New College Choir is one of the most celebrated and acclaimed choral groups of the UK. It comprises around thirty voices, including its famous boy choristers. It has been around since the late 14th century, when William of Wykeham set up a choral foundation within his ‘New’ College. Since then it has regularly sung chapel services, and continues to do so during the University terms (you can drop into Evensong any night of the week – bar Wednesday – and listen). What has changed rather more dramatically over the years is the Choir’s outreach: now its singing is heard the world over, through broadcasts (including regular webcasts of chapel services) and recordings. The Choir has also built up an enviable discography, numbering over one hundred CDs, presenting choral music from all corners of the repertory. Indeed, the range of music sung by the Choir is one of its defining features, making involvement in its work particularly rewarding for singers. It frequently tours, and in the last two years has visited the USA, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Cyprus.  From time to time, the Choir teams up with leading instrumental ensembles for live and recorded performances. The Choir has built up a timbre and style which are instantly recognizable, and in which the treble voices are a defining feature (listen to them on The Art of the Chorister).

New College Choir is often ‘out and about’ on tour. It has literally been across the world: Australia, Japan, Brazil, USA and all over Europe. In the last 18 months the Choir has been to Italy on three seperate occasions, spent a week in a very sunny Cyprus, and also performed in France, Belgium and Germany. You can read about these and other trips in our tour blogs.

A recommended article is available at ofchoristers.net.