Religion and music have always been linked, and the two have produced some of the world’s most beautiful and inspirational songs. There are various universities across the world that offer outstanding programs in religious or sacred music, whether you want to learn classic Christian hymns, Buddhist chanting, or Hindu bhajans. Here are some of the greatest religious/sacred music institutions and universities in the globe.
- Royal College of Music, London, United Kingdom
The Royal College of Music in London offers a complete sacred music curriculum that includes choral conducting, organ playing, and liturgical music studies. Students have access to the college’s extensive collection of antique instruments and are taught by some of the world’s most recognized musicians and conductors.
- Yale School of Music, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
The Yale School of Music features an exceptional sacred music department that emphasizes the study of Western sacred music from the Baroque and Classical periods, such as choral and organ music. Students can also use the school’s exceptional collection of instruments, which includes a 1685 Stradivarius violin and a 1742 Guarneri cello.
- Rome’s Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music
The Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome, as the name implies, is devoted to the study of sacred music. Pope Pius X established the institute in 1910, and it now provides a full curriculum in choral singing, leading, and liturgical music. Students at this school have the rare chance to study under the direction of the Vatican’s official choir director.
- Kyoto City University of Arts is located in Kyoto, Japan.
Kyoto City University of Arts in Japan has a traditional Japanese sacred music department that includes courses in shomyo (Japanese Buddhist chanting), gagaku (Japanese imperial court music), and noh (traditional Japanese theater). Students at this school get the opportunity to learn with some of Japan’s most renowned musicians and intellectuals.
- University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
The University of Oxford has a religious music department that focuses on music from diverse religious traditions, such as Christian hymns, Jewish liturgical music, and Islamic devotional music. The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, the university’s famed choir, is also open for auditions.
Finally, learning religious or sacred music may be a genuinely meaningful experience that allows you to delve into the profound relationship between music and spirituality. Whether you’re interested in Western classical music, traditional Japanese music, or Buddhist chants, there are a number of good religious/sacred music programs throughout the world. So, why not take the plunge and follow your interests in music and spirituality?