Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 8—The Georgia Bulletin, August 23,1984
Atlanta
Wins
Acclaim On European Tour
In the stained-glass
splendour of the Charters
Cathedral, the dark,
mystic beauty of Notre
Dame, the pastoral
elegance of the Chateau de
Chantilly, and among the
architectual delights of the
Rhine Valley, television
has recorded the most
prestigious concert tour of
the Atlanta Boy Choir’s
long history of
international travel.
Produced by Emmy award
winner Don Smith and
scheduled for Fall
broadcast on WAGA TV-5,
the documentary will
allow the public to share
in the excitement and
beauty of performance in
included almost as many
performances as there
were days. To designate
one seperate concert as the
tour highlight would be an
impossible task as each
day’s concert possessed a
special quality which
overshadowed the past.
The largest audience
was certainly at the Notre
Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Attracted by the publicity
efforts of the United
States Embassy and the
Choir’s impressive
performance at the
morning’s High Mass, the
afternoon concert packed
the historic cathedral to
overflowing.
A most distinguished
chateaus, and historic
monuments of France.
The site of Napoleon’s
Tomb was the most
colorful and patriotic
location at which the
Choir performed.
Battle-worn flags and
banners from every
military campaign in
French history hung in
perfect rows along the top
of the chapell As a
backdrop to the Choir and
orchestra, a dozen large
French flags were arranged
like a massive bouquet of
flowers. Above loomed the
majestic, dimly-lit Tomb
of Napoleon.
The most enthusiastic
audience, numbering over
to quiet its rhythmic,
insistent applause.
In the war-ravaged city
of Cologne, the Boy Choir
and Men’s Alumni Choir
performed Benjamin
Britten’s “Missa Brevis” in
one of the city’s few
remaining Romanesque
churches, St. Aposteln.
The Atlanta singers also
presented a rare concert in
the famous Dome
cathedral of Cologne.
In short, the
recently-concluded
Atlanta Boy Choir concert
tour was a well-rounded
and successful concert
venture. The boys gained
an experience which will
never be duplicated, the
the world’s most
impressive cathedrals and
halls. The film documents
the overwhelming response
of European audiences in
Germany, France,
Switzerland, and Belgium.
It also shows the effective
diplomatic role played by
Atlanta’s famous
Ambassadors of Music.
For the would-be traveller,
the prime time special is
also a spectacular
travelogue.
Under the direction of
Fletcher Wolfe, the
Atlanta Boy Choir and
Men’s Alumni Choir
completed a whirlwind
two and a half week
concert tout which
audience, comprised of the
music elite of Paris,
greeted the Boy Choir for
its concert for the Festival
L’lle de France at
Napoleon’s Tomb. Joined
by the French Chamber
Orchestra, directed by
Bernard Thomas, the
Atlanta Boy Choir and
Men’s Alumni Choir
presented the “Gloria” by
Vivaldi and the
“Ceremony of Carols” by
Britten. Acclaimed by the
press and public alike, the
concert was one of the
most successful of the
L’lle de France series
which produces over a
hundred concerts each
year in the castles,
nine hundred persons, was
found in St. Martin’s
Church in Basel,
Switzerland. Overlooking
the swift-flowing Rhine,
St. Martin’s is the oldest
church of this beautiful
Medieval city. It has been
restored and renovated
into a superbly equipped
and acoustically perfect
concert hall.
The Basel concert,
sponsored by Credit
Suisse, was sold-out days
before the performance.
The music lasted long into
the evening because the
audience simply would not
leave. In fact, it required
four encores to satisfy this
appreciative audience and
musical reputation of the
Atlanta Boy Choir was
continued and confirmed
in a highly professional
setting, and the cultural
life of our city and state is
more appreciated and
understood by European
audiences and press.
The WAGA television
special is one not to be
missed. As was stated by
the Cultural Minister of
the United States Embassy
in Paris following the
concert at Napoleon’s
Tomb, “It is an experience
like this which makes me
very, very proud and
overwhelmed to be an
American. Congratulations
on a job well done.”
