In an official note, the Founder and General President of the Fondazione Pro Musica e Arte Sacra, Dr. Hans-Albert Courtial argued: "The 2014 Festival was an unprecedented success: around 1000 orchestra professors and singers took part , 26 soloists, 8 conductors and choir masters from many corners of the world, namely from Japan, USA, Germany, Austria, Tatarstan, Vatican City State and Italy. 

In the eight evenings of the Festival, three of the most important pages of musical literature were performed, such as the Oratorium "Saul" by Georg Friedrich Händel, the Oratorium "Lazarus" by Franz Schubert, the Mass in F-Minor and the "Te Deum" by Anton Bruckner, “Ein deutsches Requiem” by Johannes Brahms, Joseph Julian Gonzalez's Misa Azteca, Mark Hayes's Requiem, Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem Mass, Lorenzo Perosi's Misa Prima Pontificalis and Jubilate Deo - Sacred Motets for choirs in the mirror of musical cultures. 

The public showed great appreciation for this edition of the Festival: over 11,000 people from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Principality of Liechtenstein, France, Japan, the United States of America, Russia, Denmark, Spain, from the Vatican City State attended the numerous concerts in the extraordinary setting of the Papal Basilicas and the Basilicas of Rome ". 

The most anticipated musical appointment of the Capital was the concert of the Wiener Philharmoniker, orchestra in residence of the Festival since the first edition, together with the Wiener Singverein, directed by M ° Ingo Metzmacher and with a cast of international voices (the event took place on October 23, 2014 at 9.00 pm at the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls), with the rare performance of the Lazarus oratory, unfinished score, by Franz Schubert among the most touching of his sacred production. 

Another particularly touching moment was the private concert reserved for supporters of the Pro Musica e Arte Sacra Foundation performed by the Coro della Cappella Musicale Pontificia “Sistina”, directed by Maestro Massimo Palombella, in the splendid setting of the Corsini Chapel in the Papal Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano on 28 October 2014. 

The Fondazione Pro Musica e Arte Sacra has from this year also its hymn, precisely the INNO ALLA FEDE for oboe and strings by the Maestro and Composer Andrea Morricone. The composition was performed before the execution of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem Mass on Sunday, October 26, 2014 at the opening of the concert in the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls by the Japanese “Illuminart Philharmonic Orchestra”, conducted by Maestro Tomomi Nishimoto. 

This edition of the Festival has contributed to a true spiritual elevation and also encouraged ecumenical meetings, participating in the Festival protestant musicians from Germany (Kantorei Schlosskirche Weilburg and Capella Weilburgensis) and Orthodox Christians from Tatarstan (Choir and Orchestra of the Kazan State Conservatory).

In addition, in the Festival took also part the Japanese Choir and the Philharmonic Orchestra Illuminart. Choristers and orchestras of different religious professions representative of the religious reality of the Japanese State performed and were also giving life to interreligious dialogue between Christians and the religions that coexist in Japan. 

The Fondazione Pro Musica e Arte Sacra also presented on Thursday 23 October 2014 at 12, in the Academic Hall of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, the Fondazione Pro Musica e Arte Sacra Award 2014 for important personalities who, as artists, supporters, benefactors or patrons, have contributed to the culture of music and sacred art. 

2014 received the award: 

Maestro Mons. Pablo Colino

Prefect for the Music of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, for his merits in favor of sacred music in the Vatican and throughout the world as a teacher and tireless artistic director for more than 50 years; 

Prof. Dr. Dr. Herbert Batliner
Knight Grand Cross with Diamonds of the Principality of Liechtenstein, as a great patron and supporter of sacred music and sacred art;  

Maestro Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Harnoncourt Austrian orchestra conductor, for his merits towards sacred music; 

Maestro Tomomi Nishimoto

Japanese orchestra conductor, for his determination to rediscover the Orasho tradition in Japan as a song deriving from Gregorian chant, and for his research on these ancient Christian songs.

The Founder and President General Dr. Hans Albert Courtial concluded as follows: "It has always been known that music, by virtue of its transcendental character, is able to transmit spiritual experiences more effectively than words and images: this is why it is strictly related to faith and religious rites have always been accompanied by music. For me it is always a great joy to help bring people to listen to sacred music in sacred places also through the INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SACRED MUSIC AND ART”.

XIII International Festival of Sacred Music and Art

The XIII International Festival of Sacred Music and Art took place in Rome and the Vatican from 22 to 29 October 2014 with the Wiener Philharmoniker as orchestra in residence. 

Press Conference of the Festival 2014
The press conference of the XIII International Festival of Sacred Music and Art was on October 14, 2014 at 11.30 am at Palazzo Cardinal Cesi, in Via della Conciliazione n ° 51 - Rome.