A group of 75 students of St. Paul’s Convent School [SPCS] Orchestra and Choir, together with eight teachers participated in a music tour to Italy and visited Milan, Rome and the Vatican City between February 6 and 18.
The tour encompassed masterclasses for various instruments and intense vocal training in preparation for the highly anticipated concert performance at the magnificent San Lorenzo in Damaso, a basilica integrated into the Palazzo della Cancelleria.
The concert proved to be an overwhelming success, captivating the audience from the opening piece, Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus KV618. This was followed by Mozart’s Dona Nobis Pacem and J.S. Bach’s Motet BWV 227 Jesu, meine Freude. The grand finale was marked by the spiritually uplifting Amazing Grace and the inspiring Preghiera. Every moment on the stage was a cherished memory for both the performers and the attendees.
Another highlight was a visit to the generalate of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres in Rome. There, the visiting Paulinians had the privilege of meeting Mother Maria Goretti Lee, the superior general and other sisters of different nationalities.
Angelic voices resonated through the hall of the generalate as the choir sang hymns and prayers in praise of our Lord and Mother Mary. The prayer service ended with the singing of the school hymn before the participants were treated to refreshing Italian gelato.
Paulinians were grateful for the precious experience they had to polish their musical skills and valued the opportunity to showcase their talents before an international audience. In addition to the music, art and culture of Italy, they were truly impressed by the awe-inspiring ancient Roman architecture and rich history of the Colosseum and Pantheon. They also marvelled at the Renaissance masterpieces in the Vatican Museum which included the paintings of Raphael and Michelangelo’s grand frescoes adorning the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
