By Vilma Angulo - St. Bonaventure Church
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO
The St. Bonaventure Children's Chorale pose after their performance at the Pueri Cantore Festival held at St. James Cathedral in Orlando in February.
DAVIE | Competing in Orlando at the Music USA Festival, the St. Bonaventure Children's Chorale received a Superior rating and first place in the Elementary School Concert Choir category while winning the Elementary School Grand Champion Award for Choral Music.
This was the third consecutive first place for the choir at the Music USA Festival. Their director is St. Bonaventure's music teacher, Ysomar Granados.
They performed "El Vito," a traditional Spanish folk song arranged by Emily Crocker, and "I'm Goin' Up a Yonder" by Walter Hawkins, arranged by Martin Sirvatka.
But the group is just getting started: As members of the American Federation of Pueri Cantore, the Children's Chorale has been invited to sing in Rome next December. They will be singing at the New Year’s Day Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica Jan. 1, 2016.
Other activities while in Italy include the “Mass of the Nations,” where the American pilgrims will celebrate a private Mass in English in the Basilica of St. John Lateran. They also will be singing various “Concerts of Hope” at major churches in Rome which will feature an international mix of children’s choirs from among Pueri Cantores’ 37 federations around the world. The groups also will have a private audience with the pope, where they will sing Christmas carols from their home countries.
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO
The St. Bonaventure Children's Chorale have some fun after their performance at the Music USA Festival in Orlando.
