Local high school students sing for the Pope
December 20, 2016
The Select Ensemble of Hammond School will begin its choral concert tour of Austria and Italy on Monday, December 26, 2016. The premier auditioned choir, consisting of 48 Upper School students in grades 9-12, will perform throughout the two countries in venues including the Salzburg Cathedral, the Basilica di Santa Maria in Impruneta, the Church of Santa Stefano Al Ponte in Florence, and culminate in performances in the New Year’s Day Papal Mass in Vatican City and conclude with a benefit concert in the Pantheon in Rome.
The Select Ensemble has been chosen and is honored to share their talent and the gift of music, as they lend their voices to the 2017 New Year’s Day Papal Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City as they sing with the Pope’s resident choir at 10:00 am January 1st (4:00 am Eastern Standard Time). The group will perform alongside the Sistine Chapel Choir, with Pope Francis presiding over the high Holy Mass for the new year.
With public concerts throughout Salzburg, a joint cultural and musical exchange in Impruneta, and the unbelievably incredible opportunity to sing for Pope Francis, the choir is excited to host a public concert for the city of Rome on January 2, 2017 in the Pantheon. During this event the choir will collect a love offering from those in attendance to go immediately and directly to the earthquake relief efforts of central Italy.
Additional information on the trip may be obtained through the group’s blog and social media at:
http://2016selectensembletour.blogspot.com/
on Twitter: @hammondchoirs
on Instagram: @hammondselectensemble
Steven Hillard, Director of Choirs, can be reached at [email protected]. A full itinerary of the tour and the Ensemble’s biography are attached.
Cissy Pope, Director of Communications, can be reached at 803-312-2544 and [email protected].
Hammond School is an independent day school located in Columbia, South Carolina serving students in grades Prekindergarten through 12. The college preparatory curriculum includes a strong global emphasis, in addition to athletic, artistic, and service learning components. www.hammondschool.org
