THE SAINT GREGORY INSTITUTE OF SACRED MUSIC
AT THE PITTSBURGH ORATORY OF SAINT PHILIP NERI
The Saint Gregory Institute of Sacred Music at the Pittsburgh Oratory
The Saint Gregory Institute of Sacred Music at The Pittsburgh Oratory of Saint Philip Neri seeks to preserve and foster the venerable tradition of Catholic sacred music by equipping young people with the knowledge and skills necessary to appreciate, understand, and produce sacred music of the highest quality while adding dignity and solemnity to the liturgies at The Pittsburgh Oratory.
Fellowship Program
The Saint Gregory Institute is proud to offer 11 Sacred Music Fellowships each year to students in our local universities and young people involved in Oratory life—eight in voice, two in organ, and one in choral conducting. These fellowships enable students to receive hands-on training in sacred music. Working with both our Director and our Oratory Choir Professional Core Members, the Institute’s Sacred Music fellows gain a familiarity with the essential elements of Catholic music: Gregorian chant, choral polyphony, organ music, and hymnody, all the while developing a skill set enabling them to render this music at a high level on a weekly basis. The Sacred Music Fellows are provided a modest stipend each semester, which enables them to invest meaningful time and energy into improving their artistry. As such, the effects of the Institute extend far beyond the Oratory or even Pittsburgh. When Sacred Music Fellows graduate, they will have the passion, skills, and knowledge to positively impact the practice of sacred music in their parishes, regardless of their location.
The Oratory Choir
The musicians of the Saint Gregory Institute of Sacred Music are also responsible for nearly all of the liturgical music at the Oratory of St. Philip Neri by providing organists, cantors, and two choirs. The thirty-voice Oratory Choir is composed of the Professional Vocal Core Members, the holders of the St. Gregory the Great Vocal Fellowship, and a number of volunteer singers. It is the primary Choir for Oratory liturgies, and can be heard regularly at the Sunday 11 a.m. Mass and the Wednesday 9 p.m. Heinz Chapel Mass.
The Schola Gregoriana
The Schola Gregoriana is the Institute’s premier vocal ensemble, composed of the Professional Vocal Core Members of the Oratory Choir, and a number of other professional vocalists. The Schola Gregoriana is capable of rendering the entire gamut of repertoire of sacred choral music with great success and performs Gregorian Chant and polyphony with particular aptitude. The Schola Gregoriana can be heard at the major celebrations of the Oratorian’s liturgical year, as well as at particular events of significance for the Oratory, such as Ordinations to Sacred Orders.
