History of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis

The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (SCB) was founded in 1933 as a private institute for teaching and research in the field of Early Music. One of the notable co-founders was Paul Sacher (1906–1999). The development and curricula of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis were largely shaped by two of the institute’s original tutors: cellist and gambist August Wenzinger (1905–1996) and violinist, composer and music educator Ina Lohr (1903–1983). Before long, the SCB split into two parts: one specialising in the further education and training of future music professionals, the other for amateur musicians (SCB Music School).
In 1954, the SCB joined forces with the Basel Music School (classes for amateur musicians) and the then Basel Conservatory (Hochschule für Musik) to form the City of Basel Music Academy. Paul Sacher remained at the helm of the new institute until 1969. In 1999, the SCB was officially recognised as an institute of higher education. Within a decade (2008), the higher education institutes within the City of Basel Music Academy merged to form the Academy of Music of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW ). The SCB Music School, however, remains part of the City of Basel Music Academy.

The history of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in pictures

Ina Lohr beim Unterrichten
Paul Sacher und Frank Martin
Paul Sacher 1939
Viola da gamba Quartett
Kammermusik mit August Wenzinger (Viola da gamba) und dem Sänger Max Meili

Weiterführende Literatur:

Hans Oesch, Die Musik-Akademie der Stadt Basel. Festschrift zum hundertjährigen Bestehen der Musikschule Basel 1867-1967, Basel: Schwabe 1967

Peter Reidemeister und Veronika Gutmann (Hgg.), Alte Musik - Praxis und Reflexion. [...] zum 50. Jubiläum der Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Winterthur: Amadeus 1983

A.T. Schaefer, Wunderkammer Alte Musik. Die Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Heidelberg: Edition Braus 2008

Martina Wohlthat (Hg.), Tonkunst macht Schule. 150 Jahre Musik-Akademie Basel 1867-2017, Basel: Schwabe 2017