News
- 10/07/23
Summer Concert: Saturday 15 July at 5.00pm
Enjoy a final opportunity to hear the choir live this summer in New College Chapel: music from the Renaissance to the latest commission by Sir James MacMillan. Tickets from www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/new-college-choir-summer-concert-tickets-672044973607 or use the QR code below.Read More - 10/07/23
Malta tour
The choir is currently on tour in Malta, singing in the spectacular St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta. They are seen here rehearsing in the cathedral's Oratory, in front of Caravaggio's Beheading of St John the Baptist. Free concert on Monday 10 July at 7.00pm. Th...Read More - 23/06/23
New CD from Linn Records
Today we celebrate the choir's commitment to new music over the last century! Featuring works from Harris' Faire is the heaven, to new commissions by Deborah Pritchard and Caitlin Harrison, the disc celebrates new liturgical writing, framed by three settings of the Evensong canticles b...Read More - 12/06/23
James MacMillan, 'When one man dies': premiere at Evensong on Saturday 24 June at 5.45pm
New College Choir premieres a new commission from James MacMillan, 'When One Man Dies' (text by John Donne) at a Festival Evensong on Saturday 24 June at 5.45pm. The composer discusses the art of setting a text for choral composition with Robert Quinney at 3.30pm in chapel, with the De...Read More - 30/05/23
The Night Office in 15th-Century Oxford
On Tuesday 6 June at 9pm in chapel the choir will enact a short-form Night Office as it might have been known in 15th-century Oxford, to explore how this now-forgotten liturgy worked in performance. In southern England from the late 14th century on, Tuesdays were commonly given over to the vene...Read More - 04/05/23
Lay Clerk Vacancies
New College Choir plans to appoint four new lay clerks from 1 October 2023 for one year. As well as singing daily services during university term, lay clerks enjoy excellent opportunities to develop solo singing in concerts and recordings, and on tour in the UK and abroad. The posts will suit youn...Read More - 29/03/23
James Bowman: tributes from Robert Quinney and Edward Higginbottom
Robert Quinney writes The loss of James Bowman is felt all over the musical world – rarely can an artist have made such an impact over such a long career – but with a particular depth at New College. James was one of us; not only as a former Academical and Lay Clerk, nor as one of our...Read More - 27/03/23
The Choir in the USA
The choir is touring the USA - we would be delighted to see you at any of the concerts.Read More - 24/10/22
Dep auditions Saturday 5 November: 1030-1200
Auditions will be held in New College Chapel on Saturday 5 November 10.30-12.00Read More - 17/10/22
J S Bach, Christmas Oratorio, Parts IV-VI
Join the choir as it celebrates Bach's joyous setting of the Christmas story. Robert Quinney returns from sabbatical to direct the choir, and we welcome Guy Cutting (former academical clerk) as the Evangelist. The University Church provides a grand Gothic setting to one of the highligh...Read More - 04/10/22
- 07/07/22
- 26/05/22
Bach & Walther - Gramophone review
'one of the most satisfying organ recordings to have nourished my ears...the highly colourful Grant, Degens and Bradbeer instrument has never been better recorded... a wonderful showcase for his talents'. Read the full review of Dónal McCann's debut CD below.Read More - 12/05/22
New College Hymn Book - now on sale!
