The Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Virtual Choir has returned in 2023 with a stirring rendition of American rock legend Bruce Springsteen’s version of This Little Light of Mine.

Filmed across 16 school sites and seven iconic Sydney locations, the Virtual Choir music video was officially premiered on the SCS Facebook page on Thursday 2 March. 

Under the guidance of the SCS Arts Team, the performance involved over 400 students and staff from 107 schools singing, playing and dancing, together with a number of SCS alumni.

Tony Patton, Manager: Vocational Education & Training, Applied Learning & Arts at SCS, said the performance was a celebration of the system’s exceptional diversity and artistic talent. 

“We are incredibly proud to be able to showcase the abilities of so many of our students and staff across SCS,” Mr Patton said. 

“This Little Light of Mine was the culmination of many months of planning, preparation and hard work, and it was inspiring to see the enthusiasm that all our participants brought to the performance – Tony Patton 

Iris McGill, CAPA Specialist and Project Lead, said the Virtual Choir gave students the chance to explore their creative interests. 

“The Virtual Choir is also a testament to how SCS is continually focused on providing all students with the opportunities to realise their passions, to flourish artistically and to share their gifts with the world,” she said. 

This year’s Virtual Choir performance comes after the success of 2021, where 260 SCS students and staff came together to sing Christian hymn For the Beauty of the Earth by John Rutter. 

Born as a creative response to the singing restrictions at the height of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the performance was met with widespread acclaim and served as a reminder of the unifying power of music amidst challenging times.