The Belle Voci Choral Society Recital 8th August 2023
The 38th Friends Project recital was given by the Belle Voci Intergenerational Choral Society from Long Island, New York, USA as part of their UK tour. The choir of 30 was founded almost 20 years ago by their conductor, Dr. Jennifer Scott Miceli. She is the Director of Music Education at Long Island University. Her mission is to encourage healing through music & song and to honour the memory of her mother. The group comprises professional, amateur, collegiate and school-aged singers, and music teachers. They were accompanied by four instrumentalists and the piano.
Before visiting us, they had toured England and Wales including, Snowdonia, Caernarfon Castle, the Malvern Hills, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle. They sang at some beautiful and historic venues, including St Asaph’s Cathedral, Bristol Cathedral and St Bartholomew’s the Great. Their last recital in the UK was for our Music Project.
Belle Voci presented a wide selection of music from ‘Supernatural Musings’ by Jennifer Micelli, which was based on poems she had written for her mother, to the Magnificat and the Nunc Dimittis by Eriks Esenvalds, and the Old American Song ‘I bought me a cat’ (it was international Cat day). Lily Parsinski, the 10 year old daughter of one of the Choir members memorably sang ‘Do not stand at my grave and weep’. The final piece was Con te Partir which was popularised by Andrea Bocelli. It was indeed ‘time to say goodbye’ to us and to the UK. The choir was accompanied throughout by the usual background bustle of the Foyer which they managed with equanimity. Afterwards, they were rewarded with refreshments by Nancy Whiskin and the Barts Volunteers. They said they enjoyed the experience.
Prof. Trevor Beedham. 10th August.2003
