Magical performance in St Peter’s Church

July 17, 2017

Monmouth School and HMSG’s talented musicians delivered a magical performance at St Peter’s in Rome.

The singers and string players provided music by English, Italian and Ukrainian composers for a service in the largest church in the world.

Monmouth School Director of Music David Lawson described the choir as ‘outstanding’ on their hugely successful tour to Italy.

The youngsters’ delivery of Jesus Christ The Apple Tree, a poem set to music by late English composer Elizabeth Poston, was exceptional.

“Leading a trip to St Peter’s had been on my bucket list for 25 years and it was everything I could have wished for,” said Mr Lawson.

“The experience was amazing and I don’t think the singers and string players will ever get an opportunity to do it again.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the children.

“We had been preparing for the trip for 12 months and the choir sang the best they had ever sung.”

The party of 34 boys and six girls spent four days in Rome and three in Perugia as part of their inspiring trip.

Around 20 parents also made the journey to Italy.

They also gave a concert in the American Church in Rome, the Arts Complex in Perugia and sang for the Sunday service in Perugia Cathedral on their last day.

In recent years, the choir has sung in St Paul’s Cathedral, as well as the Mezquita of Cordoba and the Aix-en-Provence Festival.

Their tours are not all music though – in Italy they visited the Villa d’Este, a World Heritage Site famous for its fountains and terraced hillside garden.

Mr Lawson added: “St Peter’s is the biggest church in the world.

“Having accepted a rare invitation to sing at St Peter’s, it was a fantastic experience and even a step up from singing at St Paul’s Cathedral.”

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