We want to take you on a musical adventure to celebrate our 50th birthday. It’s an adventure that gives thanks for all the music that’s defined our first 50 years, inspired by the unique maverick spirit that guided the original six King’s Singers to keep every performance as fresh and varied as possible. We share their mission today: the future of music deserves to shine as brightly as it can. This is about savouring the amazing diversity of music and musicians in our world today, holding up composers, songwriters and singers of all kinds side by side to create something truly special.
Come and join us for the ride.
THIS IS GOLD.
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THE STORY
The King’s Singers was officially born on May 1st 1968, formed by six recently-graduated choral scholars from King’s College, Cambridge. Their vocal line-up was (by chance) two countertenors, a tenor, two baritones and a bass, and the group hasn’t wavered from this formation since. What distinguished the group in its early years was its musical diversity. The King’s Singers were a weekly fixture on prime-time television, celebrating popular music never usually touched by choral ensembles, and their unique British charm, combined with their musical craft, captured audiences’ hearts the world over. The group has consistently been welcomed on the world’s great stages throughout its history – from London’s Royal Albert Hall to the Sydney Opera House or New York’s Carnegie Hall – as well as being ambassadors for musical excellence across the globe. Two Grammy® Awards, an Emmy® Award, and a place in Gramophone magazine’s inaugural Hall of Fame sit among the numerous accolades bestowed upon the group.
This love of diversity has always fuelled The King’s Singers’ commitment to creating new music. A panoply of commissioned works by many of the supreme composers of our times – including Sir John Tavener, Toru Takemitsu, John Rutter, Luciano Berio, Nico Muhly, György Ligeti and Eric Whitacre – sits alongside countless bespoke arrangements in their extensive repertoire. The group is determined to spread the joy of ensemble singing, and leads workshops and residential courses globally each season.
In its very early days, the group had occasional deputies, and small shifts in membership, but since its official formation, there have been just 26 singers, including the current six. This slow turnover of members has ensured the continuation of the essential principles of the group, and a steady passing on of techniques and crafts, and thus the protection of the unique sound made by the six singers. However, the evolution of the group, which happens organically through the introduction of new personnel, is also one of The King’s Singers’ greatest strengths, and is the reason it has continued to exist well past its original members.
The world may have changed a lot in the 50 years since the original King’s Singers came together, but today’s group is still charged by the same lifeblood – one that wants to radiate the joy singing brings every day, and give life to audiences with their virtuosity and vision for an exciting musical future.
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THE CURRENT SINGERS
PATRICK DUNACHIE FIRST COUNTERTENOR Joined: 2016 Born: 1993 Background: King’s College, Cambridge
TIMOTHY WAYNE-WRIGHT SECOND COUNTERTENOR Joined: 2009 Born: 1982 Background: Trinity College of Music, London
JULIAN GREGORY TENOR Joined: 2014 Born: 1990 Background: Royal Academy of Music, London
CHRISTOPHER BRUERTON FIRST BARITONE Joined: 2012 Born: 1984 Background: Christ Church, Oxford
CHRISTOPHER GABBITAS SECOND BARITONE Joined: 2004 Born: 1979 Background: St. John’s College, Cambridge
JONATHAN HOWARD BASS Joined: 2010 Born: 1987 Background: New College, Oxford www.kingsssingers.com
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CONCERTS The core of the group’s work, in addition to recording, filming, workshops and masterclasses, is performing live in concert. The sheer quality and variety of these concerts set the group apart from others in its earliest days, and continues to do so today. The group has toured six of the world’s seven continents, and sung in all kinds of climates, altitudes and venues, in many different costumes, formations and collaborations. Every year is different, but on average the group performs more than 120 concerts per calendar year.
The GOLD anniversary season runs from November 2017 to the end of 2018. Concerts are added to the KS concert calendar as promoters/presenters announce their events. The dates below are for guidance only as some of the details are not yet confirmed: further concerts have yet to be announced/added. Please get in touch for up to date information about specific concerts and tours.
