In case you think the Gregorian Schola is hibernating... not quite true.
We are enjoying a short mid-winter break, but this is only to prepare us
for all the energy needed for the glorious feast of the Assumption August 15.
Join us at St Aloysius Milsons Point (one train stop beyond Wynyard)
at 6.30pm on July 20 as we prepare.
Try some of the chants on www.gchants.org.au/soundtracks.shtml
and resolve to do better!
See you soon.

We present to you above our new logo, specifically designed for
The Gregorian Schola of Sydney by well known, talented, architect Harry Stephens, also a singer in our schola. Some may recall that our previous logo, widely regarded as the Cross of Charlemagne, was adopted by the newly formed Sydney schola from the sponsoring Gregorian Schola of Los Angeles. It was retained for our first twenty years. Charlemagne, or Frankish leader Charles the Great, encouraged the Roman “Gregorian” Chant in his kingdom to the extent that it was sung in every monastery. The first tonaries (8th century) and notated (liturgical) books (10th century)
are from the Carolingian kingdom.
With the newly formed Executive, Harry looked into the actual historic “signature” of Charlemagne. He writes “ From what I can determine Charlemagne was illiterate and although he tried, was unable to make more than a rudimentary mark as his monogram. As he was trying, my guess is he would have used a stylus that would produce two weights of line – the stroke down from L-R being the wider, the stroke down (or up) from R-L (or L-R) being the narrower. It seems that the marks of his, in what we now call his, “signature” were either the    or at most   . I have no doubt that the K, R, L & S were added by the scribe. KRLS = KAROLUS without vowels thus sufficient.

Gregorian Chant is sung in Latin.  This language combined with ancient melodies allows an additional understanding and intimate experience of Liturgical verse.
Chant provides us the opportunity for shared prayer with those present today and a sense of special connection to our forebears.