Thursday 1st February 2024 saw the culmination of the Willesden Area Church of England Schools’ Choir project 2023-24, as Bishop Ramsey School paved the way for the biggest combined children's choir to sing at St Paul's Cathedral at the annual London Diocesan Board for Schools Service.
Over 300 students across 12 schools (Bishop Winnington Ingram CE Primary School, Ruislip; Dr Triplett’s CE Primary School, Hayes; Cowley St Laurence CE Primary School, Uxbridge; St Andrew’s CE Primary School, Uxbridge; St Matthew’s CE Primary School, West Drayton; St Martin’s CE Primary School, West Drayton; Holy Trinity CE Primary School, Northwood; Christ the Saviour CE Primary School, Ealing; The Green School Trust Chamber Choir - Boys’ and Girls’ schools, Isleworth; St Jerome's Bilingual School, Harrow; St John's Stanmore; and Bishop Ramsey School) joined forces to sing Peter Nardone's anthem "I give to you a new commandment", directed by William Bruce, St Paul's Cathedral's Artistic Director of Choral Partnerships.
Welcomed by the Dean of St Paul's, The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, the service focused on us being "Agents of Reconciliation" in a world reimagined. Dr Krish Kandiah, OBE, Director of the Sanctuary Foundation led the teaching on the Good Samaritan and The Right Reverend Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, Bishop of Willesden led the commissioning of the World Reimagined Globe praying "Let us hold our lights as we bless this Globe. May it become for us a sign of God's reconciling grace, and may we re-dedicate ourselves to justice and peace."
The service was a wonderful celebration of all of the work going on across the Church of England Schools in London. There was much excitement from the school choir participants and a real sense of joy as they had the opportunity to sing under the iconic Dome.
Sabrina, Year 9 said of the day: “The service consisted of a play that was performed by the Marylebone School. They acted out the story of the Good Samaritan, which was the main idea of the sermon.
We also sang the anthem, that sounded amazing when there were over 300 primary and secondary students singing it!”
