonies in St Mary's Parish on May 23, marking the end of a long and productive year. Much of the repertoire stemmed from music learnt over the past year: Tar Anuas, a Spioraid Naomh made an appearance again this year, as did Come Receive Christ and the Elgar Ave Verum. However, the sacrament of confirmation brings its own musical demands - during the Anointing of Candidates sang the Gregorian Veni Creator Spiritus and Confirma Hoc; Brionna Meagher and Fern Kelly sang the verses of No Longer I, and the girls gave a stunning first performance of the Pentecost hymn Fons Vivus, Ignis, Caritas by Ephrem Feeley. Ann-Marie Crilly and Aisling McGovern led the psalm, while Katie White and Lile Cregan cantored in the Alleluia. At half-time (there are two busy confirmation ceremonies in St Mary's - at 11.00am and 3.00pm), we had a meal in the local Chinese restaurant, during which we thanked and bid farewell to our outgoing 6th Years, and gave each of the Schola members their certificates and a DVD of their recent RTE mass. |
April 2015
As the song goes, it's a long way to Tipperary. It's an even longer way to Killarney, where the Schola travelled on Thursday April 30 to lead the singing at mass for the conference of the Association of Managers of Catholic Secondary Schools. Despite the long journey down, the girls were nonetheless in excellent singing voice, after a brief rehearsal on the bus. The mass, attended by nearly 600 principals and Board of Management representatives, was held in Fossa Church, with its wall of glass behind the sanctuary allowing spectacular views of Lough Leane. The music for the mass was largely drawn from their repertoire of this year's liturgies. The opening hymn was the haunting Tar Anuas, a Spioraid Naomh by Ite O'Donovan, a past pupil of Mercy Navan, followed by the Kyrie from the Mass of Our Lady of Lourdes, and the nimble through-composed Gloria by Mr Burke that the girls had sung earlier that month in RTE. Compositions by Mr Feeley also featured: Laura McDonnell and Aodhamair O'Reilly sang the psalm Sing a New Song to the Lord, and the reflective hymn Faith, Hope and Love was sung at the Offertory. Katie White and Lile Cregan (our youngest schola member) led the Alleluia Beati by Christopher Walker. Other music included the Corpus Christi Mass by Richard Proulx, Come Receive Christ, the Elgar Ave Verum, and the recessional hymn was the stately Christ is Made the Sure Foundation. Lunch was provided by the JMB in the nearby Europe Hotel, and with a short stop for ice cream and tea on the way home, the girls arrived back in Navan, satisfied and content in their ability to lead their leaders in song.
As the song goes, it's a long way to Tipperary. It's an even longer way to Killarney, where the Schola travelled on Thursday April 30 to lead the singing at mass for the conference of the Association of Managers of Catholic Secondary Schools. Despite the long journey down, the girls were nonetheless in excellent singing voice, after a brief rehearsal on the bus. The mass, attended by nearly 600 principals and Board of Management representatives, was held in Fossa Church, with its wall of glass behind the sanctuary allowing spectacular views of Lough Leane. The music for the mass was largely drawn from their repertoire of this year's liturgies. The opening hymn was the haunting Tar Anuas, a Spioraid Naomh by Ite O'Donovan, a past pupil of Mercy Navan, followed by the Kyrie from the Mass of Our Lady of Lourdes, and the nimble through-composed Gloria by Mr Burke that the girls had sung earlier that month in RTE. Compositions by Mr Feeley also featured: Laura McDonnell and Aodhamair O'Reilly sang the psalm Sing a New Song to the Lord, and the reflective hymn Faith, Hope and Love was sung at the Offertory. Katie White and Lile Cregan (our youngest schola member) led the Alleluia Beati by Christopher Walker. Other music included the Corpus Christi Mass by Richard Proulx, Come Receive Christ, the Elgar Ave Verum, and the recessional hymn was the stately Christ is Made the Sure Foundation. Lunch was provided by the JMB in the nearby Europe Hotel, and with a short stop for ice cream and tea on the way home, the girls arrived back in Navan, satisfied and content in their ability to lead their leaders in song.
