{"artistName":"King's College Choir","artistId":250372,"artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/7da/7dada79aea3608336bbc9f361ac6f36f_xl.jpg","srcset":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/7da/7dada79aea3608336bbc9f361ac6f36f_sm.jpg 50w,https://artist99.cdn107.com/7da/7dada79aea3608336bbc9f361ac6f36f_md.jpg 80w,https://artist99.cdn107.com/7da/7dada79aea3608336bbc9f361ac6f36f_lg.jpg 200w,https://artist99.cdn107.com/7da/7dada79aea3608336bbc9f361ac6f36f_xl.jpg 340w","artistBio":"\u003cp\u003eAnglicanism portal \n\nThe King's College Choir 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 King's College, Cambridge, in 1441, to provide daily singing in his Chapel, which remains the main task of the choir to this day. \nToday 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. The choir commissions a carol from a contemporary composer for each year's Festival. \n\nMembership of the Choir:\nThe statutes of the College provide for sixteen choristers. These are boys who are educated at King's College School. From the beginning of the 20th century fourteen undergraduates have also sung in the choir as Choral Scholars. \nFormer members of the Choir (including Directors of Music and Organ Scholars) are able to join the King's College Choir Association. \n\nPerforming and recording activities:\nThe Choir of King's College, Cambridge maintains a strong recording and touring schedule, in addition to its performances at King's College Chapel, in Cambridge. In recent years, the choir has toured throughout Europe, the US, South America, Australia and Asia. The choir regularly performs in the United Kingdom, giving concerts in the major London concert halls, as well as at numerous festivals around the country. In 2013, the Choir of King's College, Cambridge sang at the Prime Minister's Easter reception held at 10 Downing Street. \nThe choir also performs with symphony orchestras, such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms in 2005 and 2009, the London Symphony Orchestra, and performs an annual Christmas concert with the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. \nThe Choir of King's College, Cambridge has recorded more than 100 albums, on the EMI and Decca labels, and, in 2013, formed its own eponymous label. Releases on this label include Nine Lessons and Carols, with a selection of music from its Christmas Eve service, Mozart Requiem: Realisations, containing Mozart's Requiem, as well as full movements completed by other composers, and Britten's St Nicolas. \nThe choir has also begun making available recordings of its choral services. These can be listened to from the choir's web site. \n\nTours:\nThe Choir often tours externally, usually involving longer tours in the summer and at Christmas, and shorter stays throughout the year. \nPrevious tours have included: \n1982 - Japan, \n1983 - Australia and New Zealand, \n1984 - Belgium, Netherlands, West Germany, \n1985 - USA and Canada, \n1986 - Finland, Germany (East \u0026amp; West), \n1987 - Japan, \n1988 - Spain and USA, \n1989 - Australia and New Zealand, \n1990 - Italy, Switzerland, France, \n1991 - USA, \n1992 - France, \n1993 - Netherlands and Australia, \n1994 - Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Spain, France, \n1995 - Bermuda, USA, Germany, Belgium, France, Netherlands, \n1996 - Denmark and South Africa, \n1997 - Barbados, USA and Canada, \nSummer 1998 - Hong Kong and Australia, \nJanuary 2000 - Bermuda, \nApril 2000 - France (Paris), \nJuly-August 2000 - Far East (Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei, Tokyo) and the USA, \nJune 2001 - Netherlands (Haarlem), \nSeptember 2001 - Belgium, \nDecember 2001 - France (Paris), \nApril 2001 - Greece (Athens, Thessaloniki), \nJuly-August 2001 - Australia, \nSummer 2002 - Belgium, \nSummer 2003 - Germany, \nDecember 2003 - Netherlands, \nSummer 2004 - Hong Kong, \nDecember 2004 - USA, \nJuly 2005 - Germany, \nSeptember 2005 - Italy (Turin) and Belgium, \nDecember 2005 - Switzerland, Netherlands, \nJanuary 2006 - Italy (Genoa, Florence and Perugia), \nMay 2006 - Germany (Stuttgart), \nSeptember 2006 - Sweden (Gothenburg), \nDecember 2006 - Far East (Korea and Singapore), \nJune 2007 - Turkey (Istanbul Festival), \nAugust 2007 - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, \nSeptember 2007 - France (Ambronay) and Germany (Bonn), \nDecember 2007 - Brazil (São Paulo), \nApril 2008 - USA (New York, Chicago, St Louis, Baltimore, Dallas, St. Paul/Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Westport CT, Ann Arbor MI), \nSeptember 2008 - Italy (Stresa Festival) and Belgium (Gent Festival), \nNovember 2008 - Portugal (Porto), \nDecember 2008 - Italy (Rome) and Netherlands (Amsterdam and Eindhoven), \nJuly 2009 - Singapore, China (Hong Kong) and China/Taiwan (Taipei), \nJuly 2011 - South Korea (Seoul) and China (Beijing and Shanghai), \nJuly 2013 - South Korea (Seoul), China (Beijing and Hong Kong) and Singapore, \nSummer 2014 - Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide), \n\nRecordings:\nRecordings on the choir's own label, King's College, Cambridge, include: \n2013 - Britten: St Nicolas (with the Britten Sinfonia), \n2013 - Mozart Requiem: Realisations (with the Academy of Ancient Music), \n2012 - Nine Lessons and Carols, \nRecordings under the EMI Classics label include: \n2008 - Christmas at King's, \n2007 - I Heard a Voice - Music of the Golden Age, \n2006 - Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, \n2006 - Purcell: Music for Queen Mary, \n2005 - On Christmas Day, \n2005 - Gregorian Chant, \n2005 - John Rutter: Gloria, \n2005 - Heavenly Voices, \n2004 - Rachmaninov: Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, \n2002 - Vivaldi: Gloria, Magnificat, Dixit Dominus, \n2001 - Handel: Coronation Anthems, \n2001 - Best Loved Hymns, \n2000 - Bach: Magnificat, \n1999 - Rachmaninov: Vespers, \n1998 - Rutter: Requiem, \n\nDirectors of Music:\nThe Choir is conducted by the Director of Music, a Fellow of the College. \n1606-1619?: John Tomkins, \n1622-1623: Matthew Barton, \n1624-1626: Giles Tomkins, \n1627-1670: Henry Loosemore, \n1670-1726: Thomas Tudway, \n1726-1742: Robert Fuller, \n1742-1799: John Randall, \n1799-1855: John Henry Pratt, \n1855-1876: William Amps, \n1876-1929: Arthur Henry Mann, \n1929-1957: Boris Ord, \n1940-1945: Harold Darke (Boris Ord's substitute during WWII), \n1957-1973: Sir David Willcocks, \n1974-1982: Sir Philip Ledger, \n1982-present: Stephen Cleobury, \n\nChoral Scholars:\nThe 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 to join the Choir. \nTwo 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. \nVery 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. \nThe Choral Scholars form collectively, in their spare time, a separate group, The King's Men, singing 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). \n\nGroups spawned from the Choral Scholars:\n\nVarious singing groups have been spawned from groups of Choral Scholars: \nThe King's Men, formerly known as Collegium Regale, made up of the current Choral Scholars, \nThe King's Singers (1968-present), \nThe Scholars (1968-2010) and The Scholars Baroque Ensemble, \nPange Lingua, directed by Berty Rice (1990s), \nPolyphony (1986-present), \n\nNotable former members:\nRalph Allwood - Former Precentor and Director of Music, Eton College, \nJohn Carol Case - Baritone, \nClive Carey - Baritone and composer, \nMichael Chance - Countertenor, \nSir Andrew Davis - Conductor, \nRichard Farnes - Director of Music, Opera North, \nGerald Finley - Baritone, \nEdward Gardner - Director of Music, English National Opera, \nOrlando Gibbons - Composer, \nJames Gilchrist - Tenor, \nDavid Goode - Organist, \nTimothy Gowers - Mathematician, \nAndrew Kennedy - Tenor, \nStephen Layton - Conductor, Director of Polyphony, \nTim Mead - Countertenor, \nMark Padmore - Tenor, \nSimon Preston - Organist and Conductor, \nChristopher Purves - Bass-Baritone, \nMark Stone - Baritone, \nRobert Tear - Tenor, \nThomas Trotter - Organist, \nStephen Varcoe - Bass-Baritone, \nSir David Willcocks - Conductor, \nBob Chilcott - Composer, \nTimothy Brown - Conductor, \nRobert Quinney - Organist, \n\nOrgan Scholars:\nThe organ is played by two Organ Scholars, who, like the Choral Scholars, are students (typically undergraduates) at the College. An Organ Scholarship is awarded as necessary to ensure that there are always two undergraduate Organists in the College - a new Scholar is appointed to arrive when the previous one graduates. \nIf the Director of Music is not present for any reason, an Organ Scholar takes responsibility for conducting the Choir.\u003c/p\u003e","musicPath":"/music/King+s+College+Choir","playStationPath":"/stations/360184851/play","stationId":360184851,"bioPath":"/music/King+s+College+Choir/_full_bio","similars":[{"musicPath":"/music/Robert+Shaw+Chorale","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/972/9727b3df3bde42ff65d8d634b3b08df2_md.jpg","artistName":"Robert Shaw Chorale","artistId":65803,"station_id":264009810},{"musicPath":"/music/The+American+Boychoir","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/189/189c7934a7344d256013e5b3432d39bc_md.jpg","artistName":"The American Boychoir","artistId":381095,"station_id":396374026},{"musicPath":"/music/The+Vocal+Majority","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/c95/c9563afabd7c669fd1313838d5a77ad5_md.jpg","artistName":"The Vocal Majority","artistId":65810,"station_id":264009487},{"musicPath":"/music/Worcester+Cathedral+Choir","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/bfc/bfc711ec884321e42a3c4efa81d1085e_md.jpg","artistName":"Worcester Cathedral Choir","artistId":382595,"station_id":397658029},{"musicPath":"/music/Morten+Lauridsen","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/bcb/bcbb74aa2ae04d5f03960f92275a52f2_md.jpg","artistName":"Morten Lauridsen","artistId":456185,"station_id":401254262},{"musicPath":"/music/Franz+Xaver+Gruber","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/ea1/ea1bd455961c9c76073213525b925df7_md.jpg","artistName":"Franz Xaver Gruber","artistId":464386,"station_id":401383344},{"musicPath":"/music/The+Cambridge+Singers","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/849/849d213957a0ac99a7ed5952c37f0787_md.jpg","artistName":"The Cambridge Singers","artistId":380928,"station_id":396358565},{"musicPath":"/music/The+Priests+Sacred+","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/683/683b8cd670ea8634d65740a69706a340_md.jpg","artistName":"The Priests (Sacred)","artistId":14013,"station_id":113302782},{"musicPath":"/music/The+Bach+Choir","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/3d3/3d31d56e206a2d545a721399dc3ec752_md.jpg","artistName":"The Bach Choir","artistId":382338,"station_id":396505461},{"musicPath":"/music/Robert+Shaw","artistDefaultImage":"https://artist99.cdn107.com/a8f/a8f5e21e82ac95d76280d8f96b42b501_md.jpg","artistName":"Robert Shaw","artistId":250383,"station_id":360185027}]}