"Heartlight Groups"
Battle It Out!
BY MARY BETH MARINO
HEART LIGHT . . . FAITHFUL FOOLS
CLOWN MINISTRY ... BATTLE OF THE
YOUTH GROUPS ... Give up? Heartlight is a
group of teenagers and young adults from St. John
the Evangelist parish in Hapeville, St. Philip Benizi
in Jonesboro, Blessed Sacrament in Atlanta and
Sacred Heart in Atlanta.
These dynamic teens stay involved. They get
together for spiritual, social and service activities.
They actively participate together, but do not stop
individual participation at their home parish. They
just like to interact and grow together. Heartlight
originated from a successful retreat that later
prompted a group reunion.
What about the Battle? Oh yes, that occurred on
July 28. All the youth groups in the south metro
area were invited to participate in several
competitive games and sports. They were all
enthused about the event. They kicked off at 4 p.m.
with the singing of the National Anthem, and
lighting of the torch. St. Anthony’s, Sacred Heart,
Holy Trinity, St. Philip’s, St. John the Evangelist
and Blessed Sacrament were welcomed by the Color
Guard Salute, performed by the Riverdale High
School honor guard. Father Richard Wise of St.
Philip Benizi was present to give a blessing to team
members and spectators.
Rain filled the air but like true sportsmen, the
teens did battle!
Holy Trinity’s youth group scored the highest
and was presented with a plaque for first place. St.
John the Evangelist took the honors for second
place and Blessed Sacrament won third place.
However, everyone who participated was given a
certificate.
Great things happen in numbers! The Heartlight
Groups are building quite a ministry!
Congratulations to the winning parishes! May all the
Heartlights continue to “glow” in the spirit of their
ministry!
Friars Give Kids
Summer Respite
GARRISON, N.Y. (NC) ~ For 140 boys, aged 7 to 15,
Capuchin summer camp gives them a chance to get out of
the city and to get some of the attention they need. For
14 counselors, aged 17 to 18, the camp provides a chance
to help youngsters and to learn leadership skills.
“The main goal of the camp is to help city kids get out
of their environment, but also it’s geared for youth
leadership among the counselors,” Capuchin Brother
Gerard Maher said.
Scott Depuis, 10, recalled how he was disruptive when
he arrived at the camp last year from Manchester, N.H.
Scott has learned a lot since then. “Just tell them you
want attention, and you’ll get it,” he said.
The attention givers are the five Capuchin brothers who
operate the camp on the Hudson River. The camp, in its
second year, provides a week’s vacation for boys who
arrive from such places as Yonkers, lower Manhattan and
White Plains, N.Y.
The counselors assist the brothers and serve as examples
for the campers, who come from broken homes or poor
areas. During one week this summer, 14 of the 26 campers
came from homes where the father had left the family.
“I’ve learned from what these kids are going through,”
said Bob McSweeney, head counselor and a senior at Iona
Prep in New Rochelle, N.Y. “I’ve had what these kids
consider an ‘easy life,’ but now I understand why people
act the way they do.”
“The camp attempts to create a positive self-image for
the kids,” said Capuchin Brother Anthony Vetrano. “The
daily religion classes stress (that) you’re special and that
you’re loved. This is important because many of the kids
don’t believe that they’re special.”
Camp activities include sports activities, arts and crafts,
trips to historical sites, a movie night and a weekly
evening Mass. Campers also draw kitchen duty.
“Each brother and counselor brings his own uniqueness
to the program,” Capuchin Brother Gerard Mahr said.
“It’s tremendous. There’s a lot of love here from both the
friars and counselors, and the kids feel it.”
Patrick McDonagh, 11, of Yonkers, N.Y., said, “I’ve
made some good friends, and the food is good. If I was
home, I’d just be hanging out. I’ve learned responsibility
here.”
Terry Brennan, 10, also from Yonkers, said, “God is
more a part of my life since I’ve met the friars.”