King's College Choir
King's College, Cambridge, CB2 1ST

The Choir


King's College Choir

<i>'...this superb choir (performed) with impeccable intonation, unfailing rhythmic vitality and a continually resourceful sense of light and shade.'</i>
The Times, on the choir's debut at the BBC Proms 

'...how finely the choir gives bloom to the sound, opening out like a rose window in a blaze of light.'
The Gramophone


The choir of King's College owes its existence to King Henry VI who, in founding the College in 1441, envisaged the daily singing of services in his magnificent chapel.  This remains the choir's raison d'être, and is an important part of the lives of its 16 choristers, who are educated on generous scholarships at the College School, and the 14 choral scholars and two organ scholars, who study a variety of subjects in the College itself.

Today's choir derives its world-wide fame and reputation from the annual broadcast of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols which is heard on radio by millions all over the world, together with a television version of the service; from its many recordings for EMI and Decca, and from its international concert programme.  Last year the choir undertook an extensive concert tour of South Africa and recent tours have seen the choir in Japan and Australia, as well as in many European countries; in March 1996 they performed to capacity audiences in Denmark as part of Copenhagen's European City of Culture celebrations and in the Summer of 1997 the choir again toured the USA and Canada.  The choir often performs in London, too, and made its debut at the BBC Proms in 1993. In December 1996 it gave a Christmas concert with the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall and a recital in the Royal College of Music's Britten Theatre.  In March this year the choir was joined by The Brandenburg Consort for a performance of Bach's Mass in b minor at St John's, Smith Square.

The choir has worked with many distinguished soloists and orchestras, and enjoyed a long association with the English Chamber Orchestra, in the concert hall and in recordings.  In recent years a partnership has also developed with the period-instrument orchestra, The Brandenburg Consort, which has resulted in CDs of Messiah, and Bach's St Matthew and St John Passions.  Other recent recordings include a Stanford album, and Ikos, an album of works by Gorecki, Pärt and Tavener and Gregorian chant, both on the EMI label; Ikos is followed by Credo, a sequence of music by Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Penderecki and Panufnik, with plainsong interludes, released in September this year.  Early music projects for BBC Radio 3 have included Easter Matins according to the 1549 Prayer Book, two recitals of Eton choirbook repertoire and Tallis' Missa Puer natus est nobis.

Contemporary music is also an important part of the choir's repertoire, and the College has a programme of commissioning works from some of the foremost composers working today; these commissions have included works by Thomas Adès, Richard Rodney Bennett, John Casken, James Macmillan, Peter Maxwell Davies, Stephen Dodgson, Alexander Goehr, Nicholas Maw, Arvo Pärt, John Rutter, John Tavener and Judith Weir.  Judith Bingham was commissioned to write a set of Evening Canticles for the choir in 1996 and Stephen Paulus, an American composer from Minneapolis, was commissioned to write a carol for the 1996 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

The Director of Music is always pleased to hear of prospective choristers and choral and organ scholars. Please contact him on 01223 331224.

November 1997


Stephen Cleobury




As Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge, and Chief Conductor of the BBC Singers, Stephen Cleobury is associated with two of Britain's outstanding choirs. 

King's College Choir was founded in the 1440s by King Henry VI.  The world-wide reputation it enjoys today has grown from the annual broadcast on Christmas Eve of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which is heard by a radio audience estimated at tens of millions; from its countless recordings for EMI, Decca and other labels, and from its international touring programme.

Under Stephen Cleobury's direction the choir has maintained standards of musical excellence and continues to broaden its repertoire, commissioning new works, and performing Baroque and Classical works with period-instrument orchestras.  In its concert appearances and on disc, the choir appears with most of the major London orchestras and with many distinguished solo singers.  In recent years Stephen Cleobury and King's College Choir have established a fruitful relationship with The Brandenburg Consort.

The BBC Singers, Britain's only full-time professional choir, recently celebrated their 70th birthday.  Their versatility and virtuosity are legendary.  In particular, their expertise in 20th-century music has attract plaudits from contemporary composers such as Berio, Boulez, Henze and Maxwell Davies.

Stephen Cleobury's work with the BBC Singers ranges over a broad spectrum of repertoire.  Last year's schedule included appearances at the BBC Charles Ives Festival at the Barbican Centre, a BBC Prom concert, in which a number of works recently commissioned by the BBC Singers were featured, and concerts at St John's, Smith Square, as well as a visit to the Fribourg Festival in Switzerland in July.  CD recordings of Charles Ives and Bach Motets have recently been released, and he has recently completed a recording of the choral works of Richard Strauss with the group.

Stephen Cleobury is also Conductor of the orchestra and chorus of the Cambridge University Musical Society, and much in demand as a conductor and organ recitalist.  He teaches at King's College and at the Royal College of Music, where he is a Fellow and Visiting Professor.  He has served as President of the Royal College of Organists, and sits on the Council of the Royal School of Church Music.


November 1997