Despite ACC’s extensive experience with sacred music, the primary challenge for the young choristers has been learning to sing in Italian. Daniel consulted with experts in Catholic liturgical music Fiona Dyball and St Patrick’s Cathedral music director Dr Philip Mathias, as well as Nancy Calo, an Italian language coach for opera singers, to select appropriate hymns.
‘[The challenge] is more just for the young people who have never sung in Italian before,’ the ACC artistic director says. ‘That’s been probably the biggest challenge, but very enjoyable, and you can hear today that everyone has really gotten their heads around singing in Italian, which is really special to do that for them over there.
‘I mean, it’s quite common to sing in another language, particularly at the ACC. We pride ourselves on programming diverse repertoire in all sorts of languages, and this is just a special occasion where Italian repertoire is obviously the focus.’
Melbourne Catholic was invited to watch some of a rehearsal at the Uniting church in Mitcham, and the talent of the choir was evident. Their singing was beautiful, and when they changed focus from the songs they will sing at the Vatican to some of the lighter tunes to be performed at other venues, the children took on Daniel’s encouragement to ‘have fun with it’ with enthusiasm.
Performing in a venue that’s so rich in history … that’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
One standout was a traditional Liberian children’s clapping song called ‘Kokoleoko’, the sound of a rooster crowing, which they clearly enjoyed performing. Another was ‘Viva la Pappa col Pomodoro’, or ‘Hooray for Tomato Soup’, a 1960s Italian children’s song.
That is one of 14-year-old chorister Theo’s favourites, but he is also looking forward to singing ‘Veni Jesu’ at the Vatican. ‘My mum’s looking forward to me singing there as well. She thinks it’s cool,’ he says. ‘She speaks Italian [and] helps me with the pronunciation.’
Alecia, also 14, really likes the experience of touring. ‘I think that this tour, especially, is going to be really culturally enriching,’ she says. ‘Performing in a venue that’s so rich in history, that’s so well known. I think that’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’m really excited about that.’
Nineteen-year-old Ethan, whose rich bass sounded wonderful in the hymns at rehearsal, is also excited about the experience of touring and performing in venues that will be very different from those in Australia. ‘I’m probably most looking forward to the Vatican, just looking around the city. I have been to Italy before, but I don’t really remember most of it,’ the apprentice carpenter says.