Father Dave Pivonka, TOR '89 President | Franciscan University website

On May 10, 2024, former Pittsburgh City Council president Theresa Kail Smith honored Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Schola Cantorum Franciscana and Women’s Choir, along with their director, Dr. Vincent Rone, adjunct professor of sacred music. Smith presented them with an official city proclamation for artistic excellence and declared May 3, 2024, as “Franciscan Day” in the city of Pittsburgh.

The proclamation acknowledged Rone and Franciscan University’s sacred music choirs “for their service of communicating the Word of God through beautiful sacred music.” The presentation followed the final performance of Franciscan University’s Schola Cantorum Franciscana’s sacred music concert “The God Bearer” on Friday, May 3.

The concert took place at Holy Trinity Church of Archangel Gabriel Parish in Robinson Township, Pennsylvania. Rone also serves as the director of music at this location. This year's event saw a significant increase in attendance compared to last year's, reflecting growing recognition and appreciation for the excellence of Franciscan University’s sacred music choirs under Rone's leadership.

“In Franciscan University’s Sacred Music Department, we are committed to glorifying God through music, the preeminent art of the Church,” said Rone. He added that they strive each day to offer high-quality music in thanksgiving and praise. Rone expressed hope that their endeavors would raise awareness about the importance of art at Franciscan and invite deeper contemplation on Christ and his Church through beauty.

“The God Bearer” concert featured a selection of sacred choral music framed through four seasonal hymns to the Blessed Virgin Mary: Alma Redemptoris Mater for Advent, Ave Regina Caelorum for Candlemas, Regina Caeli for Easter, and Salve Regina for Pentecost. The repertoire included works by composers from the 20th and 21st centuries, including Sergei Rachmaninoff, Benjamin Britten, and Maurice Duruflé.

Luke Mayernik, composer of “Mary the Dawn” and winner of the VOCES8 composition competition, was also present at the event. He announced plans to dedicate his soon-to-be-published compositions to Rone and members of the Schola Cantorum Franciscana of Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Following the concert, invitations were extended to the Schola to conduct workshops and perform at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School in Pittsburgh, as well as the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio. Additionally, there are plans to air “The God Bearer” performance on St. Gabriel Radio.

For those interested in viewing a recorded livestream from the April 26 performance of “The God Bearer” in Franciscan University’s Christ the King chapel, please visit Schola-Cantorum-The-God-Bearer.