April 2015
On April 2, members of the Schola travelled to RTE studios to provide the music for Holy Thursday broadcast mass, along with students, parents and staff from Mercy Navan. They were directed by Mr Burke and accompanied by Mr Feeley, with Fr Louis Illah as celebrant. Despite three intense, lengthy rehearsals earlier in the day, the girls displayed remarkable stamina, poise and dignity when the time came for the live broadcast, which was viewed by nearly 300,000 people.
Ms Meagher gave a short introduction to the liturgy, after which the opening hymn was We Should Glory in the Cross - the entrance antiphon for the day - by Ricky Manalo, followed by the Kyrie from the Mass of Saint Paul by Ephrem Feeley, and St Joseph's Gloria by David Burke. Hannah Cooke sang the invocations in the Kyrie. During the Liturgy of the Word, Stella Dukalska and Ms Kerrigan proclaimed the readings, and Alison Pentony was psalmist for Our Blessing Cup by Stephen Dean. Olivia Murtagh and Cait Cregan led the Gospel Acclamation from the Centenary Mass of St Benedict by Margaret Daly. Prayers of the Faithful were read by Ms McGinnell and Caoimhe Power.
A key moment in the Holy Thursday liturgy is, of course, the washing of the feet - re-enacting the humble actions of Jesus at the Last Supper. Students and parents supplied the necessary feet, while the Schola sang the plainchant Ubi Caritas and This is My Will. At the offertory procession, they sang Faith, Hope and Love by Ephrem Feeley - again one of the recommended antiphons of the day - with Eimer Finn as soloist, and while the altar was incensed by Fr Louis, Gillian Moloney played a traditional air on the harp. A second focus of Holy Thursday is the Institution of the Eucharist - this was highlighted through the use of the Corpus Christi Acclamations by Richard Proulx, and the communion hymn Come, Receive Christ by Christopher Walker. At the end of the liturgy, the Blessed Sacrament was brought to the Place of Repose with the accompanying Pange Lingua chant.
On April 2, members of the Schola travelled to RTE studios to provide the music for Holy Thursday broadcast mass, along with students, parents and staff from Mercy Navan. They were directed by Mr Burke and accompanied by Mr Feeley, with Fr Louis Illah as celebrant. Despite three intense, lengthy rehearsals earlier in the day, the girls displayed remarkable stamina, poise and dignity when the time came for the live broadcast, which was viewed by nearly 300,000 people.
Ms Meagher gave a short introduction to the liturgy, after which the opening hymn was We Should Glory in the Cross - the entrance antiphon for the day - by Ricky Manalo, followed by the Kyrie from the Mass of Saint Paul by Ephrem Feeley, and St Joseph's Gloria by David Burke. Hannah Cooke sang the invocations in the Kyrie. During the Liturgy of the Word, Stella Dukalska and Ms Kerrigan proclaimed the readings, and Alison Pentony was psalmist for Our Blessing Cup by Stephen Dean. Olivia Murtagh and Cait Cregan led the Gospel Acclamation from the Centenary Mass of St Benedict by Margaret Daly. Prayers of the Faithful were read by Ms McGinnell and Caoimhe Power.
A key moment in the Holy Thursday liturgy is, of course, the washing of the feet - re-enacting the humble actions of Jesus at the Last Supper. Students and parents supplied the necessary feet, while the Schola sang the plainchant Ubi Caritas and This is My Will. At the offertory procession, they sang Faith, Hope and Love by Ephrem Feeley - again one of the recommended antiphons of the day - with Eimer Finn as soloist, and while the altar was incensed by Fr Louis, Gillian Moloney played a traditional air on the harp. A second focus of Holy Thursday is the Institution of the Eucharist - this was highlighted through the use of the Corpus Christi Acclamations by Richard Proulx, and the communion hymn Come, Receive Christ by Christopher Walker. At the end of the liturgy, the Blessed Sacrament was brought to the Place of Repose with the accompanying Pange Lingua chant.
