A recital featuring the talents of Catholic musicians from around the world is expected to be a highlight of Jubilee Marian Week in the Diocese of Calgary.

Mary, the Mystical Rose Concert, at St. Mary’s Church in Banff, Alta. on Aug. 17 will showcase compositions from the likes of Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach and Franz Schubert, and poetic works from William Wordsworth, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Cameron Bellm.

Mezzo-soprano Nan Hughes Poole, a longtime member of the parish choir and a prominent member of Banff’s artistic community, was entrusted by her pastor, Fr. Dan Stevenot, to conceptualize this concert. She began brainstorming the title by reflecting upon the various names accorded to the Mother of Christ, such as Queen of Heaven and Earth and Our Lady, Star of the Sea.

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“I looked at the (Litany of Loreto) prayer that has many of Mary’s qualities for which we honour her, and I liked the mention of the mystical rose,” said Poole. “The rose, in this case, stands for purity, and many think the rose is the most beautiful flower that we have.”

Regarding beauty, Poole said she appreciates to this day the opportunity to share her musical talents in a parish adorned with stained glass windows depicting the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Assumption of Mary and the Immaculate Conception. Such “stunning and sacred” imagery, said Poole, offers an impactful reminder “that she is a beautiful example for us” on how to draw closer to God.

In addition to the scenery for the concert being aspirational, Poole said there is transcendent power in listening to pieces like the Ave Maria in Latin or The Magnificat (also known as the Song of Mary or Canticle of Mary).

“Music communicates through more channels than simply the word,” said Poole. “It helps us to understand these prayers more deeply. When composers write music to the Gloria, I also believe they are, in some sense, vessels of God, because their gifts come from God, and they give them back to God.”

This concert will provide Poole with an additional gift as she "feels blessed and am truly thrilled" to reunite with talented friends and collaborators. For a number of years, she, fellow mezzo-soprano Amy Anderson and soprano Kathy McMillan Wilhelm joined forces as a vocal trio named Times Three.

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“We sang Andrews Sisters style of music with symphony orchestras in Canada and the (United States), and even on the islands of Saipan, Rota and Tinian,” said Poole.

McMillan Wilhelm and Anderson are travelling great distances, from Germany and Chicago, respectively, to join Poole in Banff.

Pianist Jack Olszewski, oboist Solomon Ip and violinist Lev Nesterov round out the roster of performers.

Every piece in the set list is expected to directly commemorate the importance of Mary, but Poole joked, “you never know, we might put one in about the mountains.”

Poole and her peers from St. Mary’s Church choir do like to perform hymns that allude to mountains as a treat for the tourists who visit the parish, given that they came to Banff to experience the majestic Rocky Mountains. She has remained appreciative over the years to share her talents in such an atmosphere.  

“I see God in the mountains,” said Poole. “Many people are drawn here for the (physical) beauty and spiritual beauty of the mountains. You go to church and then you walk outside. (When) you see the mountains, you're moved by the beauty God has given us in the earth.”

The Calgary diocese has long recognized the power of hosting spiritual events against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. During Jubilee Marian Week (Aug. 15-22), both young adults and all pilgrims will complete respective Cross of Hope pilgrimages from St. Mary’s Church to the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies in Canmore, Alta., by way of the Legacy Trail.

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Aug. 18 features Crowned by Stars: A Concert for the Queen in Heaven, a night of sacred music guided by Catholic conductor Carlos Foggin.  

To learn more, visit catholicyyc.ca.