The Choirmaster
Msgr Massimo Palombella
Msgr Massimo Palombella was born in Turin on 25th December 1967. He was ordained a priest for the Salesians on September 7th , 1996. He studied Philosophy and Theology, obtaining a PhD in Dogmatic Theology and studied music with Professors Luigi Molfino, ValentÃn Miserachs Grau, Gabriel Henry and Alessandro Ruo Rui, majoring in Choral Music and Composition.
He was the founder and Music Director of the Interuniversity Choir of Rome and he worked in the University Chaplaincy of the Diocese of Rome from 1995 to 2010.
He is a professor at the Pontifical Salesian University in the city of Rome, in the Faculty of Theology, Eschatology, and Music and Liturgy; and at the Music Academy "Guido Cantelli" of Novara, in a biannual specialization in Sacred Music, Musical Composition for the Liturgy, Roman polyphony and Legislation of Sacred Music.
On October 16th, 2010 His Holiness, Benedict XVI, appointed him Choirmaster of the Pontifical Musical choir of the Sistine Chapel.
He was also professor of Music Languages at the University "La Sapienza" of Rome; he taught Liturgy at the Music Academy of Turin and at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in the city of Rome. From 1998 to 2010 he edited a Review of Liturgical Music, "Harmony of Voices", published by LDC Publishers.
He is a member of the Consulta of the National Liturgical Office of the Italian Episcopal Conference, as an expert.
From 1995 to 2010 he was choirmaster of all Papal meetings with the University Chaplaincy.
On June 11th, 2010 he musically oversaw the Vigil for the closing of the Year of Priests in St. Peter's Square, in collaboration with the Orchestras and the Music Academy of the province of Bari. With the Interuniversity Choir of Rome he organized numerous concerts in Italy and around the world and a large number of recordings on CD and DVD.
