X-Nico

4 unusual facts about BBC Singers


BBC Singers

Bob Chilcott, one of two Principal Guest Conductors, was a member of the King’s Singers for 12 years and is well known as the composer of music for children’s choirs as well as a large catalogue of works and arrangements for choirs of all sizes.

Notable former members of the group include the tenor Sir Peter Pears, the mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly, the composer Judith Bingham and the conductor Harry Christophers (director of The Sixteen).

Judith Bingham was the next to fill this position, in 2004, and was succeeded in 2010 by Gabriel Jackson.

Judith Bingham – A Winter Walk at Noon - First broadcast 2 March 1986


Bob Chilcott

His cantata for choir and percussion The Making of the Drum has been performed by the BBC Singers, the New Zealand Youth Choir, the Chamber Choir of Europe, and the Taipei Chamber Singers.

Eton Choral Courses

Other directors have included Ben Parry (Director of Junior Royal Academy, London), Mark Shepherd (Director of Music, Charterhouse) and Bob Chilcott (Principal Guest Conductor, BBC Singers).

Ifield Community College

The choir, led by Patrick Allen (music educator), has performed at some of Europe's major venues, including St Mark's Basilica in Venice (2008),the Royal Festival Hall, London, Barcelona Cathedral, the Auditorium Stravinski in Montreux and a recent (June 2011) collaboration with the BBC Singers saw them performing and recording at Maida Vale Studios.

Robert Saxton

2010 - premiere and Radio 3 broadcast of The Wandering Jew by BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers conducted by Andre de Ridder with soloists including Roderick Williams and Teresa Cahill.

Silvina Milstein

Her music has been played by some of the leading orchestras, ensembles and performers in Britain and abroad, such as Ensemble Modern (Frankfurt), the London Sinfonietta, Lontano, the BBC Singers, the Endellion String Quartet and Jane Manning.


see also

Chorus of Westerly

The sessions have been directed over the past two decades by Richard Marlow (former organist and choirmaster of Trinity College, Cambridge), Sir David Willcocks (former choirmaster of King's College, Cambridge and The Bach Choir, London), Herbert Bock, and most recently by David Hill (of the BBC Singers, the Bach Choir) and James Litton (former director of the American Boychoir).