About Us

St. Nicholas’ Schola Cantorum was founded in 2012, a modern reimagining of the ancient college of singers, established here in 1486 and which gives the church its special title. (More about the history of music in St Nicholas’ >>)

In 2012, the Rector, Select Vestry and parish community decided to revive the ancient college, honouring the church’s musical heritage but in a new dynamic that reaches out to all the people of Galway. St. Nicholas Schola Cantorum secures the musical future of the church and provides an invaluable musical and educational resource in the wider community.

Its three aims are:

• the enrichment of worship
• the education of singers
• the promotion of the arts

These aims are met through the five choral ensembles that comprise the Schola Cantorum.

Parish Choir

The Parish Choir is an adult ensemble of up to twenty-four voices and as the principal choir of St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church is one of Galway’s most established musical institutions. The choir sings regularly at the Sunday morning parish Eucharist and also sings Evensong termly. The special services of Advent, Christmas, Holy Week and Easter...

Choristers

The Choristers of St Nicholas Schola Cantorum comprise up to thirty boys and girls aged 8-14, drawn from the parish, St Nicholas’ Parochial School and the wider community. The choristers receive a unique musical education through weekly rehearsals, and singing and musicianship classes utilising the RSCM Voice for Life scheme. The choristers participate frequently in...

NUI Galway Choral Scholars

In an exciting new link between Galway’s university and its ancient collegiate church, up to twenty NUI Galway students are awarded annual choral scholarships by the university to take part in the Schola Cantorum programme. There are annual auditions for potential scholars at the beginning of the academic year, and successful candidates then join a...

St. Nicholas’ Singers

This large all-comers choir is drawn from the wider Galway region, both city and county, and beyond. The choir’s dual purpose is to introduce people of all ages and abilities to the church’s special musical heritage, and perform large-scale choral repertoire in the appropriate liturgical season. The group convenes once or twice a year to...

Collegium

The Schola Cantorum’s flagship chamber choir takes its title from the ancient designation of the church dating back to 1486. The choir comprises 16-20 singers depending on the type of project undertaken, and is made up of Galway’s finest choral singers. Most members sing in one of the Schola’s other choirs and many also sing...

Vicars Choral

The Vicars Choral of St Nicholas are skilled musicians who sing with all the adult ensembles of the Schola Cantorum, assist in the training of singers, and are remunerated on a semi-professional basis. These posts have their origins in the fifteenth century Collegiate foundation, which included eight singing priests, known as vicars, whose role was...