Concert
Tour - 2004
Alexandria, Roanoke, and Williamburg
20
Members of the Men and Boys Choir, under the direction of Mr. Michael
Bower recently completed their concert tour to Virginia. The
group was joined by Mr. Frank Crosio, Director of Music Ministries at St.
Ignatius Loyola, Hicksville who accompanied the group as organist.
Several choir parents also joined the tour as chaperones.
The
group traveled by bus from St. Agnes Cathedral with their first stop at
St. Mary's Church in Alexandria Virginia. St. Mary's Church is the
Oldest Catholic Parish in Virginia, having been founded in 1795. The
choir held an evening concert at St. Mary's.
Washington
D. C. was the next stop on the tour which allowed for some sightseeing in
our nation's capitol. Following a drive through the Shenandoah
Valley the next stop was Roanoke. Virginia.
The
choir sang for the 11:30 A.M. Sunday Mass at the beautiful St. Andrew's
Church overlooking Roanoke. St Andrew's Parish was founded in 1882
with the present church building completed in 1902. Many
parishioners stayed following the end of Mass to listen to the choir's
rendition of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus and as usual the choir received an
appreciative ovation.
After
mass the group had brunch at the Hotel Roanoke. Hotel Roanoke opened
in 1882 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
On
Sunday afternoon the choir held a concert at Greene Memorial United
Methodist Church in Roanoke. This concert was part of Greene
Memorial's Fine Arts Series Summer Music Fest 2004.
The
next day the group traveled to Mabry Mill, an early 19th Century Grist
Mill, located along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Next the group was
treated to a picnic lunch at Rocky Knobb Park hosted by Michael's parents
who live in nearby Floyd, Virginia.
Following
lunch the bus departed for Colonial Williamsburg. The next day
allowed time for a trip to Busch Gardens Amusement Park. In the
evening the choir held a candle lit concert at the historic Bruton Parish
Church. The original Episcopal parish was founded in 1674 with
the existing church building in continuous use since 1715.
The
morning of the next day allowed for some sightseeing in Colonial
Williamsburg before the long bus ride back to St. Agnes Cathedral.
Listed
below are links to churches visited by the choir on their concert tour.