Our wonderful new hymn book is now on sale to all. Please follow the links here to purchase your copy. Different prices apply according to postage costs for overseas sales. New College Hymn Book (UK) New College Hymn Book (Europe) New College Hymn Book (Overs...Read More - 31/01/22
Three Choirs Concert: Friday 18 March
In what promises to be the concert of the decade, the Choirs of Christ Church, Magdalen and New College join together in the Sheldonian Theatre to perform Handel's Coronation Anthems. The three directors of music, Steven Grahl, Robert Quinney and Mark Williams also take centre stage in the...Read More - 21/01/22
Choir dep auditions: Sat 5 February
We are auditioning for our deputy list! Experienced singers (alto, tenor, bass) are welcome to apply for an audition. Excellent opportunities for services and concerts, good rates and an exciting and varied music list. Email the Choir Administrator for an audition slot (10.00-12.00...Read More - 17/12/20
Support New College Choir
If you have enjoyed our live-streamed services, concerts and recordings, and would like to support the work of the choir, we would be most grateful. Please choose the last link ‘New College Chapel and Choir’ on the college’s university fund-raising page: https://www.develo...Read More - 15/12/20
Advent from New College
Although the University term has now ended, there are a few last Advent performances yet to be given in New College chapel. This week these include a wonderful recital by our Assistant Organist of music for Advent, wihch will be streamed via our YouTube channel at 8.30pm on Friday 18th, and a perfor...Read More - 09/12/20
Media Vita - Gramophone review
We are very proud of this enormously generous review of our latest recording - Media Vita - from Gramophone! You can read the full review here: https://www.gramophone.co.uk/reviews/review?slug=sheppard-media-vita-choir-of-new-college-oxfordRead More - 20/10/20
Sunday Times review - Media Vita
We're very proud of this lovely review in The Sunday Times (18th October) for our upcoming recording of music by Sheppard - Media Vita : "These seven beguiling pieces by John Sheppard were written late in his career, in Mary Tudor’s reign. Four, A solis ortus cardine, Inclina...Read More - 16/10/20
Michaelmas term organ recitals
For the duration of Michaelmas term we will be streaming twice weekly organ recitals, performed by our resident organists and organ scholars, via our YouTube channel. These recitals will begin at 1pm on Mondays and Thursdays - we hope you'll enjoy tuning in over your lunch break...Read More - 09/10/20
Media Vita - Released 23rd October!
New College Choir is delighted to announce its debut release with Linn Records with a recording of works by the English Renaissance composer John Sheppard, including his most celebrated work, Media Vita, and four motets which receive their premiere recordings. New College Choir was already 150 ye...Read More - 19/09/20
apart/together 2 - Laudate Pueri
Our choristers' second recording of lockdown, recorded remotely over the summer in collaboration with Positive Note productions, is of Mendelssohn's beautiful Laudate Pueri. Recorded remotely, we hope this is the first of many releases over the coming months as we return to school and colleg...Read More - 14/08/20
- 10/08/20
Applying for a Choral Scholarship
New College Choir bass Filippo Turkheimer gives the insider view of being a choral scholar, and talks you through applications for a choral award at New College. Remember that you need to apply by 1 September. Auditions this year will be online...Read More - 03/08/20
apart/together - Choral music after COVID
Young Oxford singers from the Choir of New College, Oxford, have joined up with production company, Positive Note, to produce a poignant call for attention, as the pandemic threatens the future of choral music in Britain. Kept apart, they sing together, Bach’s Letzte Stunde. Not a Zoom perf...Read More - 18/07/20
My New College Moment - Curtis Price
Former Warden of New College and Principal of the Royal Academy of Music, Sir Curtis Price, provides our New College Moment this week! We hope you enjoy his choice of Spem in Alium. As always, we'd love to...Read More - 11/07/20
My New College Moment - The Bennett Brothers
Below you can find the next episode of our series of memories from former clerks, choristers and choir supporters, featuring Oscar and Edward Bennett - two former choristers! As always, we'd love to hear f...Read More - 01/07/20
My New College Moment - Jonny Howard
My New College Choir Moment - Jonny Howard Below you can find the next episode of our series of memories from former clerks, choristers and choir supporters, featuring former Choral Scholar and now King's Singers member, Jonny Howard. As always, we'...Read More - 25/06/20
