Latest news The latest in depth articles and information about the choir is published three times a year in Schola News, the newsletter of the Friends of the Schola. Click here to subscribe. Click here for archive stories: 2007, 2008.

The Priests and Schola join forces to perform The Armed Man in London Updated: 15.12.2009 With the fastest selling classical debut album of all time, selling over two million copies, The Priests will perform favourites from this and their new album Harmony alongside the inspirational Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man. Accompanied by The London Oratory School Schola, proceeds go to the Schola Foundation to support the work of what Choir and Organ Magazine recently described as, "one of the best boys' choirs in the world”. The concert takes place at Cadogan Hall on Friday 12th February 2010 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available for £45, £30 and £20 from the Cadogan Hall box office on 020 7730 4500 or at www.cadoganhall.com. Discounts available for Friends of the Schola members by contacting the Schola office.

Schola joins Patron Simon Callow for a fundraising Christmas concert Updated: 20.11.2009 The choir performs at the Musicians Benevolent Fund's Christmas concert, Night Time Noël, an evening of festive celebrations hosted by Simon Callow and featuring tenor Nicky Spence on Friday 4 December 2009 at 7pm at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden. Tickets: £15 - adults £10 – children & concessions Book tickets now at http://shop.mbf.org.uk/ or call 020 7239 9114

New 'Spirit of the Saints' recording now available Updated: 20.11.2009 The Schola has released the second of its two recordings on the Regent label. 'Spirit of the Saints' features works by contemporary British composer Roxanna Panufnik, including the first recording of the chamber version of the acclaimed Westminster Mass. The recording will be available on general release from next week, however it can be purchased directly from the Schola for only £10 by clicking here.

Boys feature on Fantastic Mr. Fox movie Updated: 14.10.2009

The Schola choristers were at Abbey Road Studios last month recording for the new animated film 'Fantastic Mr Fox'. The film, voiced by stars such as George Clooney and Meryl Streep, premieres tonight at the opening of the BFI London Film Festival in Leicester Square. The boys met film composer Alexandre Desplat and film director Wes Anderson in the recording studio, as well as the expensive models used in the movie. The film opens in cinemas on 23rd October and the soundtrack featuring the Schola boys is available now in shops and online through our website.

Choristers feature on the debut album of Gary Barlow's new signing, Camilla Kerslake Updated: 07.10.2009 A number of choristers recently visited the Air Studios in north London, to record on the debut album of a new classical singer Camilla Kerslake. The artist was recently discovered by Gary Barlow and signed to his new record label ‘Future Records’. The boys sang a number of Christmas carol arrangements that feature on the album, which is released on 16th November.

Chorister Outreach continues for another year Updated: 01.10.2009 Following last year's success in Hammersmith & Fulham, the school has been awarded funding for another year to carry out chorister outreach work with local primary schools. The project known as Oratory Sing Up will focus on 7 Catholic schools in the local boroughs of Wandsworth and Kensington & Chelsea. Similarly to the previous year, specialist singing leaders, including our very own Schola staff, will go into the primary schools on a weekly basis, often with our choristers and choral scholars. Each term's work will culminate with a concert featuring all the children, the Schola and professional instrumentalists. The successful West London Children's Choirs, who recently recorded a track for Damon Albarn and the brand new Gorillaz album out next year, will continue to rehearse weekly on a Saturday morning at the school. More details at the dedicated website www.oratorysingup.org.

Boys record on 'The Priests' new album Updated: 28.09.2009 The Schola has again visited the famous Abbey Road Studios, this time to record on the famed Irish trio 'The Priests' second album. Following two appearances with singing Fathers earlier in the year in Belfast and at the Royal Albert Hall, the choir was asked to sing a number of tracks on the new album 'Harmony'. The CD will be released in shops on 21st November and also through the Schola website.

The Schola commissions new Mass from Roxanna Panufnik Updated: 14.09.2009 Thanks to generous funding from the Schola Foundation, the choir has been able to commission a new Mass from contemporary British composer Roxanna Panufnik. Following in the footsteps of the Westminster Mass, of which a recording by the Schola will be released this autumn, Panufnik is composing a work this time dedicated to our choristers. The Schola Missa de Angelis, scored for choir and brass will premiere as part of the annual concert at the Brompton Oratory in aid of the Schola Foundation next May. There are plans to record the piece in 2010.

