Might this be the highlight of Tuesday's Verdi Requiem?

Might this be the highlight of Tuesday's Verdi Requiem?

Old Vaughanian Peter Davoren tackles the famous Ingemisco on Tuesday evening, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all tenor arias.

Here it is sung by one of the world's greatest tenors, Placido Domingo. 

Music at the Carol Service

As hopefully everyone is aware, the Vaughan's annual Carol Service has had to move this year and will be held at St James's, Spanish Place, starting at 7.30 pm on Thursday 20 December.

To get us in the mood here are some links to a few of the pieces the Schola will be singing that evening, sung by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, directed by Stephen Cleobury.

Music for Christmas at the Vaughan

As we approach Christmas there are a number of concerts and services. The Big Band and Schola will be busy as usual providing Christmas cheer at a number of events including our annual Senior Citizens Party and the traditional trip to Nazareth House, a retirement home and hospital in Hammersmith. 

Meanwhile.....


On Saturday 1 December the Schola Cantorum will sing for the 6 pm Vigil Mass at Westminster Cathedral.

On Tuesday 4 December there is a Junior Instrumental Concert, starting at 6 pm in the New Hall at the School.


On Tuesday 11 December the School Choir, accompanied by the Belgravia Chamber Orchestra, is to perform Verdi's spectacular setting of the Requiem Mass at St James's, Spanish Place. This concert, which begins at 7.30 pm, promises to be a truly memorable event.

Finally, the Vaughan's annual Carol Service will this year also be held at St James's, Spanish Place, starting at 7.30 pm on Thursday 20 December.


Where required, tickets can be bought either online by clicking HERE, or from Mr Hansell at the School, or on the door on the evening. 

Life of Pi Soundtrack clips released

Boys from the Schola can be heard singing on the clips from the forthcoming film The Life of Pi on this video.

Fourteen boys recorded the music at Air Studios in September this year.

There are a number of concerts this half-term.

On Tuesday 20 November the School's annual Concert in Honour of St Cecilia will be held at St Paul's Church, Hamersmith. The programme includes:

Parry       Blest Pair of Sirens
Coates     London Suite
Ravel       Mother Goose Suite
Faure       Requiem

The concert will also include a selection of lighter music from the Sixth Form Choir. The Faure Requiem will be sung by the Schola, accompanied by the Belgravia Chamber Orchestra in the reduced orchestral version by John Rutter.

On Tuesday 11 December the School Choir will sing Verdi's spectacular setting of the Requiem Mass at St James's, Spanish Place. Accompanied again by the Belgraivia Chamber Orchestra, augmented by many pupils, this promises to be a very memorable occasion.

In addition, there is a Lower School Instrumental Recital at 6 pm on Wednesday 14 November and a Junior Instrumental Concert for the younger ensembles at 6 pm on Tuesday 4 December. The Schola will sing the Vigil Mass at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 1 December and also will make its annual visit to Nazareth House on the morning of Sunday 9 December.

Term will end with the School's annual Carol Service on Thursday 20 December - further details on this highlight of the Vaughan's musical year will follow very shortly.

Tickets and further details can be found at www.cvms.co.uk

Concert for Our Lady

Here is the full programme from last Thursday's Concert in Honour of Our Lady, given by the Schola Cantorum at the Carmelite Priory, Kensington.

The concert raised £2000 for the charity Aid to the Church in Need.

There is a blog about the concert HERE:

And a news article from ACN which will appear in the Catholic Press over the next week or so HERE:

Programme of Music:

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Ave Maria                                                          plainsong

Ave Maria                                                          Robert Parsons (1530-1571)

Veni Sponsa Mea                                               Étienne Moulinié (1599 – 1676)

Ave Maria                                                          Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)

            Bogoroditse Devo                                            Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)

            Ave Maria                                                          Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

            Stabat Mater                                                     Giovanni Pergolesi (1710-1736)

Mother of God, Here I Stand                         John Tavener (1944-)

Ave Maris Stella                                              Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

Tota Pulchra Es Maria                                    Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)

Ave Maris Stella                                              Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

Maria, mater gratiae                                        Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

A Hymn to the Virgin                                       Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Ave Maria                                                           James MacMillan (1959-)

Britten's Hymn to the Virgin

To get us all in the mood for the Concert of Marian music on October 25 at the Carmelite Priory. 

