(Posted October 24, 2011)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The Juniata Concert Choir will perform a mass written by the Renaissance composer Giovanni Palestrina at 11 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 30, at the Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Patton, Pa.

Queen of Peace Parish celebrates the 11 a.m. mass in Latin. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI allowed Catholic parishes to offer Latin masses.

The Juniata choir will perform a mass written by Giovannia Pierluigi da Palestrina, who was the first Italian composer to publish a book of sacred music masses. He composed more than 100 masses during his lifetime (1524-1594). He was the director of the choir at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and was a favorite composer of Pope Julius III.

The Juniata choir is directed by Russell Shelley, Alma Stine Heckler Professor of Music at Juniata.
The Juniata Concert Choir is one of three choirs performing at the college. The 50-person choir tours every spring semester, focusing its program on historical sacred music. Juniata choirs have performed at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. The choir also tours internationally almost every year.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.