On Sunday, March 9th at 4:00 p.m. inGarden City's Cathedral of the Incarnation, the Long Island Choral Society will continue its 79th Season with a concert featuring performances of works dedicated to St. Cecilia, music's patron saint. She was martyred in the early years of the Third Century, A.D. and is reputed to be the inventor of the organ.

The Choral Society will sing Charles Gounod's Messe Solennelle." This Mass dedicated to St. Cecilia is the work for which Gounod is chiefly remembered as a church composer. Relaxed emotionally in style, critics say it presented a great improvement to contemporary late 19th Century religious music, not only in craftmanship but also in musical taste.

Also to be performed is a work of modern composer Gerald Finzi, who musically framed Edmund Blunden's ceremonial ode 'For St. Cecilia" in 1947. The work was first performed on St. Cecilia's Day, November 22nd of that year. A contrast in many ways from Gounod's Mass, Finzi set Edmund Blunden's poetry to pleasant 20th Century harmonies and rhythms.

As a bonus, the Society's chorus will also perform César Franck's beautiful setting of the 150th Psalm, a much beloved and familiar favorite of both secular and sacred audiences.

The feature soloists of this concert will include Soprano Elizabeth Farnum; Tenor Jonathan Cornell, the Society's Artist-in-Residence this season; and Baritone David McFerrin.

Founded in 1929, the Long Island Choral Society is the longest continuously performing musical group on Long Island. Now in her 29th season as the Society's conductor, Meredith Elaine Baker is Director of Music at the Catholic Chapel of the U.S. Miliary Academy at West Point and a member of the Liturgical Music Commission of the Archdiocese of New York. The Choral Society's 75-voice chorus is drawn from forty Long Island and New York City communities.

Tickets or information may be obtained by calling (516) 594-2926 or at The Long Island Choral Society's website: www.lics.org.

NOTE: More information from Ted Ohland, 516-781-1538