The King's Singers

Last updated

The King's Singers
Choir
Origin Cambridge, England
Founded1968
Genre Classical, pop
Members
  • Patrick Dunachie
  • Edward Button
  • Julian Gregory
  • Christopher Bruerton
  • Nick Ashby
  • Jonathan Howard
Website kingssingers.com

The King's Singers are a British a cappella vocal ensemble founded in 1968. They are named after King's College in Cambridge, England, where the group was formed by six choral scholars. In the United Kingdom, their popularity peaked in the 1970s and early 1980s. Thereafter they began to reach a wider American audience, appearing frequently on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in the United States. In 1987, they were prominently featured as guests on the Emmy Award-winning ABC television special Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas.

Contents

Today the ensemble travels worldwide for its performances, appearing in around 125 concerts each year, mostly in Europe, the US and East Asia, having recently added the People's Republic of China to their list of touring territories. In recent years the group has had several UK appearances at the Royal Albert Hall Proms and concerts as part of the Three Choirs Festival and the City of London Festival. The King's Singers consist of two countertenors, a tenor, a bass and two baritones. Their latest album is titled "The Library Vol. 4", and was released in June 2022.

History

The group has always consisted of six singers in total, with their membership changing over the years. None of the original members remain. The first stable incarnation of the group, from late 1969 until 1978, comprised:

The current ensemble is composed of (starting year in parentheses):

Former members of the King's Singers also include Jeremy Jackman, Bob Chilcott, [1] Nigel Short, Bill Ives, Bruce Russell, Colin Mason, Gabriel Crouch, Stephen Connolly, Robin Tyson, Philip Lawson, Paul Phoenix, David Hurley, Christopher Gabbitas and Timothy Wayne-Wright. There have been 26 members of the King's Singers since the original stable group was established in late 1969, for whom the average length of tenure is around 12 years.

Around the year 2000, the King's Singers briefly called themselves king'singers (with a lower case k and a single s), as can be seen on the cover of Fire-Water [2] and several song sheets. [3] This name change did not last long.

Early years

Prior to the establishment of the original stable male-only group cited above, several of the parts were taken by other singers, including three females. The four founding members, who first sang together within a six-man group in 1965, were Alastair Hume, Alastair Thompson, Simon Carrington and Brian Kay. From 1965 until 1968, the first countertenor was Martin Lane and the first baritone was Richard Salter. It was this group of six singers who gave the first concert under the name of the King's Singers on 1 May 1968 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, with the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Simon Preston (organ) and Barry Tuckwell (horn). Later in 1968, Martin Lane developed a brain tumour and had to withdraw from the group; Felicity Palmer stood in during 1969 until Nigel Perrin graduated that summer. Then, in 1969, Richard Salter was awarded a Richard Tauber Scholarship and left for Vienna; Nigel Beavan filled the gap until Anthony Holt became available towards the end of the year. Other singers who served as short-term group members were Eleanor Capp, Caryl Newnham and, on one occasion, James Bowman, all of whom took the first countertenor (soprano) role in 1969 when Felicity Palmer was unavailable. For a brief time after he joined the King's Singers, Nigel Perrin also belonged to the Scholars; when double-booked, his King's Singers' duties were fulfilled by Richard Baker (note: not the familiar BBC broadcaster). Neil Jenkins sang tenor in the early pre-King's Singers group's first summer singing tour in 1965, and Peter Hall was another tenor used by the fledgling pre-King's Singers group. [4] [5]

Madrigal History Tour

In 1984, the members of the King's Singers (who at the time included three founding members: Alastair Hume, Anthony Holt, and Simon Carrington) presented, narrated and sang in Madrigal History Tour, a six-part BBC television documentary series about the history of the madrigal in Western Europe. (The name was a play on the Beatles album Magical Mystery Tour .) The series also featured the early music ensemble the Consort of Musicke, playing together with and separately from the King's Singers. The series was accompanied by an album, also called Madrigal History Tour.

