“You’d have to get your head examined!”
Years ago, that’s what my grandmother told my parents if they’d agree to let me become a chorister at a choir school. It was a life-altering commitment for me, my parents, and my two siblings. A 7:40 am school starting time after an hour-long commute - weekdays and Sundays - plus a weeknight rehearsal, frequent concerts, weddings, and funerals, for four years: my grandmother was right…we must’ve been crazy!
Sixteen years on, I’m so glad we were crazy.
Whenever I try to picture what my life might have been like without music, I am stumped. Since attending St. Paul’s Choir School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I have been able to trace nearly every part of my journey back to my time as a chorister. From going to Juilliard to joining the inspiring team at St. Bart’s, I look back on my family’s crazy commitment with gratitude.
I was drawn to St. Bart’s by a number of things, but especially exciting was the prospect of leading St. Bartholomew’s Choristers: an opportunity to share what I have learned. Unlike the intensive commitment that a choir school requires, our Chorister program is designed to be manageable as an extracurricular for students. We strive to offer a comprehensive musical education that will last a lifetime. This program, which comes at no cost to participants, teaches young choristers to read music notation, sing in several languages, perform with refined vocal technique, and to work together as a team. The Chorister program fosters a love for sacred music, art, language, and history in its participants and helps encourage a strong relationship with the church and community. Beyond the opportunity to sing in one of New York City’s great spaces and one of the largest pipe organs in the world, the Choristers have toured abroad in years past and have even appeared on the Today Show!
We rehearse twice a week and the Choristers recently sang on Christmas Eve. If you know of a child who has an interest in singing, please be in touch to schedule an introductory session. We are delighted to have Choristers of all levels of skills and experience.
Alexander
Photos top to bottom: Alexander Pattavina 1) at the organ at St. Bart's, 2) age 11 at St. Paul's Choir School 2) age 12 singing with St. Paul's Choir (back row, second from the left.)
