Plain chant, red robes and Latin: not something that springs instantly to mind when
thinking of today’s teenagers. But Roman audiences were enchanted recently by the
musical discipline and pitch perfect performances of a group of young British boys
who take great pride in their tradition of choral singing, treating congregations
at the English College and Sant'Eustachio to renditions of works by Monteverdi, Dupre
and Balfour Gardiner.
Founded in 1980, the Schola Cantorum of the Cardinal
Vaughan Memorial School has risen to become one of Britain’s leading liturgical
choirs. Comprising an average of 40 boys ranging in age from 11 to 18, they have
preformed at the BBC proms, on film soundtracks and, more recently, in St Peter’s
Basilica as part of their Roman Tour.
“The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School
is particularly renowned for its musical excellence, and the main job of the choir
is to sing for all of the school’s liturgies, so this means that all of our music
is liturgical”, says choir director Charles Cole. As Pope Benedict XVI said, beautiful
music, beautifully sung can be one of the highest forms of prayer: Listen: