St Dunstan Chant Day

Saturday 17 May 2025 - St Mary the Virgin Church, Iffley

A one day workshop organised by the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge.

As part of his studies, one of the Schola’s younger Associates (Henry Darlison) presented a Paper on a section of the beautiful 13th Cent. Worcester Antiphonary, looking particularly at the hagiography, Lessons, and Chant surrounding St Dunstan. He has put forward a fascinating and convincing hypothesis regarding the monks’ emotional experience during a particular section of the Office, and attendees will be singing some of this to explore it in practice.

This Antiphonary is believed to be the sole surviving receptacle of the Office of St Dunstan, one-time archbishop of Canterbury, and one of the best-known and popular English saints before the time of St Thomas Becket.

The Schola’s Regional Director, Matthew Ward, already has a warm relationship with St Mary’s, Iffley, and this Chant Day is being held under his direction at this stunning church on Sat 17th May (nearest day to the feast of St Dunstan, patron saint of bell-ringers etc).

For full details and to register see https://www.scholagregoriana.org/st-dunstan-chant-day-saturday-17-may-2025-st-marys-church-iffley/

Requiem Mass for All Souls

Sat 2 November — 11:00/14:30-15:30 —  St Dominic’s Rosary Shrine, London NW5.

The Requiem Mass for All Souls will be in the Dominican Rite and for deceased Associates, Benefactors, and Friends of the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge, courtesy of the Prior of St Dominic’s Rosary Shrine.

Mass will begin at 14:30, preceded from 11:00 a.m. by a study of the sublimely-beautiful Missa pro Defunctis and general coaching in the singing of the Chant under the Schola's Musical Director, Iain Simcock.   Singers should arrive at the rehearsal room by 10:55 a.m. to ensure a prompt start.

Since the various sung sections of the Mass vary in difficulty, whilst some will wish to approach the most challenging sections, it is anticipated that all course attendees will at the very least wish to sing the Ordinary and perhaps also participate in singing the Sequence, Dies Irae, antiphonally.

For full details see the Schola Gregoriana website.   To allow preparation of  enough copies of the singing material etc, please indicate your interest at this stage by contacting info@scholagregoriana.org

RSCM Online Event — Demystifying Plainchant

 

RSCM Online Event — Demystifying Plainchant 

Wed 4 December — 19:00-20:00

• Ever wanted to try singing Plainchant but been fearful of getting it 'wrong'?
• Unsure where to start?
• Not quite sure if it's right in your context?

Martin Baker, former Master of the Music at Westminster Cathedral is deeply versed in the traditions of chant, and in this discussion session, chaired by RSCM's Director Hugh Morris, he will unpack some of the basics, but also offer advice about how to sing chant with a sense of style, to enhance worship to maximum effect.
Bring your questions, too!

Find out more and sign up on the RSCM website.

Chant Day at Sacred Heart Church, Wimbledon

The Schola Gregoriana is holding a chant training day on Sat 12 October at Sacred Heart Church, Wimbledon.  For full details see Schola Gregoriana’s website.

Ongoing activities

The GCN is not currently organising training events for the general public, but thanks to the sponsorship of the Latin Mass Society we have been arranging tuition for particular groups of singers, most recently in Withermarsh Green and Lanherne Convent in Cornwall.

The Latin Mass Society's Southwell Consort singing chant and polyphony at 
Corpus Christi Maiden Lane in London.

If you are part of a chant group singing for the Traditional Mass, and are interested in such help, please get in touch through the Latin Mass Society: info@lms.org.uk, marked 'Gregorian Chant Training'.

London: Houghton Schola to resume singing - call for singers

Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane, London

It has been a long winter for Gregorian Chant, but we can finally announce that the Houghton Schola, the Latin Mass Society's all-male training schola for London, will resume rehearsing and singing in September.

They will be singing at Corpus Christi Maiden Lane, two Monday evening Masses a week, and as a rule they will have one rehearsal a month to prepare both Masses, in the office of the LMS itself, which is in Macklin Street, Holborn.

To register your interest in singing, please email southwell@lms.org.uk 

The Director, Dominic Bevan, is also leading a new, mixed, polyphonic consort, the Southwell Consort, which you can also enquire about through this address.

The Houghton Schola trains chant singers who may or may not have previous experience. The Southwell Consort provides an opportunity to sing in a liturgical setting for people with musical training but who have not become professional musicians. 

The first rehearsal of the Houghton Schola will be on Friday 10th September.

Chant workshop, Ealing

Ealing Abbey

Gregorian Chant Workshop

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 October 2019

Led by Philip Duffy, Master of Music, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, 1966-96

Workshop includes instruction on:

Singing the chants for the Mass for the 28^th Sunday

Voice production

Singing legato

Singing chants for the Feast of St. Edward the Confessor

ADVANCE BOOKING REQUIRED

Cost:  £30 (including light refreshments; bring your own lunch)

Enquiries/booking:  Patrick and Annie Martin

020 8991 1081

parotema@gmail.com

www.ealpc.org

New Dates for Spanish Place chant training

Schola Gregoriana

Gregorian Chant Instruction

Directed by Dr. Peter Wilton, B.Ed (Hons.)  M.Mus

(Editor of chant for the Office of Vespers for Westminster Cathedral Choir)

Discover the profound beauty and infinite variety of this timeless music by learning to sing it.

From 6.30 (after end of Mass) to 8 pm.    Mondays  24th June,

29th July,  26th August,  23rd September,  28th October,

25th November

At  St. James’s,  Spanish Place,    George Street,  London,  W1

(nearest tube station:  Bond Street)

Study will include square notation, pre-stave neumes, interpretation, music for the Mass, daily offices, music for special occasions, psalmody and texts in different languages.

Anyone able to sing in tune is welcome, with or without chant experience.

Cost:  £5 per evening

Enquiries to Mr. Grey Macartney,  26 The Grove, Ealing, W5 5LH

Tel:  020 8840 5832            E-mails:  grey.macartney@gmail.com

Chant Training Weekend 5-7 April at the Oratory School

Booking open for the Gregorian Chant Network Chant Training Weekend

5-7th April Oratory School, Woodcote, near Reading RG8 0PJ Registration is from 4pm to 4.45pm on Friday 5th April. There is a Sung Mass at 5pm followed by dinner. Late registrations are possible from 7 to 7.30pm, after which the course begins. The course ends after Mass and lunch on the Sunday (lunch at 1.10pm approx.). The weekend is being led by Fr Guy Nichols and Dominic Bevan. Deep discounts for two, three, or more members of a single choir or schola! More information here. Booking form here. I look forward to seeing many of you there! Joseph Shaw

Schola Gregoriana Chant Training in London: Jan to June 20198

Schola Gregoriana

Gregorian Chant Instruction

Directed by Dr. Peter Wilton, B.Ed (Hons.)  M.Mus

(Editor of chant for the Office of Vespers for Westminster Cathedral Choir)

Discover the profound beauty and infinite variety of this timeless music by learning to sing it.

From 6.30 (after end of Mass) to 8 pm.    Mondays  28th January,

25th February,25th March, 29th April, 27th May and 24th June 2019

At  St. James’s,  Spanish Place,    George Street,  London,  W1

(nearest tube station:  Bond Street)

Study will include square notation, pre-stave neumes, interpretation, music for the Mass, daily offices, music for special occasions, psalmody and texts in different languages.

Anyone able to sing in tune is welcome, with or without chant experience.

Cost:  £5 per evening

Enquiries to Mr. Grey Macartney,  26 The Grove, Ealing, W5 5LH

Tel:  020 8840 5832            E-mails:  grey.macartney@gmail.com

1-2nd Dec: Chant workshop in Little Malvern

Chant Workshop at St Wulstan’s, Little Malvern (click for a map) to be organised by Iain Simcock of the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge. Concludes with Mass on the Sunday in the Ordinary Form. Led by Iain Simcock of the Schola Gregoriana.

 Details are available at http://www.scholagregoriana.org/events/.

Ealing Abbey Chant training weekend 17-18th Nov

Gregorian Chant Workshop on performance of chant for the Mass 

17-18 November 2018, 11am to 5pm 

at Ealing Abbey, Charlbury Grove, London  W5 2DY 

organised by Ealing Abbey Lay Plainchant Choir  www.ealpc.org

Led by Philip Duffy, formerly Master of the Music at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

All with at least basic experience of singing plainchant or choral music welcome.  

Advance booking required – cost £30.  

Enquiries to Patrick and Annie Martin, tel 020 8991 1081. 

E-mail: parotema@gmail.com

Schola Gregoriana training evening in St James' Spanish Place: dates for the Autumn

Schola Gregoriana

Gregorian Chant Instruction

Directed by Dr. Peter Wilton, B.Ed (Hons.)  M.Mus

(Editor of chant for the Office of Vespers for Westminster Cathedral Choir)

Discover the profound beauty and infinite variety of this timeless music by learning to sing it.

From 6.30 (after end of Mass) to 8 pm.    Mondays  24th September,

29th October and 26th November 2018.  Advent party at 26 The Grove,

Ealing, London  W5 5LH  at 7 pm on Monday 17th December.

At  St. James’s,  Spanish Place,    George Street,  London,  W1

(nearest tube station:  Bond Street)

Study will include square notation, pre-stave neumes, interpretation, music for the Mass, daily offices, music for special occasions, psalmody and texts in different languages.

Anyone able to sing in tune is welcome, with or without chant experience.

Cost:  £5 per evening

Enquiries to Mr. Grey Macartney,  26 The Grove, Ealing, W5 5LH

Tel:  020 8840 5832            E-mails:  grey.macartney@gmail.com

Schola Gregoriana chant training in London

Schola Gregoriana

Gregorian Chant Instruction

Directed by Dr. Peter Wilton, B.Ed (Hons.)  M.Mus

(Editor of chant for the Office of Vespers for Westminster Cathedral Choir)

Discover the profound beauty and infinite variety of this timeless music by learning to sing it.

From 6.30 (after end of Mass) to 8 pm.    Mondays  23rd April,

21st May, 4th and 18th June and 2nd July  2018

At  St. James’s,  Spanish Place,    George Street,  London,  W1

(nearest tube station:  Bond Street)

Study will include square notation, pre-stave neumes, interpretation, music for the Mass, daily offices, music for special occasions, psalmody and texts in different languages.

Anyone able to sing in tune is welcome, with or without chant experience.

Cost:  £5 per evening

Enquiries to Mr. Grey Macartney,  26 The Grove, Ealing, W5 5LH

Tel:  020 8840 5832            E-mails:  grey.macartney@gmail.com

Successful Chant Training Weekend

This year's Chant Weekend was led by Chris Hodkinson of the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge, and Matthew Ward of Mayfield School. It is sponsored by the Latin Mass Society.



Some of the more experienced singers were able to practice conducting, and took it in turns to conduct in the final Mass of the weekend.