My New College Moment - Dan Norman
My New College Choir Moment - Dan Norman Below you can find the latest instalment of our series of memories from former clerks, choristers and choir supporters, featuring former Choral Scholar and now Operatic Tenor, Dan Norman. As always, we'd love to...Read More - 19/06/20
My New College Choir Moment - Edward Higginbottom
My New College Choir Moment - Edward Higginbottom Below you can find the second instalment of our seroes of memories from former clerks, choristers and choir supporters, featuring our former Director of Music, Edward Higginbottom! As always, we'd love...Read More - 13/06/20
The Blessed Virgin
This week’s play list has been selected by the Choir Administrator, while the Organist fulfils one of his many other roles – marking exams! You can find the playlist here. I’ve chosen to celebrate the wealth of settings addressed to the Virgin Mary. At the heart...Read More - 11/06/20
My New College Choir Moment; Robert Hollingworth
My New College Choir Moment - Robert Hollingworth We are delighted to launch a series of favourite memories from former clerks, choristers and choir supporters who share a glimpse of their time in the choir, and choose their favourite track from the choir’s discography...Read More - 31/05/20
Come, Holy Ghost
You can listen to the playlist here. This week we wrap up the great forty days of Easter, which by coincidence have taken place entirely within the lockdown period. In doing so, we begin and end with the Ascension, and two great motets of the English long sixteenth century. Chri...Read More - 15/05/20
The English Tradition Pt.2
You can find the playlist here. The second part of our express tour of the choral tradition of these islands is by no means specifically English: it encompasses music by an Irishman and a Scot, and, more significantly, demonstrates the influence of European music throughout this country’s...Read More - 13/05/20
Chorister Open Day – Saturday 13 June 2020
Welcome to our virtual Chorister Open Day We are very sad not to be able to welcome families to New College Chapel for our annual chorister open day. It is always a wonderful afternoon where our young visitors find out about every aspect of chorister life – through singing, dres...Read More - 08/05/20
The English Tradition
You can listen to this week's playlist here. This week’s playlist is the first in a two-part survey of what is often referred to as the ‘English Choral Tradition’. We’ll proceed in chronological order, but both playlists will be topped and tailed by related w...Read More - 30/04/20
Spring's Creation
You can listen to this week's playlist here. During this week's playlist, we’re taking a look around, enjoying the splendour of the world now revealing itself in its bright Spring garments—including quite a bit of rain, in Oxford at least. A subsisidary theme of division and u...Read More - 20/04/20
Springtime
Our fourth weekly podcast celebrates Spring - you can listen here. Welcome to our fourth playlist! We begin and end with two contrasting settings of a text from the Song of Solomon, My beloved spake. This text, which often inspired composers, has to be the most glorious evocation of Spring i...Read More - 14/04/20
The Arrival of Easter
Below, Robert Quinney discusses our latest playlist, which you can listen to here.Read More - 06/04/20
The Path of Holy Week
Below, Robert Quinney discusses our latest playlist, which you can listen to here.Read More - 03/02/20
Lay Clerk Vacancies 2020
New College intends to appoint three lay clerks (two tenors, one bass) from 1 October 2020 to 31 July 2021. As well as singing daily services during university term, lay clerks enjoy excellent opportunities to develop solo singing in concerts and recordings, and on tour in the UK and abroad. The pos...Read More - 01/02/20
40 years of women at New College
New College Service by Deborah Pritchard: First Performance at Evensong on Sunday 2 February at 5.45pm The choir is very excited to be giving the first performance on Sunday of a new set of canticles, commissioned by Robert Quinney, as part of events this year to celebrate forty ye...Read More - 30/01/20
An Organ Scholarship at New College
Our Junior Organ Scholar, Hamish Fraser, reflects on his first few months at New College. Given that New College is one of the three choral foundations at Oxford, life as organ scholar here is a particularly immersive experience. The choir is comprised of fourteen singers on the ‘back row...Read More - 06/01/20
The view from the alto stalls
Lewis Hammond, one of our 3rd year undergraduates scholars, reflects on the tranquility of our wonderful ChapelRead More - 17/11/19
