“The good man is the only excellent musician, because he gives forth a perfect harmony not with a lyre or other instrument but with the whole of his life.” -Plato
At Gregory the Great Academy music is given its due as a profound means to form character and delight the soul. Music is perhaps the strongest vehicle for expressing man’s sensitivity and desire for the deepest reality, his wordless jubilation or inexpressible sorrow. Music falls squarely into the formal subject matter of philosophy precisely because it has the power to make us wonder. By its very nature, it lies so close to the fundamentals of human existence and conveys to the listener a most intimate meaning which is quite distinct from any meaning communicable by words.
Students at the academy may participate in the Gregorian schola cantorum and sacred music choirs. Our schola travels to various liturgies and performance events throughout the region and beyond during the year. While not technically part of our program, students who show a high level of musical interest may take private instruction in either piano or voice on site. Preparation for collegiate music school is also available.
At the academy the students learn and sing both traditional folk music and sacred music, but music is not just an important part of their daily routine — it informs all they do. Apart from music classes and rehearsals, the boys sing for Mass, Morning and Evening Prayer, at leisure or banquets, in the vans and during athletic events. They sing about love, war, brotherhood, heroism, villainy, humor, sadness, joy and God Almighty. In fact, it is hard to think of any aspect of their experience that is untouched by music, and this is precisely why their education at the academy is so precious.