Welcome to the Schola Cantorum

“The school and the temple of rue Saint-Jacques”, “the truant school of the conservatory”, “the beaver school”, “the second chance school”, “the buzzing hive”, “Jurassik Schola”, or more familiarly and universally: “the Schola”.

These are some epithets and aphorisms that have flourished to designate the Schola Cantorum: two words full of meaning and history.

History of a will first and of a single man: in 1890, Charles BORDES (1863-1909), its founder, laid the foundations of a company and in 1894 brought together a few friends, benefactors and shareholders to create the company “Schola Cantorum”.

Among the first collaborators with whom he surrounded himself were two musicians whose fame would support his project: Alexandre GUILMANT (1837-1911) and Vincent D’INDY (1851-1931). The school officially opened its doors on October 15, 1896, rue Stanislas in the Montparnasse district.

From 1900 to 1931, the history of the institution was intertwined with the emblematic figure of Vincent d’Indy, who for thirty years and until his death presided over its destiny. Since then, the school has occupied a historic and active place in French and international entrepreneurial, educational and artistic life, having won its titles of nobility throughout a troubled 20th century and of which it will have embraced all the contours, resisting the -beyond all hope, withstood the test of time, two world wars and multiple economic and societal civilizational crises.

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