Six programmes, carried out in the Maurist manner: on the evidence, in common, and in order to be published. With universities, laboratories and European projects.
The Conservatoire conducts and hosts research on monastic history, on the knowledge that monasteries handed down, and on the means of handing it down still. It works with universities and laboratories, receives researchers in residence, and places at their disposal a documentary collection and sixty rooms.
6research programmes
3European projects submitted or in preparation
4academic partners
26placements and research stays in four years
Programmes
IUnder way
A monograph on Mas-Garnier
The history of Saint-Pierre Abbey from its earliest attestation to the present day, and first of all of its Maurist period: a prosopography of the priors and the religious, the history of the buildings from the plans recovered, an inventory of the archaeological remains, and the reconstitution of a charter collection scattered between national, departmental and diocesan archives. Begun in 2017 with students of art history and archaeology.
A documentary and iconographic inventory of the Maurist houses of southern France: the state of the buildings, sources, bibliography, and an image bank on the Congregation and its leading figures. The work is designed to be handed over to the community of researchers and to the Maurist associations.
Identifying those who still know how to sing, direct and teach the chant, and documenting how they pass it on. A concept note was submitted to the French Ministry of Culture in July 2026, and the Conservatoire takes part in the working group on the national inventory of intangible cultural heritage. In the line of dom Jumilhac, La science et la pratique du plain-chant (1673).
Spoken Latin and sung Latin as two states of one living language. A study of the methods of oral transmission, with one hypothesis to be tested: does singing hasten the acquisition of quantity, accent and phrasing? Montfaucon’s Greek is not forgotten.
Describing the skills of restoration as dom Bédos described organ building: by text, by plate, and today by moving image. Painted decoration, faux wood and faux marble, brick and pebble masonry, polychrome statuary, joinery.
Provenance, authority, rights, review by a qualified professional: Mabillon’s rules applied to digital tools and to artificial intelligence in the cultural professions. This is the subject of the Conservatoire’s part in the European projects below.
Mabillon’s rules, applied to digital tools and to artificial intelligence in the cultural professions: that is what the Conservatoire brings to European consortia, with the abbey as its testing ground.
CNRS · IRHTInstitute for Research and the History of Texts · since 2025
Preparation, with a musicologist of the Institute, of the file for the inclusion of Gregorian chant in the national inventory of intangible cultural heritage.
Scientific leadA senior researcher, who directs the Conservatoire’s research within the European projects
ResearchersTwo early-career researchers, each with an ORCID identifier, working on sources, programmes and pilots
Financial managementA chartered accountant and statutory auditor, responsible for the finances of the European projects
Two researcher postsTo be recruited within the European projects
The team is supported by the trainees and researchers received at the abbey and by the craftsmen of the workshops.
Residencies and placements
The study room of the abbey.
Trainees on formal placements, doctoral students, researchers in residence: the abbey offers unpublished sources, a documentary collection, archival plans, a worksite to document, and sixty rooms. Twenty-six placements and research stays have been received over four years.
