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 and the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

The Schola has made a number of recordings, the most recent of which ‘Sing in Exultation’ is a CD of Christmas music. The choir has also featured in Radio and TV broadcasts; most recently on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship and on Vatican Radio. The boys have also appeared on BBC Television’s Songs of Praise. The Schola has travelled widely abroad, singing in Greece, Holland, Germany, France, Italy and the USA. The choir's last major tour was to Rome where the boys sang at Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor's Titular Church, Santa Maria sopra Minerva and at the major Basilicas of St John Lateran, St Mary Major, St Paul's outside the Walls and St Peter's. They were addressed by the Pope with these words: "I am pleased to greet the Schola Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School in London. May your music, your studies and your lives always be directed to the praise of God and the growth of his Kingdom."

Since 1998, the Schola has been directed by Charles Cole, who was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral before winning a major music scholarship to Ampleforth. He went on to become Organ Scholar at Exeter College, Oxford, reading Music and studying the organ with David Sanger, before returning to Westminster Cathedral as Organ Scholar. He is also Director of Music at Our Lady of Victories, Kensington. 

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