20th anniversary

The King's Singers' 20th anniversary concert in 1988, at the Barbican, featured a surprise reunion, in which all King's Singers to date reunited on stage, introduced individually (with membership dates, counting from 1968) by Prunella Scales. [6]

40th anniversary

Fortieth anniversary celebration concerts included two "best of" concerts at Cadogan Hall, London, on 30 April 2008, and a performance the following day in the chapel of King's College Cambridge, as well as concerts in Paris, Rome, Berlin, New York and Tokyo.

50th anniversary

The King's Singers 50th anniversary was celebrated in 2018 with a special concert at Carnegie Hall, [7] and the release of a new album, Gold. [8] [9]

PCC concert cancellation

In February 2023, Pensacola Christian College [10] cancelled the group's concert with two hours notice. The reasons seem to have been concerns around the sexuality of a member of the group, leading to many believing it was a homophobic related cancellation. [11] [12]

Influences

The group cites as its influences the Hi-Lo's vocal jazz group, [13] [14] the Comedian Harmonists, [14] the Mastersingers [14] and (perhaps most importantly) the style of singing instilled into them by Sir David Willcocks, their director of music at King's College, Cambridge. It was this serene and precise sound, with vibrato used only as a colour rather than a default setting, that was expanded by the early King's Singers to be used on all genres of music, from Renaissance church repertoire such as they had performed as part of the daily chapel services at the university, to pop, jazz, folk and spiritual arrangements that were soon added to their concert programmes.

The group has also inspired musicians in other countries to create similar ensembles, such as Affabre Concinui in Poland.

Repertoire

The King's Singers took hold of the idea that concerts need not contain merely one form of music; audiences could be educated as well as entertained. For those who came expecting pop music there would be classical music as well, and vice versa. This started out of necessity; for their first few concerts the group simply had to perform everything they knew in order to fill a concert programme, and this included religious music from their chapel library, along with folksongs and other "lollipops".

Over the years their library has expanded so that it now includes some 2,000 works of all styles. [15] The group is best known for its a cappella performances which have as a foundation a strong bass/baritone blend on which the other voices sit, a principle known as the "Pyramid of Sound". They say the 'added' baritone creates more width and depth to their sound. The two baritones and bass allow the top three parts to sit on top of the bed of sound created for them and, given that higher-pitched voices are heard more easily, the effect to the audience is one of complete balance in the overall chordal sound, despite being 'outnumbered' by their lower-pitched colleagues. [16] In addition, the King's Singers have frequently performed with instruments, both in recordings and in concert. One of their most famous songs is "You Are The New Day". They have appeared in many venues, including the famous City Varieties Theatre Leeds, with many appearances on BBC TV's long running Music Hall variety programme, The Good Old Days . They have also appeared on TV in concert with Hinge and Bracket.

Concert structure

Most of their a cappella concerts are divided into five distinct groups of pieces. The first four vary widely (madrigals, folk songs, recently commissioned pieces, etc.) but are generally taken from the serious side of the group's repertoire, but the last group of the concert is typically a "close harmony" set. Often it consists of lighter fare, including music of The Beatles, Billy Joel, Queen, George Gershwin, Harold Arlen or Irving Berlin, many of which have been arranged for the group by composers such as Richard Rodney Bennett, Jeremy Lubbock, Bob Chilcott, Philip Lawson and John Rutter. Sometimes the final set (in a concert of religious music) will be a spiritual harmony set – entitled "Songs of Faith and Hope". This set could be composed of American Spirituals, arranged by contemporary composers, including former group members Philip Lawson and Bob Chilcott. Pieces in this set could include "Simple Gifts", "Deep River", "Down to the River to Pray", and "Stand Still Jordan" as well as more spiritual pop songs such as "Some Folks Lives Roll Easy" by Paul Simon.

