Musica Spei to sing early church music in lenten performance

Musica Spei, an early music vocal ensemble, will perform Saturday, March 16, at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

Tickets for the 3 p.m. show, which will be held in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel, are free but must be requested due to limited seating. Tickets can be reserved at https://www.upb.pitt.edu/life-at-pitt-bradford/pitt-bradford-arts/buy-tickets or by calling the Bromeley Family Theater box office at 814-362-5113. 

Attendees of the vocal exhibition can expect an introduction to European Renaissance music. Musica Spei will present rarely heard vocal pieces of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. 

For two decades, Musica Spei (translated as Music of Hope) has been working collaboratively to rejuvenate medieval and Renaissance music, all without a conductor. The 

According to its website, “Musica Spei has sought to restore life to timeless music that continues to resonate with modern listeners,” which includes Gregorian chant, sacred Masses, and centuries-old motets. 

Based in Rochester, N.Y., the vocal group performs for dedicated audiences during fall, spring and Lent in music halls, churches, and cathedrals. Further manifesting the group’s dedication in reviving vocal classics, Musica Spei plays a key role in the organization of the Rochester Early Music Festival, a yearly showcase of early music performers. 
Musica Spei also performs in media beyond in-person concerts.

During the 2021 Lenten season, the ensemble released what it called “Musical Meditations: A Journey Through Holy Week,” what the group calls “glorious choral music, spoken reflections, and moving visual art” meant to be a sequential meditation aid for each day of Lent. 

For more information about the perform or to request tickets, contact Courtney Mealy, director of arts programming at 814-362-5027 or cmealy@pitt.edu.

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