From surviving documents kept in the College archives it is possible to shed some light on daily life within the institution, and particularly on the activities of the maestro di cappella, who was to be a religious, pious man, responsible for the College’s liturgical music and who was not to allow “amorous or lascivious singing” within the buildings.

The alumni had first and foremost to learn cantus firmus, and then under the direct supervision of the maestro di capella they practised cantus figuratus and counterpoint until these had been thoroughly mastered. The students were divided into boy singers and older students. In addition to the above-mentioned singers, “foreign singers” from outside the College were engaged for important events, eventually including even some “Eunuchs, like they do at the English College”.

Bernardino Castorio, who we came across earlier at Assisi, directed the College from 1600 to 1634 and was to be a central figure in the history of the institution. It is in large part due to his determined efforts that despite the difficulties he faced in finding and training good singers, he managed to maintain the pre-eminence of musical education, all this in the face of repeated attempts by his superiors to downplay this particular aspect. During his time as rector such boy sopranos as Felice Sances and Francesco Foggia, who were to become important personalities in the Roman musical world, were trained. And the well known excellence of the boy singers meant that the nobility of Rome were constantly demanding their services at private performances, much to the disapproval of the rector who was keen to avail himself of them for liturgical functions.