March 2015
The annual choir exams were held in St Joseph's on Monday 23 March. The examiner this year was Mr Derek Mahady, an experienced choral specialist and workshop facilitator who founded and directs St Mel's Young Choristers in Longford Cathedral. All students in the school participated, with a resultant eight choirs - six junior and two senior choirs - being examined. Each choir sang two pieces, performed an unprepared test, and answered questions on theory of music. The music chosen for the exam reflected the diversity of choral music that students encounter during their years at Mercy - from folk songs such as All the Pretty Little Horses (1st years) and O Desayo (2nd Years), to modern pop classics such as I Say a Little Prayer for You (5th Years), songs from musicals such as Love Changes Everything (6th Years), and art music such as Evening Prayer (3rd Years). Five choirs were awarded 5 stars, and the remaining three were awarded 4 stars - with 3A & 3B being awarded the highest marks. |
October 2014
On Saturday 18 October, the All School Choir were privileged to be among a selection of special guest performers in Solstice Arts Centre for ‘Classic Chorus and Ceol Concert’ organised by the Navan Male Voice Choir. For this variety concert, the All School Choir sang three songs: Bob Chilcott’s Can You Hear Me?, Roger Whitaker’s I am But a Small Voice and the sacred a capella piece O Salutaris Hostia by André Caplet. Directed by Ms O’Sullivan, the All School Choir were ably accompanied on piano by fifth year student, Ciara Casserly. |
October 2014
Since the start of this school year, the All School Choir have been busy preparing for the arrival of Luritus Youth choir from Seinäjoki in Finland as part of a school Choral Exchange Project 2014. Ms O’Sullivan has been working with Luritus director, Hanne Orrenmaa, since last April planning and co-ordinating the exchange programme; in June Hanne travelled to Ireland with her 3 daughters (Luritus members) to meet Ms O’Sullivan and see St Joseph’s Secondary School. Luritus Youth Choir was set up in 2009 by Hanne with the aim to develop new choral expression. The boys and girls for Luritus sing, dance, body percussion, perform rap musicals, play drama and recite poems. Among their many achievements, Luritus were awarded first prize in the free category of Europe’s biggest Youth Choir festival in Neerpelt, Belgium in 2012, and the following year produced the CD ‘Ihmeelinen Maa’ which means ‘Wonderful Earth’.
A busy schedule was organised for their 5-day visit which coincided with National Choral Singing Week. Luritus arrived in Navan on Friday evening, October 10 to meet the host families. Huge thanks to the Corkery, Correia, Farrelly, Finn, Moloney, Mooney, Ogburu, Pentony, PIotrowska, Reilly and Selemani families for their generosity in hosting the members of Luritus for their five days in Navan.
The weekend’s activities included important rehearsals with both choirs to prepare for Tuesday’s concert. These rehearsals provided an opportunity for the two choirs to get to know each other. The rehearsals featured some very interesting workshops with Tellu Turkka, one of the chaperones with Luritus who is a famous folk musician-composer in Finland. Luritus and All School Choir joined Schola to sing at 1pm mass in St Mary’s on Sunday 12th. The weekend’s activities also included sightseeing trips for Luritus to Newgrange, Knowth, the Hill of Tara and downtown Navan which brought the wonders of Penneys to our Finish guests.
Since the start of this school year, the All School Choir have been busy preparing for the arrival of Luritus Youth choir from Seinäjoki in Finland as part of a school Choral Exchange Project 2014. Ms O’Sullivan has been working with Luritus director, Hanne Orrenmaa, since last April planning and co-ordinating the exchange programme; in June Hanne travelled to Ireland with her 3 daughters (Luritus members) to meet Ms O’Sullivan and see St Joseph’s Secondary School. Luritus Youth Choir was set up in 2009 by Hanne with the aim to develop new choral expression. The boys and girls for Luritus sing, dance, body percussion, perform rap musicals, play drama and recite poems. Among their many achievements, Luritus were awarded first prize in the free category of Europe’s biggest Youth Choir festival in Neerpelt, Belgium in 2012, and the following year produced the CD ‘Ihmeelinen Maa’ which means ‘Wonderful Earth’.
A busy schedule was organised for their 5-day visit which coincided with National Choral Singing Week. Luritus arrived in Navan on Friday evening, October 10 to meet the host families. Huge thanks to the Corkery, Correia, Farrelly, Finn, Moloney, Mooney, Ogburu, Pentony, PIotrowska, Reilly and Selemani families for their generosity in hosting the members of Luritus for their five days in Navan.
