The new Diocesan Schools Singing Programme has been launched with two new Choral Directors appointed by the Archdiocese.

Victor Wong and Theodora Sharp started work at the beginning of September (2023) and other Choral Director appointments are expected to follow to cover more of the Archdiocese. This exciting new Programme is an integral part of the Diocesan Vision, helping young people to develop a deeper and lasting relationship with their Christian faith.

Victor, who will be working mainly with the 13 schools in Our Lady & All Saints Multi Academy Company (MAC) centered around Solihull, holds a music performance diploma from Trinity College, London, a BA in Music and an MA in Music Performance and is also qualified in providing specialist support for teaching and learning in schools.  

Theodora will be working mainly in the 12 schools in the Holy Cross and Holy Spirit MACs in Coventry and Nuneaton. She also holds a performance diploma from Trinity College together with a BA in music performance. She has previously worked in schools in Cambridgeshire under the Ely Cathedral Schools Programme.

The diocesan programme is affiliated to the National Schools Singing Programme, launched in 2022.

This will be one of the largest diocesan programmes of its type in the UK. It is intended that some schools that are not part of MACs will join the Programme over the Autumn term, with MACs in other parts of the Archdiocese joining next year.

Through this Programme we aim to bring our young people and those who hear them closer to Jesus Christ and more fully into the life of the Church. We hope to give them:

•  Deeper engagement with the lived experience of our faith and liturgy. 
• A shared sense of faith, belonging, individual well-being, positive mental health and social interaction.
• A new opportunity for evangelisation and formation.

The Programme also allows the Archdiocese and its schools to:

• Champion the holistic education of the poor and disenfranchised.
• Support the national curriculum for music in our schools and music in our parish liturgies.  

Through this Programme we aim to bring our young people and those who hear them closer to Jesus Christ and more fully into the life of the Church.

The Programme is managed by Keith Ainsworth, Diocesan Programme Director.

“This is an integral part of the Diocesan Vision as it will support and enhance liturgy in the Archdiocese and provide a means for evangelisation of our young people,” said Keith. 

“It will also assist our schools with the delivery of the National Curriculum for Music, provide in-service training support for teachers, and support the development of choirs for our young people to sing in throughout their school education, with a focus on liturgical music to keep hearts turned to God.”

Archbishop Bernard Longley added: “I am delighted to see that the Schools Singing Programme is starting work in our Archdiocese this year, already involving 25 of our schools.

“It is important because it will deepen our young people’s appreciation for the beauty of music in the liturgy, with its ability to touch the soul.  I am very grateful to the benefactors who have made the Programme possible.

“It has my full support, and I would commend it to all schools in the Archdiocese.  I am very much looking forward to seeing and hearing the results of the Programme as it develops over the next few years.”       

For more information on the Programme please email: [email protected] or visit https://www.nssp.org.uk.

** Photo by Laurence Moore, Holy Cross Catholic MAC Feast Day at Coventry Cathedral 2023