Schola and Oratory Sing Up choirs perform at the BBC Proms Updated: 01.08.2009 Due to the success of the chorister outreach programme run by the Schola in the last academic year, the BBC has asked the Schola to perform together with the West London Children's Choir and other children involved in Oratory Sing Up in a BBC Proms Plus event on Sunday 6th September at the Royal College of Music. The event hosted by Howard Goodall, the government's 'Singing Ambasador' will be recorded by Radio 3 and will preceed the evening Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, all part of the 'Proms Singing Day'.

Schola boys appear with The Priests at the Classical BRIT Awards Updated: 15.05.2009

The Schola boys returned to the Royal Albert Hall this month to sing with the sensational Irish group 'The Priests'. They performed Schubert's Ave Maria to a stunningly decorated Albert Hall, full of celebrities from the world of Classical music. The ceremony is being broadcast on ITV1 on Tuesday 19th May at 10.35pm. The choir hopes to team up with 'The Priests' later in the year in a London concert.

Cherie Blair becomes a Schola patron Updated: 21.04.2009

The trustees of the Schola Foundation are delighted to announce that Cherie Blair, one of the UK's most prominent Catholics and a former Oratory School parent has agreed to become Patron of The London Oratory School Schola. Mrs Blair said: "I have been very fortunate that three of my children have attended London Oratory. It is a wonderful school which offers its pupils so much. So I was delighted to have been asked to become a Patron of the Schola. It is fantastic to see such superb choral training within a Catholic state school.  The Schola deserves all our support in its  fund raising activities and for its admirable charity andoutreach work beyond the school." She joins HRH Princess Michael of Kent, actor and former pupil Simon Callow and Catholic composer James MacMillan as choir patrons.

Choir to perform joint concert with the Warsaw Boys' Choir Updated: 20.04.2009 The Warsaw Boys' Choir, one of Poland's leading choirs, will be touring England at the end of April. The Schola will perform a joint concert of Polish and European music, including some Polish patriotic songs, at the church of St John-the-Evangelist in Putney (London). The concert, part of the 'Poland Year' season will take place at 8pm on Thursday 30th April and tickets are £5 each, available on the door. The church is on St John's Avenue, Putney, London.

Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring and beyond Updated: 16.04.2009 The Schola choristers performed with the London Voices and the London Philharmonic Orchestra to a packed out Royal Albert Hall for two consecutive nights in April. The Lord of the Rings and the Fellowship of the Ring was conducted by maestro Ludwig Wicki and was attended by the score's composer Howard Shore, who met the boys back stage. The second film 'The Two Towers' will be performed in April 2010. Tickets are now on sale from the Royal Albert Hall box office. The choristers will be singing for this and the final instalment of the film 'The Return of the King' in September 2010.

'Oratory Sing Up' Spring Concert Updated: 03.04.2009 The seven Hammersmith & Fulham primary school choirs, together with the West London Children's Choir and the Schola performed John Rutter's Mass of the Children with symphony orchestra. The West London Children's Choirs, directed by Amy Payne and Russell du Plessis, also performed their own pieces to the very appreciative audience at Hammersmith Town Hall on Thurdsay 2nd April.

Choristers and The Priests entertain hundreds in Belfast Updated: 01.03.2009 The Schola has returned from a successful tour to Belfast and Dublin. In Belfast the choir performed with the Irish vocal trio The Priests at St Peter's Cathedral on Monday 16th February. The concert, in aid of the charity Trocaire, raised over £7,000 for the charity on the night. The 800 strong audience gave the performers a standing ovation. The choir was also joined by local musician Neil Martin and the resident Schola Cantorum of St Peter's Cathedral. UPDATE (12/04/09): The concert was broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster on Easter Sunday, during the prime time classical music programme.

Schola tour to Ireland Updated: 12.01.2009 This February, the Schola will visit Ireland, giving concerts in both Dublin and Belfast in the north. In Dublin there will be a concert given jointly with The Palestrina Choir at the Pro-Cathedral on Saturday 14th February. The choir will then travel to Belfast where they will give a performance of Karl Jenkins' Armed Man (Mass for Peace) on Monday 16th February in St Peter's Cathedral, jointly with the recently famed Irish band 'The Priests' in aid of the Irish charity Trocaire. UPDATE (12/04/09): Photo of choir in rehearsal with The Priests (left)

New 'Ave Maria' recording now available Updated: 02.01.2009 After recording extensively in 2008, the Schola has released the first of two recordings due this year. 'Ave Maria' is a compilation of 14 different settings, ancient and modern, of the prayer to Mary. Including Elgar, JS Bach, Palestrina, Bruckner and Roxanna Panufnik. The recording will be available on general release later this year, however it can be purchased directly from the Schola for only £10.