You are invited to join others interested in sacred Renaissance polyphony for a weekend to prepare and perform Missa Ave Maris Stella of Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611). The occasion is the 16th annual Renaissance Polyphony Weekend at the University of Dallas, led by Dr. William Mahrt of Stanford University.

The singer's retreat will conclude with a celebrated Latin Mass at Holy Trinity Seminary, next to the University of Dallas campus on the evening of Sunday, February 11. The Mass will provide the ordinary of the Latin Mass. The retreat choir will also prepare some Gregorian chants and a variety of motets to be sung within the Mass.

NOTE: This is a change from the location of the Mass for all previous years (St. Luke's). We express our sincere appreciation to Marilyn Walker, UD music department head, who arranged the change of venue in record time when St. Luke's was unavailable.

You can find the Holy Trinity location by getting on Mapquest.com or other map site with their address (3150 Vince Hagan Drive, Irving TX 75062). If you invite friends to come hear us, please give them detailed directions to the new location.

To find your way around the University of Dallas campus, visit www.udallas.edu, the campus Web site (or see a printable map). Campus address is 1845 Northgate Drive, Irving TX 75062.

Retreat sessions will begin the evening of Friday, February 9 on the University of Dallas campus; they will continue Saturday morning and afternoon. After a Sunday morning rehearsal (for those with no church music commitments) and a Sunday afternoon rehearsal/warmup at UD, retreat participants will sing the Mass.

All rehearsals will be combined with informal lecture and discussion. Dr. Mahrt, now editor of the revitalized periodical, Sacred Music, is expected to discuss musical developments related to the election of Pope Benedict XVI, such as a growing incorporation into Catholic services of traditional music - chant and polyphony in particular - and the anticipation of a liberalized policy on the celebration of the Latin Mass in the traditional form.

All music will be rehearsed and performed a capella. Participants need not be professional singers, but should be proficient readers with a good sense of pitch.

We will follow the Saturday afternoon rehearsal with wine and cheese for all participants.

The weekend retreat is sponsored by the University of Dallas Music Department, Dallas Renaissance and Medieval Music, the Texas Toot, and the Renaissance Polyphony Project.

You may register online, but we must receive your deposit check by postal mail to complete your registration.



For further information, call Susan Scheib at 214/327-6823 or email to polyphony@toot.org. Please share this information with other interested singers.