The school specialized in training choral conductors in the methods of teaching choirs to sing Gregorian chant.

[3] Established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1941, the organization was founded by Clifford Bennett as a summer institute for liturgical music.

In 1945 the school relocated to Toledo, Ohio and at this time its name was changed to the Gregorian Institute of America.

[5] The decision of the Second Vatican Council to shift the liturgy from Latin to vernacular was a major reason behind the school's closure.

The second edition was expanded into a full hymnal in 1994 called Gather Comprehensive with the addition of the most popular traditional hymns and service music from Worship.