As of 2020 however, the King's Singers have begun to perform "concept programmes" which have a set theme running throughout. [17] These could be simply a 60-minute first-half sequence, often performed in European cathedral concerts, with a Mass or Requiem setting providing the backbone, interspersed with other shorter works, or a more fundamental concept which infuses every piece performed. Examples of this latter art include "Sacred Bridges", a programme of Jewish, Islamic and Christian settings of Psalms, performed with Vladimir Ivanoff and his ensemble "Saraband". The group have also created concert programmes relating to recent CD recordings, including "Landscape and Time" and "Treason and Dischord", the latter a programme commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot and including a script read in live performances by actors Joss Ackland and Bill Wallis. The group works closely with concert promoters and local agents to determine the best possible programme for each concert, whether for church, concert hall, open-air venue or private house.

Modern repertoire

The King's Singers are also known for frequently commissioning works from contemporary composers. Starting with "Timepiece", commissioned by the Camden Festival in 1972 from composer Paul Patterson (and still regularly performed today), they have continued by commissioning pieces from (amongst others) Sally Beamish, Bob Chilcott, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Howard Goodall, Daron Hagen, Jackson Hill, Graham Lack, Libby Larsen, György Ligeti, John McCabe, Ivan Moody, Jocelyn Pook, Geoffrey Poole, Francis Pott, Ned Rorem, Joby Talbot, Sir John Tavener and Malcolm Williamson. In 2008 they performed a piece commissioned jointly for them and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain written by Eric Whitacre.

Awards

In February 2009, the King's Singers' CD, Simple Gifts, won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album. In February 2012, they won Best Choral Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards along with Eric Whitacre for the album Light and Gold, on which they performed "The Stolen Child", written for the group by Whitacre. Their DVD, "Live at the BBC Proms", won a MIDEM Award at the annual ceremony in Cannes in 2010 for Best DVD Performance. In 2013 the group was inducted into the Gramophone Hall of Fame. [18]

Activities of former members

Many former members of the King's Singers have remained active in the world of choral music.

Educational activities

In addition to recording and performing, the King's Singers have a commitment to education, often participating in master classes and workshops. Every two years they hold a residency at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Lübeck, Germany, at which up to 12 a cappella groups from all over the world are taught over a period of four days, culminating in a public performance. The group also leads around a dozen additional one-off masterclasses throughout the year, normally in conjunction with concert performances and often as part of their twice-yearly US tours. During its time, the King's Singers have taught many groups that have now become known in their own right, such as Club for Five, The Real Group, [22] Rajaton, [23] Singer Pur and Calmus Ensemble.

Several of the King's Singers also arranged pieces, both for the group and pieces to publish in their line of music. Recently, Philip Lawson and Bob Chilcott have been the most prolific composers for the group.

The group established The King's Singers Summer School in 2013 taking place on campus at Royal Holloway, University of London. The Summer School took place for a second time in 2015 and saw composer and conductor Eric Whitacre and Eton Choirbook expert Dr. Stephen Darlington as special guests. In 2017, the Summer School participants performed an Evensong at the St George's Chapel, under the direction of Christopher Robinson. [24] The first US Summer School took place between 13 and 19 June 2017 at DePauw University, Indiana followed by the third School at Royal Holloway on 17–22 July 2017. The King's Singers were joined by guest clinician and former King's Singers Bob Chilcott. [25]

