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Schola Cantorum of Melbourne has established a reputation for presenting sacred music from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque together with Gregorian chant in historical and innovative contexts. Among its priorities are the liturgical reconstructions of major feasts, the performance of Mediaeval plays and the public exposure of unpublished music. Its present conductor, Gary Ekkel founded Schola Cantorum of Melbourne in 1994. In the following year it presented the first performances since the 16th century of works by Morales and Guerrero in the recently discovered Granada MS. 975 manuscript. Schola Cantorum of Melbourne performed the Mediaeval Easter Play, ‘Visitatio Sepulchri’ as part of the Melbourne International Festival of Organ and Harpsichord in 1996. The following year it produced a second Mediaeval play, ‘The Voice of Rachel’ for the feasts of Christmas and Holy Innocents. The women of Schola Cantorum of Melbourne sang the female chant in the television documentary Tuscany. The choir has had its own three-concert subscription series since 1995. It is resident at Newman College, The University of Melbourne, where it sings in regular services. |
