THE SCHOLA CANTORUM is the liturgical choir of The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, one of the country’s foremost Catholic Secondary schools which is widely known for its academic excellence, good discipline and a strong Catholic ethos. The Schola, founded in 1980 and made up of boys aged 11-18, enjoys a reputation as one of the leading choirs of its type. In addition to singing at School Masses, the Schola also has frequent external engagements and has sung at many of London’s major venues including Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, St John’s, Smith Square, The Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Royal Albert Hall.

The Schola has made a number of recordings including ‘Sing in Exultation’, a collection of Christmas music and a CD of Mendelssohn’s ‘Lauda Sion’ alongside works by Dupré, Dvorak and Langlais. The choir has also featured in Radio and TV broadcasts; most recently on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship and on Vatican Radio. The Schola has travelled widely abroad, singing in Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Holland, Germany, France, Italy and the USA. During recent tours the boys have sung at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, St Peter’s Basilica in Rome and at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Members of the Schola are frequently involved in productions at the Royal Opera House and at English National Opera. In 2010 boys from the Schola sang with the Monteverdi Choir in a performance of the Monteverdi Vespers at The Royal Albert Hall conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner as part of the BBC Proms. The Schola features on the soundtrack of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1), released in November 2010.

The Schola’s most recent concerts have included performances of Messe Solennelle by Langlais, Duruflé’s Requiem, J.S. Bach’s St John Passion and Monteverdi’s Vespers with His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts and Tenors Peter Davoren and Nicholas Mulroy. The Trebles of the Schola receive vocal training from Anita Morrison, one of London’s most highly regarded singing teachers. The Schola is directed by Charles Cole, who was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral before winning a major music scholarship to Ampleforth and organ scholarships at Exeter College, Oxford and Westminster Cathedral. He is also Director of The London Oratory Junior Choir.