Personnel

Members

Lineups

19681968–19691969–19781978–1980
  • Martin Lane – 1st Countertenor
  • Alastair Hume – 2nd Countertenor
  • Alastair Thompson – Tenor
  • Nigel Beaven – 1st Baritone
  • Simon Carrington – 2nd Baritone
  • Brian Kay – Bass
  • Nigel Perrin – 1st Countertenor
  • Alastair Hume – 2nd Countertenor
  • Alastair Thompson – Tenor
  • Anthony Holt – 1st Baritone
  • Simon Carrington – 2nd Baritone
  • Brian Kay – Bass
  • Nigel Perrin – 1st Countertenor
  • Alastair Hume – 2nd Countertenor
  • Bill Ives – Tenor
  • Anthony Holt – 1st Baritone
  • Simon Carrington – 2nd Baritone
  • Brian Kay – Bass
1980–19821982–19851985–19871988–1990
  • Jeremy Jackman – 1st Countertenor
  • Alastair Hume – 2nd Countertenor
  • Bill Ives – Tenor
  • Anthony Holt – 1st Baritone
  • Simon Carrington – 2nd Baritone
  • Brian Kay – Bass
  • Jeremy Jackman – 1st Countertenor
  • Alastair Hume – 2nd Countertenor
  • Bill Ives – Tenor
  • Anthony Holt – 1st Baritone
  • Simon Carrington – 2nd Baritone
  • Colin Mason – Bass
  • Jeremy Jackman – 1st Countertenor
  • Alastair Hume – 2nd Countertenor
  • Bob Chilcott – Tenor
  • Anthony Holt – 1st Baritone
  • Simon Carrington – 2nd Baritone
  • Colin Mason – Bass
  • Jeremy Jackman – 1st Countertenor
  • Alastair Hume – 2nd Countertenor
  • Bob Chilcott – Tenor
  • Bruce Russell – 1st Baritone
  • Simon Carrington – 2nd Baritone
  • Stephen Connolly – Bass
1990–19931994–19961996–19971997–2000
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Alastair Hume – 2nd Countertenor
  • Bob Chilcott – Tenor
  • Bruce Russell – 1st Baritone
  • Simon Carrington – 2nd Baritone
  • Stephen Connolly – Bass
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Nigel Short – 2nd Countertenor
  • Bob Chilcott – Tenor
  • Bruce Russell – 1st Baritone
  • Philip Lawson – 2nd Baritone
  • Stephen Connolly – Bass
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Nigel Short – 2nd Countertenor
  • Bob Chilcott – Tenor
  • Philip Lawson – 1st Baritone
  • Gabriel Crouch – 2nd Baritone
  • Stephen Connolly – Bass
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Nigel Short – 2nd Countertenor
  • Paul Phoenix – Tenor
  • Philip Lawson – 1st Baritone
  • Gabriel Crouch – 2nd Baritone
  • Stephen Connolly – Bass
2001–20042004–20092009–20102010–2012
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Robin Tyson – 2nd Countertenor
  • Paul Phoenix – Tenor
  • Philip Lawson – 1st Baritone
  • Gabriel Crouch – 2nd Baritone
  • Stephen Connolly – Bass
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Robin Tyson – 2nd Countertenor
  • Paul Phoenix – Tenor
  • Philip Lawson – 1st Baritone
  • Christopher Gabbitas – 2nd Baritone
  • Stephen Connolly – Bass
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Timothy Wayne-Wright – 2nd Countertenor
  • Paul Phoenix – Tenor
  • Philip Lawson – 1st Baritone
  • Christopher Gabbitas – 2nd Baritone
  • Stephen Connolly – Bass
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Timothy Wayne-Wright – 2nd Countertenor
  • Paul Phoenix – Tenor
  • Philip Lawson – 1st Baritone
  • Christopher Gabbitas – 2nd Baritone
  • Jonathan Howard – Bass
2012–20142014–20162016–20182019–Present
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Timothy Wayne-Wright – 2nd Countertenor
  • Paul Phoenix – Tenor
  • Christopher Bruerton – 1st Baritone
  • Christopher Gabbitas – 2nd Baritone
  • Jonathan Howard – Bass
  • David Hurley – 1st Countertenor
  • Timothy Wayne-Wright – 2nd Countertenor
  • Julian Gregory – Tenor
  • Christopher Bruerton – 1st Baritone
  • Christopher Gabbitas – 2nd Baritone
  • Jonathan Howard – Bass
  • Patrick Dunachie – 1st Countertenor
  • Timothy Wayne-Wright – 2nd Countertenor
  • Julian Gregory – Tenor
  • Christopher Bruerton – 1st Baritone
  • Christopher Gabbitas – 2nd Baritone
  • Jonathan Howard – Bass
  • Patrick Dunachie – 1st Countertenor
  • Edward Button – 2nd Countertenor
  • Julian Gregory – Tenor
  • Christopher Bruerton – 1st Baritone
  • Nick Ashby – 2nd Baritone
  • Jonathan Howard – Bass

