Madeleine Choir School student sings at Saint Peter's Basilica during chorister's trip to Italy

Friday, Dec. 26, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — Calvin Mumm, a seventh-grader at the Madeleine Choir School, never imagined the opportunity that he would have during the choristers’ 10-day trip to Italy.

Every two years, students in grades fifth through eighth from the school tour Europe; this year they performed in Venice, Florence, Assisi and Rome. While in Rome, they had the opportunity to sing at Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, and a concert at the Church of the Gesù.

Mumm was the psalmist at Sunday’s Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.

“The Director of Music at St. Peter’s Basilica asked us to provide a soloist from our choir to be the psalmist and Calvin’s voice fit the piece,” said Melanie Malinka, the Madeleine Choir School’s director of music.

Celebrated for nearly 400 people, the Mass took place in front of the Throne of St. Peter in Glory. The Most Reverend John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, acted as concelebrant to the Mass.

Mumm stood at the podium as cantor – the soloist who leads the responsive chant during the service.

“I was really nervous,” said Mumm, 12. “It was a big honor for me and my whole family.”

Mumm also said that for him the experience was a big accomplishment and made him think about his future.

“For the future I know for sure I want to pursue music a little bit more,” said Mumm. “I am definitely going to try to learn as much as I can in music and I am going to try to excel in it.”

Teri Mumm, Calvin’s mother, witnessed her son’s performance at the Basilica.

“It was a huge deal. He worked really hard and that was really incredible. This was really a highlight,” said Teri Mumm, who described the experience as a magical moment in which “I was just trying to focus on the music and trying not to cry.”

Mumm described Calvin as “a very neat child. He is goofy. He is not, like, the best in everything, but he tries everything. He is a wonderful kid,” she said with her eyes filled with tears.

The Mumms said that they won’t ever forget this experience and that they are thankful to all the teachers, friends and peers at the Madeleine Choir School.

 “Having all the support from my peers, my teachers and my family has been great,” said Calvin Mumm.