Sung in translation: Andrew Heed plans to translate the Divine Office from Latin to English, so choristers can understand the lyrics. Picture: Carlos Furtado
The Hills are alive with Gregorian chants.
It's on account of Andrew Heed of Galston — a one-time Catholic monk with a yen to popularise the sung Bible — who letter-dropped his area looking for choristers.
He found 12, including Brother Mario Yong-Ching from St Benedict's Monastery in Arcadia.
He hopes many more will join Gregoriana Arcadia.
"Gregorian chant is definitely not a performance; by definition it is prayerful singing," Mr Heed said.
"To that extent it is religious, but all are welcome.
"The choir is mixed and there are no polyphonics [everybody sings the same notes]."
Among the chants they will learn is the Divine Office which, for 1500 years, strict nuns have sung seven times a day.
"It is basically 150 psalms sung over a cycle," he said.
Mr Heed left the seminary in the 1960s to pursue academia, but has since been called to be an oblate — any person who is not a professed monk or friar and has dedicated themselves to God's service in holy religion.
"I'm also officially the research fellow at St Benedict's, researching the psychology of meditation," Mr Heed said.
Gregoriana Arcadia’s mentors The Gregorian Schola of Sydney will present, with scholarly introductions, a range of Gregorian chants at St Benedict’s Monastery (121 Arcadia Road, Arcadia) on Sunday, March 24, 2pm.
Tickets: $25. Details: 94195838.
Join Gregoriana Arcadia: Andrew Heed, 0416 168 281.