Lineup

Period1st Countertenor2nd CountertenorTenor1st Baritone2nd BaritoneBass
1968Martin LaneAlastair HumeAlastair Thompson Richard Salter Simon Carrington Brian Kay
1968–1969Nigel Beaven
1969–1978Nigel PerrinAnthony Holt
1978–1980Bill Ives
1980–1982 Jeremy Jackman
1982–1985Colin Mason
1985–1987 Bob Chilcott
1988–1990Bruce RussellStephen Connolly
1990–1993 David Hurley
1994–1996 Nigel Short Philip Lawson
1996–1997 Philip Lawson Gabriel Crouch
1997–2000 Paul Phoenix
2001–2004 Robin Tyson
2004–2009 Christopher Gabbitas
2009–2010Timothy Wayne-Wright
2010–2012Jonathan Howard
2012–2014Christopher Bruerton
2014–2016Julian Gregory
2016–2018Patrick Dunachie
2019–PresentEdward ButtonNick Ashby

Timeline

The King's Singers

Discography

In 2003, the group signed with Signum Records, with whom they have now released eighteen recordings, including an experimental recording of Thomas Tallis' 40-part "Spem in Alium", using modern studio multi-tracking techniques to turn their six voices into 40, the results of which can be heard on a Signum CD and Iambic Productions DVD, which includes a documentary on the making of the CD.

The group's most successful recent CD is the 2008 Simple Gifts, a selection of 16 pop ballads, spirituals, and folk songs. It was their first full-length studio CD since the 1990s. The arrangements on the album are by former first baritone Philip Lawson, Peter Knight and former tenor Bob Chilcott, and the album was recorded at the home of Francis Rossi, of Status Quo, and engineered by Gregg Jackman, the brother of former King's Singers countertenor Jeremy Jackman. In February 2009 Simple Gifts won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album. An EP recording, From the Heart, was released in 2010.

In December 2007, the King's Singers recorded a Christmas concert, Rejoice and Be Merry! with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, [26] that was released on CD on 30 September 2008; it also was released on DVD 21 October 2008. [27] [28] The CD featured both a cappella and accompanied songs by the King's Singers and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Six tracks feature the King's Singers alone, with another five tracks featuring the combined King's Singer's and Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the remaining eight tracks feature The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The recorded concert was also broadcast on US PBS stations in December 2008. [29] In 2011, the group released High Flight with The Concordia Choir, an album of music by three of the most popular 21st century choral composers, Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen and former tenor in the group Bob Chilcott.

In October 2013, The King's Singers released Great American Songbook, an album dedicated to American Standards from the 1920s to the 1960s, to critical acclaim. The sound on this new album marks a departure from the more acoustic albums of the past decade, using extensive post-production techniques and multi-tracking to create a more modern a cappella sound, but retaining the essence of The King's Singers' blend and balance.[ citation needed ]

