Abingdon Schola to Perform at Redeemer

The Abingdon Schola will be performing at Redeemer on December 7 at 4:00 p.m.  Composed primarily of Lutheran singers, the Schola finds its home at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Abingdon.  Musical selections will belong to the time of year related to the beginning of Advent, with themes of death and birth, and light and darkness.  The coming of the cold season and the approach of darkness all play a role as the church prepares in Advent.

The service will be a combination of music, readings, and meditation.  Most of the Schola’s repertoire is sung in unison and unaccompanied.  The Schola will sing ancient music from over a thousand years ago as well as other chant-based music that has been adapted for present day audiences using more familiar idioms.

Schola is the Latin translation for “school,” and it refers to the historical groups which were known as Schola Cantorum (School of Singers) that supplied service and ritual music for monasteries and churches in Medieval times.  The members were often young people who “lived in” at the place in which they served.  Today, the term “schola” is used to describe small choirs that specialize in Gregorian or other stylized chanting.

Please join us for the service on December 7 at 4:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary and for pot luck snacks in the Fellowship Hall immediately following the service.