The weekend’s activities included important rehearsals with both choirs to prepare for Tuesday’s concert. These rehearsals provided an opportunity for the two choirs to get to know each other. The rehearsals featured some very interesting workshops with Tellu Turkka, one of the chaperones with Luritus who is a famous folk musician-composer in Finland. Luritus and All School Choir joined Schola to sing at 1pm mass in St Mary’s on Sunday 12th. The weekend’s activities also included sightseeing trips for Luritus to Newgrange, Knowth, the Hill of Tara and downtown Navan which brought the wonders of Penneys to our Finish guests.
The Choir also joined forces with the Navan Male Voice choir for a special performance of Mozart’s Ave Verum. This was a new experience for the All School Choir to sing in SATB format and a wonderful way to collaborate musically with one of Navan’s best loved local choirs. The finale for the concert, saw all three featured choirs – Navan Male Voice, Tara Ladies Choir and the All School Choir join for two performances: Elbow’s Beautiful Day and Sean Davey’s Choral Anthem May we Never Say Goodbye, directed by Anne Cunningham, director of Navan Male Voice Choir.
On Monday, Luritus were introduced to the rest of the school community and provided entertaining workshops with all class choirs during school on Monday and Tuesday. St Joseph’s Gaelic football and Camogie teams gave a demonstration of our national sports. Some of Luritus joined in, but they found Camogie ’a little frightening’! Luritus also travelled to St Patrick’s Classical School, Loreto St Michael’s and Scoil Mhuire in Trim to provide choral workshops. While in Trim they got a walking tour of the town and Trim Castle.
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On Tuesday Night the highlight of the Choral Exchange Project was the joint concert given by All School Choir and Luritus. This concert had a very special guest: the Finnish Ambassador to Ireland, Ms Hilkka Nenonen, who grew up near Seinäjoki. The concert featured performances by the All School Choir of Can You Hear Me? (Bob Chilcott) O Salutaris Hostia (André Caplet) and I am But a Small Voice (Eric Whittaker). Accompaniment on piano was provided by 5th Year student Ciara Casserly. Luritus performed a variety of entertaining repertoire that included dance, rap, body percussion and drama: South African Dance, Uela Zigi, Haka Dance, Old Castle, Suden Synty, Kylki Kyljessa and Peace Medley. The 6th Year students Alison Pentony, Olivia Murtagh, Eimer Finn and Jennifer Byrne gave a Powerpoint commentary for the concert, which included lots of photos from the activities of the past four days. The concert concluded with joint performances of Eternity and Näa Matt which saw the combined choirs singing in English, Irish and Finnish. Presentations were made to both choral directors and the Finnish Ambassador addressed the crowd in both English and Finnish. A very entertaining and enjoyable evening of music was had by all.
For the final day of the exchange project, The Transition Years hosted a cultural and historical morning to entertain and educate our Finnish visitors. With the assistance of their Irish and History teachers, Ms Mooney, Ms Smith, Ms McCollum and Ms Lynch, the TYs had been busy preparing this since the beginning of the school year. Their efforts did not disappoint as they wowed Luritus with historical displays, story telling, powerpoint presentations on Irish legends, Ceilí dancing, traditional Irish music and baked treats. It was a hugely successful morning and a wonderful way to say farewell to Luritus before they travelled to Dublin for two days sight-seeing before returning to Finland.
The Choral Exchange Project was a huge success for our school this year and a great way to end National Choral Singing Week. Many thanks to the host families, the staff, management, students, Music Department, Transition Years and members of All School Choir who worked so diligently to make the project a success. It is hoped now that the All School Choir will make the return part of this exchange and visit Finland in 2015!
For the final day of the exchange project, The Transition Years hosted a cultural and historical morning to entertain and educate our Finnish visitors. With the assistance of their Irish and History teachers, Ms Mooney, Ms Smith, Ms McCollum and Ms Lynch, the TYs had been busy preparing this since the beginning of the school year. Their efforts did not disappoint as they wowed Luritus with historical displays, story telling, powerpoint presentations on Irish legends, Ceilí dancing, traditional Irish music and baked treats. It was a hugely successful morning and a wonderful way to say farewell to Luritus before they travelled to Dublin for two days sight-seeing before returning to Finland.
