Festival: Music at the Church of the Ascension 2017

We only have records dating back to the 1960s but certainly before the war, when there was a large resident congregation, music would have played an important part in the life of the church. Between 1969 and 1973 Janet Anderson and Vivenne Pagliai (former organist/choir director, All Saints’ Anglican Church, Milan) joined forces to organize a series of organ recitals and choral concerts. We are very grateful for the interest shown by the Italian-Brazilian conductor Martinho Lutero Galati De Oliveira, Robert Michaels, organist and master of choristers, Lugano Cathedral, as well as Kathryn Armour and Terrence Gauss-Woolen, who have been running voice masterclasses on the lake for many years. The church cooperates with Mikrokosmos of Lecco (Christina Monti and Gian Marco Solaro) and Amadeus Arte (Floraleda Sacchi, harp recitalist) to produce in 2011 a single general programme. Judith Liber, the well-known harpist and teacher has also expressed interest. In her opinion the acoustics of the church are much better for music than more famous concert venues. Who can forget the wonderful image of a gilded harp played at a recital in 2010 against the splendid gold mosaics of the apse! Visiting choirs are enamoured by the warmth of the church due to a combination of factors such as the stunning beauty of the church itself, the stupendous surroundings of Lake Como, with its steep mountains and the happy holiday spirit of the tourists who much appreciate these events. All this is sufficient to inspire the organizer of such events to continue with the annual music season.