This Christmas will not only see St Mary’s Cathedral transformed by a breathtaking light spectacular, but Sydney’s iconic mother church will also resonate with the uplifting sounds of choirs, bands, and performers during daily concerts from 17-25 December 25 in an invitation to experience joy and faith through music.
This year’s highlight will be a performance by students from the Sydney Catholic Schools Amadeus Music Education program on 18 December at 6.30pm.
Director of Sydney Catholic Schools, Danielle Cronin, is excited to be a part of the entertainment program, which is so central to the success and ongoing appeal of the annual event.
“Christmas at the Cathedral beautifully captures what this season is truly about: faith, hope, and community,” she said.
“It’s a chance for families, schools and parish communities to come together at our Mother Church to celebrate the birth of Christ through music and prayer and light.
“It’s particularly exciting to see our students involved throughout the event, sharing their gifts and talents on the stage.”
She emphasised that Sydney Catholic Schools has a proud history of providing opportunities for students to experience the transformative power of the creative and performing arts.
“The Amadeus Music Education Program is an embodiment of this,” she said, “providing instrumental tuition to students from Grade 3 to Grade 8. They can select a brass, woodwind, stringed or percussion instrument, and participate in weekly tuition and play in an ensemble.
“It gives every child the opportunity to discover the joy of music, while nurturing the next generation of musicians and performers.“
Judging by the pedigree of student, teachers and tutors involved in the program, their performance promises to be a highlight of the year; a magical, musical compliment to the state-of-the-art projections on display, this year telling the timeless story of ‘The Little Drummer Boy’.
“The students performing at Christmas in the Cathedral are part of our Amadeus Artists’ Evolution ensembles, which is our talent development pathway for gifted and high-potential instrumentalists,” said Cronin.
“We have five entry-by-audition ensembles that are made up of 180 students from across our 147 schools, and each of these ensembles will perform at the event.
“Having our students perform alongside some of the city’s finest is a wonderful affirmation of their talent and of the quality of our teachers and tutors.”
Cronin believes that annual family traditions like the Christmas at the Cathedral remind us of the power of shared experience.
“They draw people from all walks of life into a common space where faith, beauty and wonder unite us,” she said.
“In a world that can sometimes feel divided, moments like these help rebuild that sense of belonging and connection that is so essential to community life.”
The students will perform throughout the event and promise to produce unforgettable performances for the many thousands of families expected to attend.
“It will be the students’ final performances of the year, so it promises to be a memorable occasion,” Cronin says.
“They’ll be performing a number of popular Christmas carols, and I’m told they have a special showstopping number planned for the finale.”
From 17-25 December, the cathedral will come alive with Christmas projections and entertainment running from 5.30pm to 10.30pm each day.
