The modern Choir of the Polifonica Mate- rana “Pierluigi da Palestrina” rises in 1990 when the young organist Carmine Antonio Catenazzo, pushed from the passion for choral music and exhorted by Mons. Felice D' Ercole (Chancellor of the Church of S. Francesco d' Assisi in Matera), starts the Choir, with some “old singers” and with a group of young people, as mixed voices choir. From then, the Coro della Polifonica Materana “Pierluigi da Palestrina” completes a way in continuous rise, asserting itself in the course of the years as one of the more appreciates choruses of the region, and promoter of cultural initiatives, like as an example the A.Ba.Co. - Association Basilicata Cori, supported by the Fe.N.I.A.R.C.O., where  it appears between the Founding Associates.  To the choral organic joins also the Chamber Orchestra, that accompanies the Chorus in the execution of the concerted repertoire with orchestra, a vocal ensemble and the Schola Gregoriana "Matheolae Gregorianae Voces", specialized in the execution of gregorian chant, directing from M° Catenazzo.  The repertoire of the Chorus goes from the ancient to the classic, romantic and modern polyphony, to gospel music, with prevalence of the sacred polyphony.  Make part of its repertoire also works with orchestral accompanyment of:   W. A. Mozart (Krönungsmesse KV 317, Ave Verum Corpus KV 618, Requiem KV 626, Laudate Dominum from the “Vesperae solennes de Confessore” KV   339), A. Vivaldi (Gloria RV 589, Credo RV 611), N. H. Samale (In Memoriam   1799 - Exile and Died of Domenico Cimarosa), F. Schubert (Mass D167) beyond to numerous operas drawn from works of J. S. Bach and G.F. Haendel.  

In 1996 it has carried out a tournée in Germany host of the University of the Saarland, performing also in the Dome of Trier in occasion of the exposure of the “Tunica Christi”.  It has carried out a tournée between Italy and Germany in collaboration with the Chorus and the Orchestra of the University of Saarland (1997) for the execution of  Requiem KV 626 by W. A. Mozart, that has been published as a “live” CD.  It performed the Krönungsmesse KV 317 of W. A. Mozart (1997), under the prestigious direction of the M° Piero Bellugi.

In 2000 performed to the presence of unforgettable Pope John Paul II, in S. Pietro in occasion of the Jubilee of the Basilicata.

On Christmas day 2000 it performed "via Internet" in connection with Israel and Palestine, in occasion of the “world-wide Days for the peace in Medium-East”. It collaborated with Prof. Michele Mirabella in the realization of two “Oratories” dedicates to the Christmas and Peace (2002 - 2005).

It participated to the Festivals “Duni" edition 2001 with the Schola Gregoriana, edition 2002 with the Poliphonic Chorus, performing under the skillful direction of the M° Nicola Hanselik Samale, edition 2005 with a thematic program on the evolution of sacred vocal music directed from the M° Catenazzo.

In  2004 it published the CD “Ecce Lignum - I Grandi polifonisti sotto la Croce”, dedicated to sacred vocal music inspired to the “Passion of Christ”, in occasion of the 60 years from the constitution of the Association. The CD, that has collected many appreciations, is still in distribution in the Paoline Bookcases of all Italy and has been many times over transmitted by radio from Radio Maria .

It participated to the International Festival of Sacred Music “Virgo Lauretana” that has been carried out in Loreto from the 19 to the 23 of april 2006, with unanimous consents of   public and of critic.

It organized on behalf of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, a concert for the European Heritage Days 2007.

It held many concerts in all Italy, participating also to numerous  Choral Festivals: IX and XII Christmas Festival “L. Murialdo” of Foggia; I National Festival kept to the Theatre “Marruccino” of Chieti; I Choral Festival “Scholae Cantorum Lucaniae” of   Genzano di Lucania; National Festival A.N.S.P.I of Bari; VII National Festival of Choral Music of Venosa (Pz); VII National Festival of Serino (AV): Festival “Tra antiche mura” of Perfugas (SS): I Choral Competition “Rotary Club Foggia Capitanata”; I and IV Festival of Sacred Music of Montevergine (Av); X Choral Festival “P. Francesco Coletta of Foggia; XI Festival “G.Giovannini” of Fermignano (Pu);  XXI International Choral Festival "Città di Ciampino"; XVI Choral Festival "Coricantando" of Camerino (Mc); V and VIII Sacred Music Festival  "G. d'Onofrio" of Atri (Te); X Sacred Music Festival of Civitavecchia (Rm); XII International Choral Festival "G. Tallè" of San Ginesio (Mc).

It executed numerous works in "Prima Assoluta”, by living Authors as Carmelo A. Bruno, Nicola H. Samale and Pasquale Menchise, but also of historical Authors as Giacomo Lapolla (1843-1925) and don Vincenzo De Tutiis (XVII century).

It collaborated with Masters as Nicola Samale, Vincenzo Perrone, Vito Clemente, Antonio Serrano, Elisabetta Maschio, Giuseppe Basile, Nicola Ventrella; it collaborated with the Symphonic Orchestra of the Province of Matera and it participated to  2° and to 7° Great Gala “Città dei Sassi” (2001 and 2006), organized from the same Institution.

It participated to the Mediaset transmission “Sunday of the Village”, transimtted from Matera and has animated one Mass transmitted via Radio on the frequencies of “Radio Maria”. The transmission “Geo&Geo” transmitted the resumptions of one of its Christmas concert, recorded in Matera in December 2005. In December 2011 it animated the Holy Mass live tv from Matera on the TV channel Rete 4.

It performed in summer 2008, in Santa Rita in Cascia (Pg) and St. Francesco in Assisi (Pg). In the summer of 2009 it held a concert dedicated to the polyphony of the Roman School in Palestrina (RM), at the presence of prominent experts of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

In 2010 it performed in the presence of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal.

It published in 2010 with Farelive, to celebrate twenty years after reconstitution of the choir, the CD "Coramore," an anthology of "live" sacred and profane music collected over the years.

From 2005 it organizes the Poliphonic Festival “Petra Matrix”, that carries out in the evocative scene of the Historical and Rock Churches of the Sassi, and the Christmas Choral Festival “Puer natus est”.

The friendship and the enthusiasm that joins the singers and the M° Catenazzo are the true resources of the formation, that promises an interesting future.

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