Musicians from some of the region's most prestigious performing ensembles, including the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Boston Pops, Handel & Haydn Society and Boston Secession, will gather on Saturday evening, June 20, at 6:00 p.m. to celebrate the re-opening of Portsmouth Abbey's Church of St. Gregory the Great with a sacred concert to be held in the Church.
The entire Portsmouth Abbey community is cordially invite to attend the concert.
The sacred concert will feature Fauré's Requiem and will be conducted by Troy Quinn, music director of Portsmouth Abbey School and a seasoned vocal performer and conductor. Quinn, a special lecturer in music at Providence College, received his B.A. in conducting and voice from Providence College and a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He has conducted choirs and orchestras at some of the world's greatest venues in London and Paris, including Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, Southwark Cathedral in London, and London's Royal Academy of Music. He has also conducted in locations around the United States.
The sacred concert is being held in celebration of the re-opening of the Church of St. Gregory the Great following a one-year, $4 million renovation. The Church was designed by well-known architect Pietro Belluschi, a leader of the Modern Movement in American architecture.
"The Church is the heart of our Abbey and School," said the Right Reverend Caedmon Holmes, O.S.B., abbot of Portsmouth, "and we look forward to welcoming all of our friends to this mid-20th century masterpiece now that it has been restored to its original glory."
The concert will take place during the Portsmouth Institute, a three-day conference being held for the first time at Portsmouth Abbey School. The inaugural conference - the topic of which will be "A Celebration of The Catholic William F. Buckley Jr." -- will be held on campus from June 18-21. Nationally renowned writers, scholars and commentators will gather to celebrate and explore the influence of the late Buckley -- founder of The National Review -- on American thought and society, as well as the role Buckley's devout Catholicism played in the formation of his thought and philosophy. www.portsmouthinstitute.org. The public may attend the Portsmouth Institute, but registration and a fee are required. To register, please contact Fran Cook at fcook@portsmouthabbey.org or (401) 643-1281.
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