A creative response to singing restrictions at the height of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has united the voices of 260 Sydney Catholic Schools students and staff and prompted an exploration of new modes to engage its school communities in the arts.

A virtual choir video clip – which shows students from Kindergarten to Year 12, staff, teachers, parents and alumni singing Christian hymn ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ by John Rutter in unison online – was officially launched on Sydney Catholic Schools’ Facebook page on Friday 17 September.

Executive Director of Sydney Catholic Schools, Tony Farley – also part of the choir – said the video premier highlights the unity it inspired at a time when many worked in isolation.

Our joyful hymn of praise

“I am delighted that the simple act of singing for this project has created something so joyous and inspired such collaboration among our staff,” Mr Farley said.

“The resulting video is a beautiful reminder of the agility of our educators and the knowledge, skills and positivity they bring to the challenge of educating more than 70,000 students amid the ever-changing measures in NSW to contain the spread of COVID-19” – Tony Farley

Sydney Catholic Schools’ creative and performing arts specialist, Eva Spata, said some staff and students were invited to record their part in the project in Southern Cross Catholic College Burwood’s professional recording studio under strict COVID-19 guidelines.

Sydney Catholic Schools’ specialist in the creative and performing arts, Eva Spata.

“The virtual choir was an opportunity for our community to sing together when they had not had a chance to for so long due to COVID restrictions,” Ms Spata said.

“This song was …