Exmoor Singers of London Chamber Choir
Encyclopedia
The Exmoor Singers of London Chamber Choir is a choir with a strong focus on music by living composers and in particular British
composers.
In 2007, the choir collaborated with rock group Bloc Party
to perform at the BBC Electric Proms
, which was broadcast on both BBC2 television and BBC Radio 1
. The choir subsequently recorded tracks for Bloc Party album Intimacy
, released in 2008. The choir also recorded with rock group Snow Patrol
and feature on the album A Hundred Million Suns
. Members of the choir subsequently performed with the band on BBC1 television on Later... with Jools Holland. Most recently members of the choir recorded with folk rock group Noah and the Whale
.
As hosts of the London Tallis Festival
, the choir was broadcast on BBC Radio 3
on 28 October 2007. The choir also appears regularly on BBC1 television on Songs of Praise
.
Exmoor Singers actively promote music by living composers, in dedicated concerts; by more generally programming new works; and specifically in commissioning new works. For the choir's first concert dedicated entirely to living composers, on 29 May 2002, the group received a four-star review from The Times
.
The choir has given a number of first performances, but more particularly aims to give second performances of works that might not otherwise be heard again.
The two works commissioned in 2005 entitled This Sceptr'd Isle may be the only settings for choir based on the speech in William Shakespeare
's King Richard II, Act 2 scene 1.
Tentatio, Love You Big as the Sky and Visitations were commissioned for the Tallis Festival
, and are 40-part unaccompanied works inspired by Thomas Tallis' Spem in alium
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
composers.
In 2007, the choir collaborated with rock group Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
to perform at the BBC Electric Proms
BBC Electric Proms
The BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms was an October music festival in London run by the BBC for five years, 2006-2010...
, which was broadcast on both BBC2 television and BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. The choir subsequently recorded tracks for Bloc Party album Intimacy
Intimacy (Bloc Party album)
Intimacy is the third studio album by British indie rock band Bloc Party. It was recorded in two weeks at several locations in London and Kent during 2008 and was produced by Paul Epworth and Jacknife Lee. Inspired by the release options available in the Internet age, the band members made the...
, released in 2008. The choir also recorded with rock group Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
and feature on the album A Hundred Million Suns
A Hundred Million Suns
A Hundred Million Suns is the fifth album by alternative rock band Snow Patrol. The album was written by Snow Patrol and was produced by long time producer Jacknife Lee who has previously produced albums for Bloc Party, R.E.M., and U2. The songs were recorded through the summer of 2008 in Hansa...
. Members of the choir subsequently performed with the band on BBC1 television on Later... with Jools Holland. Most recently members of the choir recorded with folk rock group Noah and the Whale
Noah and the Whale
Noah and the Whale are an English indie folk band from Twickenham, London, England formed in 2006. The band consists of Charlie Fink , Tom Hobden , Matt "Urby Whale" Owens , Fred Abbott , and Michael Petulla .-Early years and Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down...
.
As hosts of the London Tallis Festival
Tallis Festival
The Tallis Festival , hosted by Exmoor Singers of London, forms the Tallis Festival Choir for just one weekend every 12 to 18 months. The Festival always includes Thomas Tallis' Spem in Alium for 40-part choir, but in addition has commissioned new 40-part works by modern composers, as companion...
, the choir was broadcast on BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
on 28 October 2007. The choir also appears regularly on BBC1 television on Songs of Praise
Songs of Praise
Songs of Praise is a BBC Television programme based around traditional Christian hymns. It is a widely watched and long-running religious television programme, one of the few peak-time free-to-air religious programmes in Europe Songs of Praise is a BBC Television programme based around traditional...
.
Exmoor Singers actively promote music by living composers, in dedicated concerts; by more generally programming new works; and specifically in commissioning new works. For the choir's first concert dedicated entirely to living composers, on 29 May 2002, the group received a four-star review from The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
.
The choir has given a number of first performances, but more particularly aims to give second performances of works that might not otherwise be heard again.
New commissioned music
The choir has commissioned eight new choral works:- Sounds: Three Kandinsky Poems (1999) – David SawerDavid SawerDavid Sawer is a British composer of opera and choral, orchestral and chamber music.-Biography:Sawer was born in Stockport, England. He studied music at the University of York where he began composing for contemporary music-theatre pieces. He continued his studies with Mauricio Kagel in Cologne...
- This Sceptr'd Isle (2005) – Paul Ayres
- Dreaming England (This Sceptr'd Isle) (2005) – Peter McGarrPeter McGarrPeter McGarr is a Northern English classical composer.-Biography:Born in Manchester, McGarr studied Music and Dance at Mather College and is self-taught in composition. For several years he taught steel pan, achieving the Outstanding Performance Award from Music for Youth for his steel band...
- Tentatio (2006) – Jaakko MäntyjärviJaakko MäntyjärviJaakko Mäntyjärvi is a Finnish composer of classical music, and a professional translator.-Education:Mäntyjärvi studied English and Linguistics at the University of Helsinki, graduating with an FK degree in 1991...
- Their Lonely Betters (based on a poem by W. H. AudenW. H. AudenWystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
) (2007) – James LavinoJames LavinoJames Lavino is an American composer, known especially for his choral music and his music for film and television.-Life and career:... - Love You Big as the Sky (a LindisfarneLindisfarneLindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
Love Song) (2007) – Peter McGarrPeter McGarrPeter McGarr is a Northern English classical composer.-Biography:Born in Manchester, McGarr studied Music and Dance at Mather College and is self-taught in composition. For several years he taught steel pan, achieving the Outstanding Performance Award from Music for Youth for his steel band...
(broadcast in full on BBC Radio 3) - Three Auden Settings (based on poems by W. H. AudenW. H. AudenWystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
) (2008) - James LavinoJames LavinoJames Lavino is an American composer, known especially for his choral music and his music for film and television.-Life and career:... - Visitations (text adapted by James Lavino from the Book of Ezekiel) (2010) - James LavinoJames LavinoJames Lavino is an American composer, known especially for his choral music and his music for film and television.-Life and career:...
The two works commissioned in 2005 entitled This Sceptr'd Isle may be the only settings for choir based on the speech in William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's King Richard II, Act 2 scene 1.
Tentatio, Love You Big as the Sky and Visitations were commissioned for the Tallis Festival
Tallis Festival
The Tallis Festival , hosted by Exmoor Singers of London, forms the Tallis Festival Choir for just one weekend every 12 to 18 months. The Festival always includes Thomas Tallis' Spem in Alium for 40-part choir, but in addition has commissioned new 40-part works by modern composers, as companion...
, and are 40-part unaccompanied works inspired by Thomas Tallis' Spem in alium
Spem in alium
Spem in alium is a forty-part Renaissance motet by Thomas Tallis, composed circa 1570 for eight choirs of five voices each. The sacred text has been used as a basis for other choral settings, such as and the...
.