A Choir students "concert" at the Basilica del Pilar.

A Choir students "concert" at the Basilica del Pilar.

There is a veeeery ancient choirboys group at the Basilica del Pilar. It is known that its patron saint lived around year 1250!!!!!.
Every day this small group sing in the Basilica for a mass.
You can hear them (obviously free). Just remember that you will be in a Catholic mass and respect and silence is required and expected. At any case... be sure it worths a lot!!.

The "Infanticos" group.

Infanticos is the name given for the 20-ish children who will sing every day in the Basilica. They are aged 6 to 12 and have a very good music training.
Despite its training and being very famous in the city, there aren't many events outside of the Basilica with this group. Every year for Christmas date they make just a concert and, as a school, they participate in several activities around the region or maybe far away, which will include some concerts.
But... for instance, it was in a Christmas TV program in the Aragonese television in December 2012 when they made the first appearance in TV. A lot of centuries of History and never, never in TV until then.

 

 

Not only a choirboys group but a school

It is a really school where children can go from 1st primary school to 6th primary school. They will end their studies there and will continue at any other school (almost all of them in one school that manages almost this education and has its own building with education until 18-years).
Children of 1st and 2nd (aged 6 to 8) will go to first mass in the Basilica and later to class, ending every day at 18:30
Children 3rd to 6th (aged 8 to 12) will stay living in the school because will manage activities while weekend. If they live in Zaragoza they can go home for sleeping but staying in the first event every morning. They usually make shifts to be free one weekend out of two.
They will have all subjects as a normal school, with their marks and so on. But... they will have a very important music training. This will include singing and an instrument. Children (with their parents) are asked to choose the instrument they want to learn: piano, violin, flute, ...
Being in the school with the extra accademic training in music will ratify basic and intermediate level of their instruments (it is not usually for a children so young to have that level, be sure!!!) and will be able to go to the advanced music level for their instrument.
There are some pupils of this school who keeps with music after 18. As music teachers, orchestra directors, etc...

How can I hear them?

Every day, monday to saturday, they will collaborate in the 9:00 mass in the Basilica del Pilar, singing there. You just need to go to mass and hear them.
Sundays will be more special but... at 7:00
And the major, major day is the October 12th (the major Zaragoza day, the Pilar Virgin's day), and they will sing at 4:30 (yes, 4:30 in the morning... or better in the night, not in the afternoon, and they are very punctual).
It really worths to hear them.
Anyway, the Basilica has loudspeakers and a single part of the hymn will be played at 09:00, 12:00 and 20:00, 365 days. It will be very easy to recognise it if you are in the old city but it can be heard from several kilometres away. But you need to pay attention. It takes just half minute.

 

 

Choirboys entering the Basilica

 

Do they make other activities?

Yes. Some (very few) concerts and you will see them along the Basilica.
It is a strong tradition in Zaragoza to take all children and go with them besides the Virgin statue. They will be these choirboys who will manage it. There are several hours while weekend when you can see it.