The Record has last week captured the performances of several Perth Catholic Colleges at the Spirit of the Arts Festival.
The Colleges were performing as part of the Secondary Sacred Choral Music division, Tuesday 26 July at St Mary’s Cathedral.
Comprising of the Performing Arts Festival and Angelico Art Exhibition, the term-long festival celebrates artistic creativity and talent and this year included 15,000 students from 90 Catholic schools, including 11 regional schools performing in categories of drama/music production, scripture reading, sacred choral music, big band/jazz combo and more.
St Mary’s Cathedral Music Director, Jacinta Jakovcevic, who was given the role of sole adjudicator for the Secondary Sacred Choral event held on 26 July at St Mary’s Cathedral, spoke about her involvement with the festival in previous years, and her love for mentoring young people, especially in the space of sacred music.
“For many years, I was blessed to accompany many of the school choirs, vocal soloists and instrumentalists who took part in the festival and was involved with their preparations, rehearsals, and coaching,” she said.
“I felt really honoured to be invited to adjudicate Tuesday’s event. I think adjudication is certainly a great responsibility,” Ms Jakovcevic said.
“I think it is important, through my thoughts and comments, to help these young students further develop and progress in their love of sacred music and expertise in its execution, and, of course, to commend them on the wonderful standards and understanding of this special genre which they have already attained,” she said.
“I think it is very exciting that our young students are encountering, engaging with sacred music and take pride in singing it,” she added.
“I always think to myself that, among many other things, sacred music is the vehicle for texts that speak of eternal truths – sometimes even the words of Jesus himself – and as we encounter and sing this music, we start to carry these texts: these words which lift us up to God encourage us, help us when we are unsure, helping us to enter further into the mystery of God Himself and develop our relationship with Him.”