Lutheran Vespers - 17th November
For the last several terms New College Choir has performed a Cantata by J. S. Bach—not Evensong, but in a liturgy modelled on the office of Vespers, as it would have been celebrated in the principal churches of Leipzig during Bach’s time as Cantor of the Thomasschule, 1723-1750. The cong...Read More - 13/11/19
50th Birthday recital
This year sees the fiftieth anniversary of the Grant, Degens and Bradbeer organ in New College Chapel. To commemorate the occasion, Robert Quinney, our Director of Music is performing a Birthday Recital at 8.30pm on 23rd November. Below are some of Robert's thoughts on this special occasion...Read More - 01/11/19
Commemoration of All Souls
On Saturday 2nd November we marked All Souls Day at New College. Below, Daniel Tate, one of our Bass Lay Clerks, and Charles Maxtone-Smith, our Sub-Assistant Organist, reflect on the service: This Saturday’s service marked a change from the regular Choral Evensong with our pe...Read More - 22/10/19
Surplicing and start of term
At last the choir is back for the beginning of the new academic year and there is music again in chapel after the long summer break! At Evensong on Sunday 13 we welcomed our newest choristers and choral scholars. At a special ceremony, the year 5 choristers received their surplices from...Read More - 17/10/19
50th Anniversary recital series
This term’s organ recitals celebrate the 50th birthday of the chapel organ. Our famously ground-breaking instrument was built in 1969 and was restored to its full glory in 2014: read the full story here: https://www.newcollegechoir.com/organ Saturdays at 7.00pm – free, all welcom...Read More - 11/10/19
Michaelmas Music List release
We are very excited to announce our new music list for the coming term!Read More - 18/04/19
- 18/04/19
Chorister Open Day 2019
New College Choir's Chorister Open Day for 2019 took place on Saturday 15 June 2019Read More - 16/01/19
Organ Recitals Hilary Term 2019
Our organ recital series takes place on Saturdays after Evensong, and sees players from New College and London. In addition to this, our Assistant Organist, Timothy Wakerell will play Messiaen's 'La Nativite du Seigneur' on Thursday 17 January. Entry to these concerts is free, w...Read More - 16/01/19
- 01/10/18
- 01/08/18
Behind the scenes with New College Choir
We are grateful and fortunate to be working with Stephen from fatkoala.biz on a photography project documenting the life of the choir. Here is a slideshow of his work with us thus far:Read More - 23/07/18
Choral Application for 2019/20 Entry
New College Choir has choral scholar vacancies for 1 alto, 1 tenor, and 2 basses for 2019/20 entry. Our choral scholars – known as academical clerks – sing in the choir’s daily services, balancing this commitment with their academic study. Though many of our academical cle...Read More - 19/04/18
Choral and Organ Open Day (choral and organ scholarships) - Sat 28 April
Saturday 28 April 2018 – Choral and Organ Open Day We are looking forward to welcoming singers and organists interested in applying for choral and organ awards at Oxford’s Open Day on 28 April 2018. Aspiring young musicians can experience at first-hand what it feels like to...Read More - 18/04/18
Trinity 2018 Organ Recitals
Saturdays, 7:15pm 28 April ROBERT QUINNEY || organist 12 May CHARLES MAXTONE-SMITH || junior organ scholar 19 May TIMOTHY WAKERELL || assistant organist 26 May...Read More - 10/04/18
- 15/02/18
On “Allegri’s Miserere” and making things up
“Allegri’s Miserere - the product of a haphazard transmission history...Read More - 07/02/18
Chorister Open Day - 9 June 2018
Saturday 9 June at 4.30pm - New College Chapel For boys who love singing... Join the choir for an afternoon of singing, games, information and New College’s famous tea, and find out everything about life as a New College Chorister. Meet the director, Robert Quinney, an...Read More - 17/01/18
Friends of New College Choir
Preserving a priceless heritage for the future ... World-class music for a new generation.Read More - 09/01/18
Frideswide Voices Residency
The college is delighted to welcome back Frideswide Voices who will be in residence in chapel again this term, Hilary 2018. They will sing on Mondays (except for 12 February) and will sing two additional Evensongs outside university term, on 12 & 19 March. Directed by Will Dawes (@w...Read More - 13/11/17
Advent & Christmas Carol Service Webcasts
For the final webcasts of term, we're placing online a live recording of both our Advent and Christmas carol services, for all those who couldn't make it, or who need a fix of New College Choir over the vacation - after all, you can never have too many carol services... The order of servi...Read More