Schola Cantorum

269, rue Saint Jacques, 75005 Paris

The story of the Schola Cantorum is first and foremost the story of a will, that of one man: Charles Bordes. In 1890 he laid the foundations for his school . In 1894, he gathered some benefactor and shareholder friends and created his "Schola Cantorum". Among his first collaborators were two great musicians whose fame would support his project: Alexandre Guilmant and Vincent d'Indy (1851- 1931). The school officially opened its doors on October 15, 1896 in the Montparnasse district, before settling permanently in 1900 in the Latin Quarter, at 269 rue Saint Jacques, in the former convent of the English Benedictines, built in 1674-1677. The Schola Cantorum provides students from all over the world with a teaching that is aimed at a very wide audience, the ages mixed, the ambitions diverse and adapted to all levels from beginner to concertist.

E6 The organ is built by Charles Mutin in 1902 and placed in the old chapel of the convent, which was transformed into a concert-hall (III/30). During 1960-1967, the Beuchet company carried out major works: • the Barker machine was replaced by electrical traction • GO: transformation of the Flûte octaviante 4 into a Flûte douce 4; the Trompette was replaced by a Doublette • Récit: transformation of the Flûte traversière into a Flûte douce 8 and the Flûte octaviante 4 into a Flûte douce 4; the Basson 16 was replaced by a Flageolet • Positif: Salicional 8 replaced by a Principal 4; Clarinette and Cromorne were reharmonised • Pedal: Bombarde 16 was replaced by the Trompette 8 from the GO In 1987, Barbéris added a Plein jeu IV on the GO and the Flûte douce 4 of the Récit was transformed again into a Flûte octaviante. He installed also a new standard pedal. In 1997/2011/2013, works were done by Dargassies. In 2011, the pedal was electrified and in 2013 the primary blowers were replaced.

Louis Vierne and his students (Schola Cantorum, 1930)

Professeur d'orgue Jean-Paul Imbert Famous teachers in the past: Alexandre Guilmant, Vincent d'Indy, Maurice and Marie-Madeleine Durufle, Jean-Jacques Grunenwald, Louis Vierne, Jean Langlais. Famous students: Maurice Duruflé, Jean-Jacques Grunenwald, Jean Langlais, Daniel Lesur, Olivier Messiaen, Déodat de Séverac, Louis Vierne… Concerts Seldomly Video Jean-Paul Imbert Photos de l’orgue : Peter Hammer