Our impact on the world

School of Singers

Started in the 1950s, the Schola Cantorum quickly gained worldwide critical acclaim. In 1962, the mixed 32-voice choir of students became the first American choir to win the coveted Guido d'Arezzo Award at the prestigious International Polyphonic Competition in Arezzo, Italy. In honor of its achievement, Schola Cantorum soon after appeared on NBC-TV's "Today Show" and performed for U.S. President John F. Kennedy in the White House Rose Garden. Two years later, the choir was invited to the Vatican in Rome to sing for Pope Paul VI.