The Sound of Music from a 73 year old Dominican Nun

Sr Ann McGovern OP, a Dominican Sister in her seventies has decided to share her singing talents on cd for the first time.

Sr Ann has been singing all her life and in her day she was a really good soprano. But it was not until she entered her 73rd year that she finally put a CD together. As a Dominican, a religious order referred to as the Order of Preachers, it is no surprise that Ann chose to undertake this project. She currently sings with Our Lady’s Choral Society. The Choral Society appears regularly at the National Concert Hall, accompanied by the National Sinfonia, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. The eminent Irish conductor Proinnsías Ó Duinn has been responsible for the choir’s musical development since 1979.

The Congregation Prioress, Sr Helen Mary Harmey, asked Sr Ann to record the CD so that the sisters would have her recordings as a keep-sake.  The recording project was planned and began in November 2010 when Patricia Feighery who is the music teacher in St Dominic’s School in Cabra was asked to work with Sr Ann to prepare her for the recording sessions.

Mr Ian Callanan, one of Ireland’s leading composers of liturgical music as well as a notable producer and arranger, was asked to record and produce the music with Sr Ann: “The recording took one year to complete. Sr Ann would record one song a week depending on how well her 73 year old voice would hold up. She did a great job and had a great spirit throughout the whole recording and editing process. The end result is beautiful and makes for a very easy listening CD, very peaceful and calming”, Ian explained.

The CD which is called Your Face O Lord, I Seek will be launched by Proinnsías Ó Duinn on Thursday 9th February in the Dominican Resource Centre in Cabra at 5:30pm. Your Face O Lord, I Seek contains 12 songs reflecting a variety of music and it will be available from the Dominican Sisters.

Commenting on her CD Sr Ann said: “I’m very pleased with the result and found the process to be very worthwhile, it has been an exciting journey, one that I hope will bring peace to those who listen to the CD”.

Ends

Notes to Editors: 

The full list of songs follows:How Beautiful are the Feet

• Ave Maria
• Sé do Bheatha ‘Mhuire
• Hiding Place
• Panis Angelicus
• Be Still
• The Lord Bless You and Keep You
• Sé an Thiarna m’Aoire
• Laudate
• An Old Sacred Lullaby
• The Little Road to Bethlehem
• Holy Night

A copy of the cd artwork is available on request from Ian Callanan (icallanan@mac.com) or (086) 249 0779

Two short samples can be heard by visiting http://www.iancallanan.com/music/srann/

About the Dominican Order:

The founder of the Order of Preachers was Dominic Guzman. He was born in Caleruega in Spain in 1170. He died in 1221 in Bologna, Italy.  The first monastery of nuns was founded by Saint Dominic in Prouille near Fanjeaux in the South of France.  The first Dominicans friars, came to Dublin in 1224.The history of the Cabra Dominicans Sisters  (Ireland) dates back to Galway 1644.  A group came to Channel Row, Dublin in 1717. In the 1860’s, sisters went to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and America.  In the last century they went to Latin America.  The sisters were mainly involved in Education and because of praying the Divine Office had a strong tradition in liturgical music.

Further information:

Helen Mary Harmey OP, Congregation Prioress,  Tel: 01-4055570, E:domgen@eircom .net