King's Singers albums
Disc nameRelease yearInstrumentation / Notes# of a cappella tracks# of tracks
1605: Treason and Dischord2005Concordia Viol Consort and Sarah Baldock (organ)715
À la Française1987Scottish Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Carl Davis; Howard Shelley and Hilary Macnamara, pianos.521
All at Once Well Met1987Lute and Tabor2935
America1989, 2006 English Chamber Orchestra 010
Annie Laurie: Folk songs of the British isles1991 Manuel Barrueco, guitar; Nancy Hadden, renaissance flute and piccolo718
Atlantic Bridge1979Banjo, steel guitar, mouth harmonica, winds, harp, bass, pitched percussion, drums.1016
1605: Treason and Dischord2005Concordia Viol Consort and Sarah Baldock (organ)715
The Beatles Connection19861919
By Appointment (aka Encore)1971The Gordon Langford Trio513
Capella (compilation)200341
Captain Noah and His Floating Zoo; Holy Moses1972, 2005Drums: Alf Bigden, keyboard: Steve Gray, bass: Brian Odges (Holy Moses)018
Chanson d'amour19931121
Christmas2003String Quartet and Drums2325
Circle of Life1997 Metropole Orkest 312
Colouring Book200518
Concert Collection19762222
Contemporary Collection1975Double bass5
Courtly Pleasures1973 Early Music Consort of London, David Munrow 22
De Janequin aux Beatles (compilation)1999Various55
Deck the Hall – Songs for Christmas1973, 19911515
English & Italian Madrigals1974, 1989(reissue of King's Singers Madrigal Collection)2121
English Renaissance19952020
Fire~Water2000 Andrew Lawrence-King, The Harp Consort 17
A French Collection1973 Early Music Consort of London, David Munrow 1016
Gesualdo: Tenebrae Responses for Maundy Thursday 20041414
Get Happy!1991 George Shearing (piano), Neil Swainson (double bass), John Harle (saxophone)317
The Golden Age – Siglo de Oro2008Keith McGowan10
Good Vibrations19931313
Great American Songbook20131717
Here's a Howdy Do!1993Sound Effects, Organ, Piano, Double Bass, Drums1115
High Flight2011The Concordia Choir1314
In Memoriam Josquin Desprez (compilation)20121313
Joy to the World20111818
Kids' Stuff1986, 2000 Judi Dench, narrator; Andrew Jackman, synthesizers; Susan Milan, flute; Paul Hart, piano and synthesizers; Chris Laurence, double bass; Tristan Fry, drums.14
Keep on Changing1975Instrumental ensemble12
The King's Singers Believe in Music1981Piano, guitars, bass, drums514
The King's Singers Madrigal Collection19742121
The King's Singers Original Debut Recording1971, 1992The Gordon Langford Trio (reissue of By Appointment)513
The King's Singers sing Flanders & Swann and Noël Coward19771515
Landscape & Time20061111
György Ligeti Edition, Vol. 4 (Vocal Works)1997
A Little Christmas Music1989 Kiri Te Kanawa, City of London Sinfonia 720
Lollipops19751111
Madrigal History Tour1984, 1989Consort of Musicke034
My Spirit Sang All Day19882525
Nana's book of songs1974Nana Mouskouri, orchestra10
New Day1980915
Nightsong1997Various515
Out of the Blue1974Instrumental ensemble12
Pater Noster: A Choral Reflection on the Lord's Prayer20122525
Postcards20142222
The Quiet Heart – Choral Essays Vol.120061919
Reflections – Choral Essays Vol.220082020
In This Quiet Moment – Choral Essays Vol.320101818
Rejoice and Be Merry! 2008 Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square 611 (19) [30]
Renaissance (Works by Josquin Desprez)19932121
Romance du Soir20091919
Royal Rhymes and Rounds20122323
Sacred Bridges2005 Sarband 712
Sermons and Devotions200615
Simple Gifts20081616
Sing We and Chant It1982Robert Spencer, lute; John Fraser, tabor.1521
Six200566
Spem in alium 2006(One interview track)12
Spirit Voices1997214
Street Songs1998 Evelyn Glennie (percussion)7?18
Swimming Over London20101414
Swing1976713
Tempus Fugit1978012
This is The King's Singers (compilation)1980718
Thomas Tallis: The Lamentations of Jeremiah; William Byrd: Motets197777
A Tribute to the Comedian Harmonists1985Emil Gerhardt, Piano516
The Triumphs of Oriana1999, 20062525
Three Musical Fables1983 Cambridge Singers and City of London Sinfonia 03
Victorian Collection19801919
Watching the White Wheat1986Piccolo, flute, clarinet, string quartet, solo violin, solo cello, harp.916
Gold (3-disc set)20176060

[31] [32] [33]

Many King's Singers arrangements have been published, including a number compiled into song books [34]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choir</span> Ensemble of singers

A choir is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words is the music performed by the ensemble. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which spans from the medieval era to the present, or popular music repertoire. Most choirs are led by a conductor, who leads the performances with arm, hand, and facial gestures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tabernacle Choir</span> American choir based in Salt Lake City

TheTabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for over 100 years. The Tabernacle houses an organ, consisting of 11,623 pipes, which usually accompanies the choir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Whitacre</span> American composer (born 1970)

Eric Edward Whitacre is a Grammy-winning American composer, conductor, and speaker best known for his choral music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chanticleer (ensemble)</span> American male classical vocal ensemble

Chanticleer is a full-time male classical vocal ensemble based in San Francisco, California, founded in 1978. It is known for its interpretations of Renaissance music, for which they were founded, but also a wide repertoire of jazz, gospel and contemporary classical music. Its name is derived from the "clear singing rooster" in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. The ensemble has made award-winning recordings.

