The Director of the Schola Cantorum
Pau Jorquera was born in Barcelona in 1982 and began his music studies in his home city. He studied Choir Conducting at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya. His studies also included singing, piano, and composition. At this school, he worked with Johan Duijck, Josep Vila Casañas and Mireia Barrera. His musical education was greatly impacted by professors Ramon Porter and Johan Duijck.
He earned a Teaching degree with specialty in Music Education from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He studied professional percussion with Ignasi Vila.
In recent years, he has worked with the Grup Farmacèutic Salvat Foundation. As head of the musical projects area, he promotes the international scholarship for young singers SALVAT BECA BACH, as well as several concerts and music festivals. He is a specialist in the interpretation of sacred music and early music. He is the founder and director of the Bach Collegium Barcelona and co-founder of the Bachcelona Festival.
In 2023, he has added the direction of the Schola Cantorum of the Escolania de Montserrat with his co-direction of the traditional Choir of the Escolania de Montserrat (2014-Present). Additionally, he was also the Head of Music Studies (2018-2021).
The Schola Cantorum of the Montserrat School
The Schola Cantorum sings one weekend a month in parallel with the traditional Escolania: when the Schola Cantorum sings in Montserrat, the current students will rest. As the Escolania usually does, participation in the same liturgical acts of the Sanctuary; the Salve and the Virolai on Saturday at noon, the Vespers service on Saturday afternoon, and the Conventual Mass on Sunday at 11.
The girls and boys who make up the Schola Cantorum have the opportunity to sing in the liturgy of Montserrat and to train in various aspects related to vocal technique, spiritual experience, the natural environment or culture, through of activities organized by people linked to the Escolania and the Benedictine Community.
Repertory
The repertoire of the Schola Cantorum is essentially focused on providing musical service to the Basilica of Montserrat. For this reason, it is based on three fundamental pillars:
- Recovery of the musical heritage of the chapels of Catalonia, with special attention to the music of the Montserrat School.
- Renaissance polyphony
- Sacred music of new composition
Do You Want to Be Part of the Schola Cantorum?
If you are over 17 years old and are studying music, if you study singing or sing in a choir, if you are interested in the experience of Music, Nature, Spirituality and companionship offered by the Schola Cantorum, write us at escolania@escolania.cat and we will contact you to give you all the information and resolve your doubts.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the Schola Cantorum?
It is a young choir created in the 2023-24 school year that belongs to the Escolania de Montserrat.
What is the function of the Schola Cantorum?
The Schola Cantorum covers the service of music in the liturgy of the Basilica of Montserrat one weekend each month. In addition, the girls and boys who train will have the opportunity to train in various aspects related to vocal technique, spiritual experience, the natural environment or culture, through activities organized by people linked to the Escolania and the Benedictine Community.
Who can be part of it?
Boys and girls from the age of 17 to the age of 24 (that is, from the 1st year of high school and until the end of university studies), who are studying music or who have a good level of reading music and singing.
How long is the commitment?
We ask the singers of the Schola Cantorum for a commitment of one year, renewable every year as long as they are within the age limits.
When are the rehearsals?
The Schola Cantorum only rehearses on the weekends it is in Montserrat, starting on Saturday at 10 am and ending at noon on Sunday. There are no rehearsals scheduled outside of the planned dates.
What are the working hours?
We present the work schedule that we have planned
Saturday
– Morning: from 10.00 to 13.30 — Rehearsal, Salve and Virolai
– Afternoon: from 15.30 to 19:00 — Training activities, Rehearsal and Vespers
Sunday
– Morning: from 9.30 to 12.30 — Rehearsal, Conventual, Salve and Virolai
There is accommodations for meals and overnight stays in Montserrat as needed.
What is the weekend schedule?
The calendar for the next academic year 2024-2025 has not yet been published, but we will soon let people interested in being part of it know.
How do we dress to sing?
The Schola Cantorum is a liturgical choir made up of schoolboys who, as happens with all Montserrat schoolboys, will be dressed as such with the skirt and roquet at the beginning of the year, and will be registered in the official vestments book of the Monastery.
How much does it cost to sing at the Schola Cantorum?
Singing at the Schola Cantorum is free. The choir do not pay any fees, and the Abadia de Montserrat fully covers the costs of the accommodation and maintenance.
What do I have to do to be part of it?
First of all, you must write an email to escolania@escolania.cat introducing yourself and explaining your interest in our choir. We will contact you and invite you to do a short audition with the director of the Choir and a conversation with the Prefect of the Escolania.
When will the auditions be?
The auditions for the 2024-25 season were held on April 13, 2024. Each year a new date will be called for auditions for the following season.
What are the requirements to audition?
The training requirements are the following: musical reading, experience in choral singing, being sensitive to the Christian religious fact and it will also be positively assessed that they are studying singing.
