Sint-Salvator

History

The Scola Gregoriana of Bruges was founded in 1970 at the suggestion of the organist of the cathedral Roger Deruwe.
He invited some enthusiastic people to sing every week during the High Mass in the cathedral.
Soon the choir developed into a Scola that consciously and intensively engaged ifself in the study of the Gregorian music.
In 1974 the first study trip took place to Solesmes and there the choir made a first performance outside a cathedral.
A national tour of the 'Davidsfonds' gave the Scola a reputation in all the Flemish provinces!
In 1979 the 'Festival of Flanders' made for the first time an appeal to the Scola. A lot of invitations would follow. Great European Festivals invited the Scola. The choir has performed at the 'Festival du Mosan', the 'Bregenzerfestspiele', the 'Festival Musique en Bourgogne', the 'Festival of Avignon', the 'Festival Estival de Paris', the 'Kirchenmusikfestival in Salzburg', the Spanish Festivals in Santander, San Sebastian, Palma, Cuenca and Girona. Also they have had performances in The Netherlands, England and Switzerland. The choir regularly has lent its co-operation to Eucharistic celebrations on radio and TV, and some of its auditions were broadcasted by the VRT, the RTBF, France Music, the Spanish and the Basque radio and TV.

karmelietenkerk

The Scola intends to contribute to the reincarnation and a renewed appreciation of the Gregorian music as one of the great masterpieces of the Church and the basis of West European musical culture.
The Scola doesn't consider the Gregorian music as an in the course of time dead form of music.
On the contrary it approaches every medieval singing as a living prayer, a to music matured reflection for every day and for the mood of the ecclesiastical year!
The Scola engages itself to keep these great cultural assets in its original environment.

After a service of 25 years in the Saint Salvator Cathedral the Scola nowadays sings during the weekly High Mass in the serene monastic Church of the fathers Carmelites in Bruges (see the picture nearby), with Chris Dubois at the organ.

In 2010 the Scola has celebrated its 40th anniversary highlighted by the anniversary celebration on 24 May, Pentecost Monday. Its consisted of the celebration of the Solemn High Mass in the morning and a workshop led by Hendrik Van den Abeele, old Scola member and founder of the group Psallentes.
In this anniversary year different activities were planned.


Scola

Members of the weekly High Mass

Left to right: Ignace Huyghebaert – Hans De Soete - Roland Declerck – Francis Decoster - Geert Demeyere - Theo Vanmontfort
(and Dirk Debaere, not on the picture)