The “Amici del Collegio delle Fanciulle” in support of Milan Cathedral

A important support for the activities of the Milan Duomo Choir

The Milan Duomo Choir is Milan’s oldest cultural institution, having been in continuous operation since 1402. Its musical heritage consists of the music composed by its masters over the centuries, which continues to be enriched and promoted to this day, thanks in part to the important educational work of the Schola Puerorum ‘Franchino Gaffurio’, which trains young choristers on a daily basis, upholding a tradition of sacred music education.

A tradition that today blends with another distinctly Milanese institution: the “Amici del Collegio delle Fanciulle ONLUS” Association. Established in 1990, over the decades the Association has promoted and funded activities aimed at safeguarding the cultural heritage and traditions of the Emanuela Setti Carraro dalla Chiesa State School, formerly the “Collegio Reale delle Fanciulle”, based in Palazzo Archinto, not far from the Duomo, involving the school’s pupils and their families. The mission of the College, founded in 1808 by Napoleon Bonaparte, has been, from its very inception, to create an educational institution, including a boarding school, which combines academic instruction with values such as civic responsibility, respect for and appreciation of traditions, alongside activities such as music, dance and embroidery. Over the years, the various levels of education prescribed by the State have been incorporated, whilst remaining steadfast in the mission to educate by nurturing the potential within children and young people.

With the dissolution of the Association, a joint decision was reached to bequeath its remaining assets to the Veneranda Fabbrica, with the generous aim of combining the vitality and educational mission of the Educandato with the cultural tradition upheld by the Milan Duomo Choir, thereby ensuring the continued importance of education and the development of new generations, including through music, spirituality and Milanese culture.

Amici del Collegio delle Fanciulle