Every year, the Athenaeum Club hosts a Christmas Dinner in December in which they invite a choir to provide the entertainment, however, this year, they did not choose a professional choir, as they usually do, they gave the opportunity to perform to a local school: Ursuline High School.

The Athenaeum Club is a private members club located in Pall Mall, London, which was founded in 1824. All members have been invited to the club due to an outstanding contribution they have made in their field, so the club is, principally, for men, and women (since 2002), with intellectual interests, especially those who have made an exceptional impact in science, literature or the arts. The club has invited many distinguished members over the years, including Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin.

The Ursuline choir, titled the 'Merici Singers', as a tribute to the foundress of the Ursuline Schools, Saint Angela Merici, consisted of twelve Sixth Form students, a member of staff (who had recently graduated from the sixth from) and a previous student, who left the Ursuline at the same time (in July 2016). They performed some less well-known Christmas carols, such as the 'Wexford Carol' and 'I am the gentle light', as well as popular carols, including 'Silent Night' and 'Away in a Manger'. The Merici Singers were met with wonderful hospitality by all in attendance, and were congratulated and thanked consistently during the evening, with one member noting that it was "one of the best" Christmas Carol performances that she had ever seen. The students celebrating their remarkable performance, and one of the performers, Nadeen Bailey, stated: "I thought the day was unique and special as it was a once in a lifetime experience. Although, to all those females out there, never wear heels for over an hour because you might die," which may be a little exaggeration, but overall, expresses that she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

This prestigious performance gave the Sixth Form students of Ursuline High School, a comprehensive, Catholic school, for girls, in Wimbledon, the opportunity to show a large group of successful men and women the extraordinary musical ability that they have, and to demonstrate the stupendous level of capability they possess.

Lillie Rodger
Ursuline High School