St. Michael’s Choir School is looking to close its concert season on a high note with Sing Unto God, a celebration of sacred music across classic and modern pieces featuring a full string orchestra and rising young soloists at historic St. Paul’s Basilica on May 31.

A rich program will bring together collections of many of the most uplifting works in the sacred choral repertoire. Performed by the combined choirs of St. Michael's Choir School, highlights for this spring include Handel’s majestic "Sing Unto God," Bach’s "Gloria from the Mass in B Minor," Franck’s exultant "Psalm 150" and Z. Randall Stroope’s "Psalm 23." This year’s unique centrepiece is Ola Gjeilo’s ambitious "Dreamweaver," a 20-minute work receiving its first performance by the school, featuring full string orchestra, trumpet and organ. 

Adding excitement comes through several student and alumni spotlights, including Nathan Jeffery returning as guest organist, young pianist Antonio Resma’s performance as accompanist on "Dreamweaver" and Grade 5 violinists River Eyres and Donnie Zhang’s feature as guest soloists in "Psalm 23."

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The annual spring concert will follow the resounding success of both May 8’s Salve Regina Marian concert, which united over 250 choristers with Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, and an outreach concert in Downeyville, Ont., on May 22.

The semi-private all-boys' choir school is embracing its packed month of May with energy and care, using its momentum to carry through to its peak finale at the end of the school year. 

“Salve Marie went very well, and we look forward to doing it again. The Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts Choir and our boys did their own repertoires but collaborated at the end for the 'Ave Maria.' In total, we had over 250 choristers together on the altar at St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica,” said Geoffrey Rawlinson, executive director of St. Michael’s Choir School.

Rawlinson says the choir students have been looking forward to the annual spring concert as a fitting end-of-year expression of the school’s mission of forming Catholic men through sacred music.

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Described as majestic, uplifting, deeply expressive and admittedly challenging, Sing Unto God is promised to be a full, fresh program rather than a post-tour recap. 

“While there are some challenging pieces for us that will showcase the boys’ singing and musical ability, this is something new for the boys and something that they have really taken a hold of — I know they will do a fantastic job, and we absolutely cannot wait to present it,” Rawlinson said. 

This year’s spring concert takes place at St. Paul’s Basilica. Rawlinson noted that the choice of venue reflects the students’ own voice.

“We are coming up on our 90th anniversary, and we have historically sung a fall, Christmas and a spring concert as a presentation of all the music that we've presented from September. This year,  the boys had suggested St. Paul's as a different venue and as a very classy cathedral for us to sing in,” he said. 

“It's something that the boys see as new, and they haven't sung there in three or four years. That promises to be new and fresh, especially with the music we're exploring this year.”

Freshness has been the primary focus of the annual spring concert, much like the school’s annual Christmas concert. While both concerts allow for repertoire outside the strict liturgical music sung at weekend Masses, spring offers a wider aperture to showcase the boys’ true prowess across various works and mediums. As Rawlinson reminds, the long-standing event serves as a celebratory, albeit tricky showcase at the end of the school year.

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The team is expecting a full house at St. Paul’s Basilica on 4:30 pm on May 31, with those interested in an afternoon of choral music in one of Toronto’s most historic churches welcome to attend for free, donations welcome. 

“This is tradition, an opportunity to showcase the boys and what they and our conductors can do. Having the boys excited despite a busy May and to do so at beautiful St. Paul’s really is the icing on the cake,” Rawlinson said.