Choir of King's College, Cambridge
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The world-famous Choir of King's College, Cambridge is one of today's most accomplished and renowned representatives of the great British choral tradition. It was created by King Henry VI, who founded the College in 1441, to provide daily singing in his glorious Chapel, which remains the main task of the choir to this day.
Today the choir is directed by Stephen Cleobury and derives much of its fame from the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, broadcast worldwide to millions on Christmas Eve every year, and the TV service Carols from King's which accompanies it.
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[edit] Membership of the Choir
The statutes of the College provide for sixteen choristers, and from the beginning of the 20th Century fourteen Undergraduates have sung in the choir as Choral Scholars. Information for prospective members can be found here.
Former members of the Choir (including Directors of Music and Organ Scholars) are able to join the King's College Choir Association.
[edit] Directors of Music
The Choir is conducted by the Director of Music, a Fellow of the College.
- 1876–1929: Arthur Henry Mann
- 1929–57: Boris Ord
- 1940–45: Harold Darke (Boris Ord's substitute during the war)
- 1957–73: Sir David Willcocks
- 1974–82: Philip Ledger
- 1982-present: Stephen Cleobury
[edit] Choral Scholars
The fourteen Choral Scholars are male students (usually Undergraduates) at the College. Choral Scholars must succeed at both the general entry requirements of the College as well as the Choral Trials in order to join the Choir.
Two of the Choral Scholars are assigned the role of Beater, as Senior and Junior Beater (traditionally the Senior Choral Scholar and his pre-chosen successor); these two are also usually responsible for the direction of Collegium Regale. These two Choral Scholars usually 'beat' (conduct while in the stalls) the psalms, and often the introit, during the service, even when the Director of Music is present.
Very occasionally, a Lay Clerk may be appointed in place of a Choral Scholar, usually if a vacancy arises unexpectedly: for example, when a student, having gained a conditional place at the college (subject to A-level grades being achieved) fails to meet the conditions. Such Lay Clerks have, to all intents and purposes, the same status as a Choral Scholar. The few Lay Clerks that have existed (since the establishment of Choral Scholars) have often been Choral Scholars agreeing to remain for an additional year.
The Choral Scholars form collectively, in their spare time, a separate group, Collegium Regale (Latin for 'King's College'), which sings a wide range of music written for men's voices, from early music through to Barbershop arrangements (many of the latter having been written exclusively for the group by present/former Choral Scholars).
[edit] Groups spawned from the Choral Scholars
Various singing groups have been spawned from groups of Choral Scholars:
- Collegium Regale, made up of the current Choral Scholars
- The King's Singers (1968-present)
- Pange Lingua, directed by Berty Rice (1990s)
- The Scholars (1960s-present - also known as The Scholars Baroque Ensemble)
[edit] Notable Former Choral and Organ Scholars
- Michael Chance - Countertenor
- James Gilchrist - Tenor
- Edward Gardner - Director, English National Opera
- Stephen Varcoe - Baritone
- Robert Tear - Tenor
- Andrew Kennedy - Tenor (Winner of Rosenblatt Song Prize at Cardiff Singer of the World 2005)
- Sir Andrew Davis - Conductor
- Sir David Willcocks
[edit] Organ Scholars
The organ is played by two Organ Scholars, who, like the Choral Scholars, are also students at the College.
If the Director of Music is not present for any reason, an Organ Scholar takes responsibility for conducting the Choir.
Female applicants have very occasionally been known to apply as an Organ Scholar, but never have any succeeded competitively in the Organ Scholar competition.
Applicants for Cambridge organ scholarships are in the anomalous position of being able to apply to both Cambridge and Oxford Universities - normally only one is possible as part of the UCAS application system.
[edit] Tours
The Choir often tours externally, usually involving longer tours in the summer and at Christmas, and shorter stays throughout the year.
Previous tours have included:
- 1996 - South Africa
- Summer 1998 - Hong Kong and Australia
- January 2000 - Bermuda
- July/August 2000 - Far East (Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei, Tokyo) and the USA
- Summer 2001 - Australia
- Summer 2002 - Belgium
- Summer 2003 - Germany
- December 2003 - Holland
- Summer 2004 - Hong Kong
- December 2004 - USA
- September 2005 - Italy
- December 2005 - Switzerland, Holland and Belgium
- January 2006 - Italy
- May 2006 - Germany (Stuttgart)
- September 2006 - Sweden (Gothenburg)
- December 2006 - Far East (Korea and Singapore)
[edit] Recordings
Recent recordings under the EMI Classics label include:
- 2006 - Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem
- 2006 - Purcell - Music for Queen Mary
- 2005 - On Christmas Day
- 2005 - Gregorian Chant
- 2005 - Rutter Gloria
- 2005 - Heavenly Voices
- 2004 - Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom - Rachmaninov
- 2002 - Vivaldi Gloria
- 2000 - Bach Magnificat
- 1999 - Rachmaninov Vespers
- 1998 - Rutter Requiem