This term's concert posters

Our wonderful designer has been at work again putting together some beautiful posters for this term's concerts. Tickets for all these events are available from the School and online on the School's website.

Verdi Requiem Dies Irae

Here is a performance of the Dies Irae from the Verdi Requiem. Perhaps you might show this to anyone thinking about joining the choir this term.

The conductor is Semon Bychkov, who some boys might remember conducting us in Tanhauser at the Royal Opera House. 

Faure Requiem Pie Jesu Solo

This is the solo from the Faure Requiem that will be a challenge for someone on November 20.

Aurora

Following the tragic shooting at the screening of the Dark Knight Rises, composer Hans Zimmer wrote a piece in memory of the victims and with all funds raised going to the families.

Vaughan treble Thomas Fetherstonhaugh sang on this recording, made at Air Studios in July this year. You can hear the music below.

Highlights from Guys and Dolls

A short medley of some of the tunes from last Summer's production of Guys and Dolls is now available on the School website.

Click HERE to listen to it.

The Life of Pi

Just found this trailer for the forthcoming Life of Pi film - looks like it will be quite a spectacle.

Music For Foundation Day - Psalm 150

With Foundation Day Mass just over a week away I thought this video of the Choir of Westminster Cathedral performing Mawby's Psalm 150 might be of interest. This will be the Psalm setting for the day of our Mass too of course.

Very lovely singing indeed from one of the world's great choirs, conducted by Martin Baker. 

Boys Record for Danny Elfman

Following the recording of the Dark Shadow soundtrack last March, the Vaughan boys were back with American composer Danny Elfman last night,  recording for a new film to be released later this year (name to follow).

As last time, Danny was very lovely to the boys, and full of compliments about their singing.

This was the second session the boys have taken part in this first week of term, having been recording for another forthcoming Hollywood release at Air Studios earlier in the week. Further details will follow soon.

Music for Foundation Day

Foundation Day Mass at Westminster Cathedral, on Friday 21 September, is the first big occasion for the Schola this year. It will be wonderful to have the whole School gathered under one roof for Mass celebrated by His Grace, Archbishop Vincent Nichols.

Music to be sung that day includes Schubert's Mass in G, O Sacrum Convivium by Guerrero and Parry's I Was Glad.

Here is a clip of I was Glad, as sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey, directed by James O'Donnell, at the Royal Wedding last year (starting at about 2.30). If you look very carefully you might recognise one or two faces!

Jazz Legend to work with Big Band

Amazingly, in March next year the School is to welcome jazz legend Arturo Sandoval to the School to work with our Big Band. Further details will follow.

Arturo Sandoval is one of the greatest living jazz musicians, a world renowned trumpeter, composer and also a famous humanitarian.

Hear him playing A Night in Tunisia on this video clip!

Vaughan Schola Commisions James Macmillan

The Schola Cantorum has commissioned composer James MacMillan to write a piece for the choir to mark the 100th anniversary of the Vaughan in 2014. The motet will be sung at the Vaughan's Foundation Day service at Westminster Cathedral in September 2014.

Scottish composer James MacMillan is one of the world's greatest living composers and the leading Catholic composer of our day. He composes in all genres but is especially well know for his Catholic church music and was the composer of much of the music sung at the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

Below is a video of MacMillan's composition, Tu Es Petrus, sung as the Pope entered Westminster Cathedral for his the Papal Mass during his visit. 

Schola Concert in October

Here is the poster for the Schola's concert this October, being given for Aid to the Church in Need.

The concert will be a collection of music from across the ages devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, interspersed with readings about Our Lady.

Tickets will be on sale at the start of term from the School.