St. Michael's Choir School 3.82

Since 1937, St. Michael’s Choir School has served the Archdiocese of Toronto by educating and training the boys’ choirs that sing every weekend at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica. The school is unique in offering an enriched academic program, including extended French instruction, integrated with a lively ministry of sacred music. Designed to foster a lifelong interest in music, St. Michael’s is one of only a handful of choir schools in the world affiliated with the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome. The Choir School boasts an active and celebrated alumni community, with groups returning regularly to the School and the Cathedral for annual events, such as the Holy Week Tenebrae service and a special St. Patrick’s Day Mass honouring Toronto’s police force. They are a fixture on the Toronto music scene, performing at community events throughout the year. St. Michael’s Choir School has been a springboard for Canada’s most enduring vocalists and performers, including the Crew Cuts and Four Lads of the 1950s and present-day musical artists Michael Schade, John McDermott, Stewart Goodyear, Kevin Hearn (of The Barenaked Ladies), Robert Pomakov, Matt Dusk, Michael Colvin, Claude Morrison (of The Nylons), Michael Burgess, and Andrew Craig (CBC) and The Mistletones.

Choirs from St. Michael’s Choir School perform publicly in an annual tour and at many local events. Dignitaries such as His Holiness Pope John Paul II, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien have enjoyed the choir’s performances. In 2012 choristers from the school were part of such Toronto events as Herbie Day, an annual event which raises funds for children in need of life-altering and life-saving surgeries, and the opening of the Honda Indy, where students sang the national anthem and cheered on racing teams.

Many visitors to St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica make a point of attending one of the three weekend Masses sung by SMCS Choirs. From September to June, the two Senior Choirs sing on Saturdays at the 5 p.m. Mass and Sundays at the 12 p.m. noon Mass, and the Junior Choir sings at the Sunday 10:00 a.m. Mass. The Elementary Choir (Grades 3 and 4) has a tradition of singing in the cathedral on Christmas morning as well as a handful of other Masses throughout the year as they prepare to take on full Chorister duties at the beginning Grade 5.