Bella Voce is a Chicago-based chamber chorus specializing in classical a cappella music. It has been called "Chicago's premier professional chamber choir."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Warland Singers</span> Professional chorus

The Dale Warland Singers (DWS) was a 40-voice professional chorus based in St. Paul, Minnesota, founded in 1972 by Dale Warland and disbanded in 2004. They performed a wide variety of choral repertoire but specialized in 20th-century music and commissioned American composers extensively. In terms of sound, the DWS was known for its purity of tone, intonation, legato sound and stylistic range. During their existence, the DWS performed roughly 400 concerts and recorded 29 CDs.

Daniel E. Gawthrop is an American composer, primarily of choral music. His output also includes a substantial body of works for the organ as well as orchestral and instrumental works. He has been the recipient of over one hundred commissions to write original music. His works have been published by Warner Brothers, Theodore Presser, Sacred Music Press, and others.

Cloudburst is a composition by Eric Whitacre for eight-part choir, with piano and percussion accompaniment. Whitacre began writing the piece in 1991, at the request of conductor Dr. Jocelyn K. Jensen for her high school choir - the final version of the piece was published in 1995. The text was adapted from Octavio Paz's poem El cántaro roto, and inspired by the experience of the composer witnessing a desert cloudburst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choir of King's College, Cambridge</span> English Anglican choir

The Choir of King's College, Cambridge is an English Anglican choir. It was created by King Henry VI, who founded King's College, Cambridge, in 1441, to provide daily singing in his Chapel, which remains the main task of the choir to this day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Gabbitas</span>

Christopher Alan Gabbitas, is a choral conductor, lawyer and university professor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Chilcott</span> English choral conductor and composer

Robert Chilcott is a British choral composer, conductor, and singer, based in Oxfordshire, England. He was a member of the King's Singers from 1985 to 1997, singing tenor. He has been a composer since 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voces8</span> British a cappella octet

Voces8, styled VOCES8, is an a cappella octet from England. They have appeared internationally and made recordings of classical music, jazz, pop, and their own arrangements. Recent recordings are for Decca Classics and under their own label, Voces8 Records. Educational efforts are run by the Voces8 Foundation.

Philip Lawson is a British choral conductor, composer and arranger. For 18 years he was a baritone with the King's Singers and the group's principal arranger for the last fifteen years of that period. In 2009 the group's album "Simple Gifts", on which Lawson arranged 10 out of 15 tracks, won the Grammy award for "Best Classical Crossover Album". In February 2012, he left the King's Singers to concentrate on his writing career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choir of St John's College, Cambridge</span> Collegiate choir

The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge is part of the English cathedral tradition, having been founded to sing the daily liturgy in the College Chapel, though it is set apart from other English choirs of this tradition by the frequent inclusion of Continental works in its repertoire and its emphasis on polyphonic interpretations. Alongside the choir of King's College, Cambridge, it is one of the two most famous collegiate choirs in Cambridge, having had over 90 recordings published. The choir consists of fifteen Choral Scholars and twenty Choristers and Probationers, all of whom are members of St John's College, many of whom have proceeded to become distinguished musicians.

The choirs at Brigham Young University (BYU) consist of four auditioned groups: BYU Singers, BYU Concert Choir, BYU Men's Chorus, and BYU Women's Chorus. Each choir is highly accomplished and performs from an extensive repertoire. Together, the choirs have recorded and released over 30 albums. The choirs perform frequently throughout the academic year, both as individual ensembles as well as a combined group.

vocaldente are an a cappella quintet from Hanover, Germany.