The Choral Exchange Project was a huge success for our school this year and a great way to end National Choral Singing Week. Many thanks to the host families, the staff, management, students, Music Department, Transition Years and members of All School Choir who worked so diligently to make the project a success. It is hoped now that the All School Choir will make the return part of this exchange and visit Finland in 2015!
October 2014
October 5–12 marks National Choral Singing Week. Research has shows that choral singing has a positive impact on your mental health. Some of the proven benefits of choral singing include: reduced stress; improved mood; better breathing; a keener sense of rhythm; stimulation of learning in children; communal bonding; and motivates, empowers and promotes well-being. How lucky are we in St Joseph’s that choir class is part of every student’s timetable and therefore contributes positively to mental well-being! All this week choir classes learnt the Mrs O’Leary warm up round, and on Friday lunch time, the classrooms and corridors of St Joseph’s burst into song led by Ms O’Sullivan on the school intercom. Some students danced the actions of Mrs O’Leary in the front hall! As part of National Choral Singing Week, the All School Choir welcomed Luritus Youth Choir from Finland on Friday 10 October as part of a Choral Exchange Project.
October 5–12 marks National Choral Singing Week. Research has shows that choral singing has a positive impact on your mental health. Some of the proven benefits of choral singing include: reduced stress; improved mood; better breathing; a keener sense of rhythm; stimulation of learning in children; communal bonding; and motivates, empowers and promotes well-being. How lucky are we in St Joseph’s that choir class is part of every student’s timetable and therefore contributes positively to mental well-being! All this week choir classes learnt the Mrs O’Leary warm up round, and on Friday lunch time, the classrooms and corridors of St Joseph’s burst into song led by Ms O’Sullivan on the school intercom. Some students danced the actions of Mrs O’Leary in the front hall! As part of National Choral Singing Week, the All School Choir welcomed Luritus Youth Choir from Finland on Friday 10 October as part of a Choral Exchange Project.
September 2015
Each year on September 24, St Joseph's Secondary School gathers in St Mary's Church, Navan, to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. This year, over seven hundred students, along with family members, staff and Sisters of Mercy sang and prayed together at Mercy Day Mass, led by our chaplain Fr Declan Hurley. The theme for this year was "We Will Build", inspired by 1 Peter, which exhorts the Christian community to be "like living stones, built into a spiritual house." Music for the Mass closely reflected the theme: the Entrance Hymn was the strong anthem From Living Stones, by Carey Landry; the Recessional Hymn was the rousing Christ is Made a Sure Foundation. Schola members led the music - Alison Pentony and Aoife Ní Casadaigh were cantors for the Kyrie by Liam Lawton, Anne-Marie Crilly and Emer Finn sang the psalm Let your Mercy be on Us by Marty Haugen, and Aodhamair Reilly and Aisling McGovern led the Gospel Acclamation. As this was a Marian feast, the Schola also sang the plainchant Ave Maria at the Offertory.
Each year on September 24, St Joseph's Secondary School gathers in St Mary's Church, Navan, to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. This year, over seven hundred students, along with family members, staff and Sisters of Mercy sang and prayed together at Mercy Day Mass, led by our chaplain Fr Declan Hurley. The theme for this year was "We Will Build", inspired by 1 Peter, which exhorts the Christian community to be "like living stones, built into a spiritual house." Music for the Mass closely reflected the theme: the Entrance Hymn was the strong anthem From Living Stones, by Carey Landry; the Recessional Hymn was the rousing Christ is Made a Sure Foundation. Schola members led the music - Alison Pentony and Aoife Ní Casadaigh were cantors for the Kyrie by Liam Lawton, Anne-Marie Crilly and Emer Finn sang the psalm Let your Mercy be on Us by Marty Haugen, and Aodhamair Reilly and Aisling McGovern led the Gospel Acclamation. As this was a Marian feast, the Schola also sang the plainchant Ave Maria at the Offertory.