BC Chorale performs at Papal Altar

A trip to Italy that culminated with their voices ringing out in the Vatican, where they sang for a Mass at the Papal Altar in St. Peter’s Basilica, gave members of the University Chorale of Boston College a memorable and formative spring break experience.

Under the direction of Riikka Pietiläinen Caffrey, the group performed in this masterpiece of Renaissance architecture—recognized as the largest Catholic church in the world—which also houses masterpieces such as the Pietà, Michelangelo’s renowned sculpture, and Bernini’s massive bronze Baldachin.

“I am still struggling to find the words to describe the week we spent in Italy,” said Pietiläinen Caffrey, associate professor of the practice in music and director of choral and vocal performance.

“We sang in some of the most historical and amazing venues in the world, and many families, students currently abroad, and even a former exchange student joined us; these reunions made it even more special. Our singers shared not just their music, but stories behind the songs and their hearts with enthralled audiences. The trip was much more than music—we sang of course, a great deal in fact—but we also walked, rehearsed, studied history, laughed, cried, and grew together.”

The Chorale also performed a concert of sacred music with the Sant’Agnese Choir in Rome’s Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The event was a significant musical and cultural encounter between choral realities of different origins, united by the tradition of the sacred repertoire and the desire to offer the public an experience of high artistic and spiritual profile, according to Italian organizers. The Sant’Agnese Choir, directed by Maestro Paolo Teodori, is inspired by the guiding idea that music is poetry of emotions.

That performance was attended by BC Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Canisius Professor James Keenan, S.J., who was leading a delegation in Rome to meet with Catholic Church leaders. Fr. Keenan and the BC delegates, Chorale members included, were honored at the event.

“As a Boston College student, this trip brought me much closer to some of the core aspects of St. Ignatius and Jesuit education,” said Chorale president Barry Spoto ’26. “Performing at the Church of St. Ignatius was a surreal moment: It tied the tenets of what I have learned about spirituality over my four years on the Heights with the music I have grown to love and the fellow singers I am lucky enough to call my family.

“I was inspired by the growth of our group as a community of performers, and that was exemplified in all of our concerts and performances—from the Basilica of Santa Trinita in Florence to St. Peter’s Basilica,” he added.

Annual spring break trips abroad are defining experiences for members, according to Chorale organizers, presenting an opportunity to perform in some of the most famous venues in the world, enjoy the sights and architecture of Europe, and promote bonding among the students.

In addition to their time in Rome—where they toured the Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps—the group visited and performed in Florence and toured Siena, where they also took in the scenery, art, and architecture.

“The artistry, community, and representation of BC values culminated in these performances on this trip, but the foundations are built in our classrooms across the disciplines,” said Pietiläinen Caffrey. “It takes a village to grow and nurture an ensemble, I get to be the one traveling with these amazing people and singers, but I am filled with immense gratitude to the entire BC community for making trips like this possible.”