The King’s Singers have represented the gold standard in a cappella singing on the world’s greatest stages for over fifty years. They are renowned for their connection and engagement with their audiences, their unrivalled technique, versatility and skill in performance, and for their consummate musicianship, drawing both on the group’s rich heritage and pioneering spirit to create an extraordinary wealth of original works and unique collaborations.

What has always distinguished the group is their comfort in an unprecedented range of styles and genres, pushing the boundaries of their repertoire, while at the same time honouring their origins in the British choral tradition. They are known and loved around the world, appearing regularly in major cities, festivals and venues across Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia, including Carnegie Hall, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Mozarteum Salzburg, Tonhalle Zurich, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Helsinki Music Centre, Sydney Opera House, Tokyo Opera City and the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing. They also work with orchestras, recently including a specially commissioned work by Sir James MacMillan with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at the Edinburgh International Festival.

The King's Singers’ extensive discography has led to numerous awards including two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a place in Gramophone magazine’s inaugural Hall of Fame. As part of their 50th anniversary celebrations in 2018, the group undertook a series of major tours worldwide, supporting the release of a Grammy Award nominated anniversary album GOLD, which featured important works in the group’s history and new commissions by Bob Chilcott, John Rutter and Nico Muhly.

This commitment to creating new repertoire has always been central to the group, with over 200 commissioned works by many leading composers of the 20th and 21st Centuries, including John Tavener, Judith Bingham, Eric Whitacre, György Ligeti, Luciano Berio, Krzysztof Penderecki and Toru Takemitsu. These join a unique body of   close-harmony and a cappella arrangements, including those by King's Singers past and present. Many of their commissioned works and arrangements are available in their own signature series with Hal Leonard, selling over two million copies worldwide. Early collaborations with brass bands helped to inform the distinct ‘King’s Singers sound’ and key to the group’s success has been their ability to evolve and innovate over many years – and through 28 individual members – while always retaining this special sound and musical integrity.

They also lead educational workshops and residential courses across the world and online, working with groups and individuals on their techniques and approaches to ensemble singing. In 2018 they founded The King’s Singers Global Foundation to provide a platform for the creation of new music across multiple disciplines, coach a   new generation of performers and provide musical opportunities to people of all backgrounds.

The King’s Singers were formed in 1968, when six recent choral scholars from King’s College, Cambridge gave a concert at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By chance, the  group consisted of two countertenors, a tenor, two baritones and a bass, and the group has maintained this formation ever since that debut.

The King's Singers

Ensemble

Performers

Patrick Dunachie, countertenor

Edward Button, countertenor

Julian Gregory, tenor

Christopher Bruerton, baritone

Nick Ashby, baritone

Jonathan Howard, bass

Program

1.Bob Chilcott -Days (from Even such is time)

2.Thomas Weelkes – Hark all ye lovely saints above

3.William Byrd – This sweet and merry month of May

4.Thomas Weelkes – Death hath deprived me

5.Thomas Weelkes – Like two proud armies

6.György Ligeti-The Lobster Quadrille (from Nonsense Madrigals)

7.Francesca Amewudah-Rivers - Alive

8.Joe Hisaishi - I was there

9.György Ligeti - Cuckoo in the pear tree

10.Ralph Vaughan Williams - Over hill, over dale

11.Hugo Alfvén - Uti vår hage (In our meadow)

12.Hugo Alfvén - Och jungfrun hon går i ringen (And the maiden joins the ring)

13.György Ligeti - A long, sad tale (from Nonsense Madrigals)

——Intermission——

14.Ned Washington and Oliver Wallace,When I see an elephant fly (from Dumbo, 1941)

arr. Nick Ashby

15.Larry Morey and Frank Churchill,Someday my prince will come (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, 1937)

arr. Alexander L’Estrange                

16.Alan Menken, Prince Ali (from Aladdin, 1992)

arr. Jim Clements

17.Elton John and Tim Rice, Can you feel the love tonight (from The Lion King, 1994)

arr. Jamey Ray

18.Danny Jacob and Ali Olmo,Aloha e komo mai (from Lilo and Stitch, 2002)

arr. Toby Young

19.Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Remember me (from Coco, 2017)

arr. Jim Clements

20.Mel Leven, Cruella De Vil (from 101 Dalmatians, 1961)

arr. Jim Clements

21.Leigh Harline and Ned Washington, When you wish upon a star (from Pinocchio, 1940)

arr. John Rutter

22.Richardb Sherman, Robert Sherman,and Irwin Kostal

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (from Mary Poppins, 1964)

arr. Christopher Bruerton