Madrigals Perform at Christ Church Cathedral
During the first week of spring break, Director of Choral Music Kendra Lipman led the Madrigal Singers on an inspiring trip to Ireland. During their trip, the Madrigals gave a number of vocal performances, enjoyed walking tours of local towns and castles, and viewed the Book of Kells (c. 800) in the library of Trinity College in Dublin. The trip culminated with performances at Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral.
A highlight of the trip was the opportunity to perform at the renaming ceremony of the theater at Presentation Secondary School in Cork. The Spartan singers were applauded for their performance by a full house that included members of the Cork community, school administration, school board members, and the leader of the Opposition Party, Micheál Martin.
“A funny moment during the performance came as I conducted the last note of our final song, ‘Danny Boy,’” Lipman said. “The power in the entire town went out. We had to use cell phone flashlights to help people to the exits and had to scratch the post-concert reception. Yet, we still managed to get a few pics in the dark thanks to camera flashes.”
The student singers also performed a lunchtime recital in St. Patrick's Cathedral and received private tour by one of the official cannons of the cathedral.
“The capstone event of our trip with a final concert in Christ Church Cathedral, the oldest church in Ireland and by far the best acoustic space I've ever performed in during my life,” Lipman said. “It was thrilling and an experience that we will never forget.”
Other standout moments from the Ireland trip included:
“The capstone event of our trip with a final concert in Christ Church Cathedral, the oldest church in Ireland and by far the best acoustic space I've ever performed in during my life,” Lipman said. “It was thrilling and an experience that we will never forget.”
Other standout moments from the Ireland trip included:
- A tour of the 12th century Kilkenny Castle, a symbol of the Norman occupation, where they learned about the Butlers of Ormonde who owned it for 500 years
- A private walking tour of the harbor town of Cobh, where the Titanic started its ill-fated maiden voyage. “Our tour guide was the leading expert on the history of Cobh and quite a celebrity for the books he's written and appearances on numerous television documentaries about the Titanic,” Lipman explained. “We especially enjoyed the sea chantey he sang us at the end of our tour.”
- A visit to the 13th century Blarney Castle, where they kissed the Blarney Stone of Eloquence
- A train trip to the town of Bray, where they took a coastal walk to Greystone with scenic views of the green and rocky coastline
The Madrigals performed a special Homecoming Concert showcasing the songs performed during their Ireland trip on Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in the St. Stephen’s Chapel.
Address: 6500 St. Stephen's Dr., Austin, TX 78746
Phone: (512) 327-1213
Phone: (512) 327-1213