Auditions for Singers of all ages!

The Concert



Experience of a Lifetime

There are the Seven Wonders of

the World, the great sports complexes, and the truly notable concert halls

worldwide; La Scala, The Sydney Opera House, Bayreuth, Carnegie Hall, and the

list goes on.  In the world of music and

concert performance relatively few, if any, venues have remained inaccessible save

one – The Sistine Chapel.  The official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City,

it is famous for its architecture and its decoration that was frescoed

throughout by Renaissance artists including Michelangelo,

Botticelli, Perugino,

Pinturicchio,

Ghirlandaio, and others. These works are

considered the crowning achievements of Western

painting.

Since the time of Sixtus IV, the Sistine Chapel has maintained its function

of both religious and functionary papal activity to the present day, and

continues to host the important services of the Papal Calendar. It is the site

of the Papal conclave, most recently the process by

which Pope Francis I was selected and home to the Sistine Chapel Choir, one of

the oldest religious choirs in the world.

Opening the doors of the Sistine Chapel for an outside concert performance

could be described as the Holy Grail of performance venues, yet that is the

recent invitation extended to and accepted by the New Jersey based Continuo

Arts Foundation.  No stranger to the

Vatican or Vatican City’s non-profit musical extension Fondazione Pro Musica E

Arte Sacra, Continuo Arts Founder Candace Wicke was the first woman conductor

to ever appear on the Fondazione’s annual international festival in Rome and only

the second American, following the great Paul Salamonovich. “To say we are

excited, thrilled and humbled by this unbelievable invitation is a huge

understatement; truly, sometimes there are no words” says Wicke “I don’t know

how to describe the nature and importance of this concert opportunity we have

been given, however what we are immediately committed to is the inclusion of as

many Continuo Arts ensemble members, families and surrounding communities that

want to be involved; this won’t happen again!”

In February, members of the Continuo Arts Intergenerational Choral Ensembles

and many non-singing music and art aficionado’s, will travel to Ireland with

stops in Limerick, Dublin, Waterford, and Wicklow. Then it is on to Italy with

performances in Assisi, St. Peter’s Basilica and culminating in the concert

experience of a lifetime inside the Sistine Chapel.  Whether performing or in the audience attending

a private concert surrounded by the world’s great artistic masterpieces, everyone

present will undoubtedly experience the transformative power of great music and

art.

Continuo Arts is currently

auditioning for the 2013-14 season and accepting new singers ages 7 to 70 plus

in one of their six ensembles; Children’s Chorus, Intermediate and Advanced

Girls, Boys Ensemble, Adult Civic Chorale and Seniors Sing. There will be free

classes for each ensemble on opening day, Tuesday, September 3rd at

Historic Twin Maples, 214 Springfield Ave. in Summit.  Times for the Open House Sing-In are:

Children at 4:30, Middle School and High School at 6:00, Adults at 7:30.  Each ensemble will have performances in local

community concerts, community service appearances as well as the opportunity to

travel and perform in Ireland, Italy and the Sistina. The repertoire will include

selections from the Edward’s Requiem; voiced for SATB chorus and treble choir, singers

of all ages have the ability to perform in this historic event. 

In addition to an invitation for

new singers to join, Continuo Arts extends the hand of welcome to non-singing,

art-loving residents in the Tri-State area to join them on what is truly a rare

and extraordinary opportunity of a lifetime. 

Travel and ensemble information

can be found at www.continuoarts.com.  To schedule an audition, call 908-264-5324.