Sleep is a composition for a cappella choir by Eric Whitacre, with lyrics by Charles Anthony Silvestri. He composed it in 2000, setting a poem, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost. When the lyrics were found still under copyright, Whitacre enlisted Silvestri to write new lyrics to the existing music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affabre Concinui</span> Choir group

Affabre Concinui, also known as Affabre – The Chamber Singers, are a Polish a cappella vocal ensemble (sextet) founded in 1983 by alumni of two famous Polish choirs: Poznań Boys' Choir and Poznań Nightingales, inspired by the British ensemble The King's Singers. The name of the ensemble means in Latin "perfectly attuned" or "ideally harmonized", which is an artistic credo of the group. They quickly gained renown in Poland and many other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Chamber Choir</span>

The Houston Chamber Choir is a professional chamber choir based in Houston, Texas. It was founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Robert Simpson. The ensemble regularly presents a five-concert series of diverse, innovative choral programming throughout the Houston region. They have appeared nationally at the American Choral Directors Association convention, the Chorus America convention, Spoleto Festival USA, Trinity Church in Manhattan, and Yale University. The choir has also has toured internationally in Mexico and Wales.

References

  1. Beeson, Trevor (2009). In Tuneful Accord: The Church Musicians. Hymns Ancient and Modern. p. 205. ISBN   9780334041931.
  2. "Fire-Water: The Spirit of Renaissance Spain". The King's Singers – Kingssingers.com. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  3. "King's Singers Sheet Music and Songbook Arrangements". www.singers.com. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  4. Singers, The King's (1980). The King's Singers: A Self-Portrait. Robson Books. ISBN   0-86051-109-X.
  5. Archived 15 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Patents Pending : The King's Singers". Darylrunswick.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  7. Fowler, Damian (18 April 2018). "The King's Singers Celebrate 50 Years With a Carnegie Hall Concert". Playbill. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  8. Coghlan, Alexandra (1 December 2017). "The King's Singers: Gold". www.gramophone.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  9. "The King's Singers Celebrate Their Golden Anniversary With Midday Masterpieces | Midday Masterpieces". WQXR. 14 November 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  10. Hernández, Javier C. (14 February 2023). "Florida College Cancels Concert". The New York Times.
  11. "The King's Singers: US gig cancelled over sexuality".
  12. "The King's Singers here days after Florida show cancelled over gay lifestyles". The London Free Press.
  13. "Singers.com – Hi-Lo's Vocal Jazz A Cappella Group". Singers.com. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 "The King's Singers". 5 March 2016. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  15. "Albums | The King's Singers". www.kingssingers.com. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  16. Lee, Jenny (2014). "In touch with The King's Singers Kings of A Capella". Interlude. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  17. "In touch with The King's SingersKings of A Capella". Interlude.hk. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  18. "CONGRATULATIONS TO GRAMOPHONE HALL OF FAMERS ANDSNES, FLEMING, ISSERLIS & THE KING'S SINGERS". IMG Artists. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  19. "Stephen Connolly International A Cappella School". Iaschools.org. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  20. "Anthony Holt, a stalwart of the King's Singers for two decades – obituary". The Telegraph. 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  21. "St. Francis' Church". Langleymarish.com. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  22. Yanow, Scott. "The Real Group". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  23. Mike Bell. 'Finnish a cappella act Rajaton still soaring after two decades', in The Scene, 19 April, 2017
  24. "The King's Singers". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  25. "Summer School". The King's Singers – Kingssingers.com. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  26. "King's Singers coming to Salt Lake". DeseretNews.com. 30 September 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  27. "Rejoice and Be Merry: Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square Featuring The King Singers". Amazon. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  28. "Rejoice & Be Merry: Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir". Amazon. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  29. "Mormon Tabernacle Choir – Official Website". Mormontabernaclechoir.org. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  30. The CD has 19 tracks, but the King's Singers are only featured in 11 tracks
  31. "DJ Records Menu Page". Dj-records.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  32. "kingssing.com" . Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  33. "Homepage – The King's Singers". The King's Singers. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  34. "Sheet Music Archives – The King's Singers". The King's Singers. Retrieved 14 June 2016.