NOVEMBER 17 FEBRUARY 18 MAY 18 03 Middlebury, VT United States 05 Genova Italy 02 Hamburg Germany 04 Concord, NH United States 06 Würzburg Germany 03 Lörrach Germany 05 Orono, ME United States 07 Celle Germany 05 Blieskastel Germany 07 Schenectady, NY United States 08 Stuttgart Germany 06 Schwetzingen Germany 08 Indianapolis, IN United States 10 Essen Germany 07 Schweinfurt Germany 09 Terre Haute, IN United States 11 Quakenbrück Germany 08 Leipzig Germany 10 St. Louis, MO United States 14 Paris France 16 Seoul Korea 11 Kansas City, MO United States 15 Alençon France 18 Guangzhou China 14 La Crosse, WI United States 23 Singapore Singapore 19 Shanghai China 16 Provo, UT United States 24 Singapore Singapore 29 Musashino Japan 17 Provo, UT United States 28 Perth Australia 19 Denver, CO United States JUNE 18 29 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands MARCH 18 01 Kawasaki Japan 02 Brisbane Australia 02 Tokyo Japan DECEMBER 17 03 Sydney Australia 03 Fukui Japan 01 Varese Italy 04 Melbourne Australia 05 Taipei Taiwan 06 London United Kingdom 08 Christchurch New Zealand 14 Reading United Kingdom 09 St Blasien Germany 10 Wellington New Zealand 15 St. Florian Austria 10 Lucerne Switzerland 11 Auckland New Zealand 16 Düsseldorf Germany 11 Manchester United Kingdom 17 Hannover Germany 13 Rome Italy APRIL 18 20 Berlin Germany 14 Vicenza Italy 08 Redlands, CA United States 21 Darmstadt Germany 16 Florence Italy 10 San Jose, CA United States 23 Köln Germany 17 Turin Italy 12 Seattle, WA United States 24 Oldenburg Germany 18 Verona Italy 14 Madison, WI United States 27 Bristol United Kingdom 19 Milan Italy 15 Minnesota, MN United States 29 Stour United Kingdom 20 Perugia Italy 16 Waterdown, SD United States 30 Ludlow United Kingdom 17 Grand Island, NE United States JANUARY 18 20 Fairfax, VA United States JULY 18 13 London United Kingdom 22 New York, NY United States 04 Reims France 16 Cambridge United Kingdom 05 Montperreux France 18 St John’s, NL Canada 09 Tewkesbury United Kingdom 19 Waterloo, ON Canada 11 Bad Kissingen Germany 20 Allentown, PA United States 12-19 Germany Germany 21 New York, NY United States 21 Arnstadt Germany 22 Rheingau Germany 23 Athens, GA United States 25 Houston, TX United States 24 Gstaad Switzerland
26 Durham, NC United States 26 Genval Belgium 28 Washington, DC United States www.kingsssingers.com
CELEBRATING GOLD
THE KING’S SINGERS GOLD - SPECIAL EDITION BOX SET
(PREMIUM PRODUCT)
To mark their 50th anniversary, a newly recorded triple-disc album - GOLD - reflects The King’s Singers mission to celebrate great music above all else. 60 tracks are divided across three albums, themed as Close Harmony, Spiritual, and Secular. Including ancient motets, brand new commissions and much-loved arrangements of close-harmony music especially written for the group, the album reflects the extra-ordinary diversity of their repertoire.
In this Special Edition box set you will find all three newly recorded discs for GOLD, and a copy of the brand new book, The King’s Singers GOLD - an official celebration of five decades of making music, which includes a year-by-year guide to the events, the music and the people who have shaped their unique history. There is also a bespoke GOLD USB Drive (memory stick) containing high definition versions of all the GOLD tracks – higher quality than it’s possible to put on any CD - as well as exclusive interviews and archive material. The set also includes a facsimile of an original handwritten score of one of the earliest and most treasured folksongs to enter their library, the late Gordon Langford’s Bobby Shaftoe. Never before has one of his original manuscripts been shared publicly. Finally, each box set contains a hand-signed letter from the current King’s Singers, offering thanks for the support the group has received over the last 50 years. The box set is luxuriously packaged in artwork painted specifically for their GOLD anniversary by the group of today. This Special Edition is a valuable collector’s item.
Release 3 November 2017 Product The King’s Singers GOLD special edition, luxury product (10.5” x 10.5”) Item # KSPP50 Barcode 635212050002 Supplier Signum Records Manufactured in the EU
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THE KING’S SINGERS GOLD ALBUM - 3 CD SET
To mark their 50th anniversary, The King's Singers have made it their mission to celebrate great music above all else - an aim which has driven them throughout their history. Their newly recorded triple-disc album - GOLD - completely reflects this with 60 tracks divided across three albums, themed as Close Harmony, Spiritual, and Secular. What unites every track across these albums is the quality of the material. Whether ancient motets, brand new commissions or much-loved arrangements of close-harmony music from the last 50 years, The King's Singers have put together a selection of great music that reflects the extra-ordinary diversity of their repertoire. Release 3 November 2017 Product The King’s Singers GOLD (3 CD set, packaged in a luxury case-bound book - 5” x 5” - with internal hanging wallets for the discs) Item # SIGCD500 Barcode 635212050026 Supplier Signum Records Manufactured in the EU
THE KING’S SINGERS GOLD - BOOK This newly written official book, The King’s Singers GOLD, celebrates five decades of music-making including a year-by-year guide to the events, the music and the people who have shaped The King’s Singers’ unique history. There are exclusive interviews with all 24 surviving members of the group, past and present; complete details of their recordings and commissions; and, of course, a wealth of photos. Alongside all of this, the book contains charts and diagrams illustrating statistics about the history of the group and a look at the sound of The King's Singers - how it has developed and what makes it so special. The artwork for the book was hand-painted by none other than the six current King’s Singers. This is a one-off opportunity to own a special memento, and a must-have for anyone who has enjoyed The King’s Singers over the last 50 years.
Release 3 November 2017 Product The King’s Singers GOLD (10.5” x 10.5”) Item # KSB50 ISBN 978-1-5272-1198-8 Barcode 635212050057 Supplier Signum Records Book Soft cover: 80 + 4 Manufactured in the EU
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CD 1 CLOSE HARMONY 1 We Are Bob Chilcott * 2 And I Love Her John Lennon, Paul McCartney, arr. Bob Chilcott 3 Don’t Worry About Me Frances, arr. Christopher Bruerton ** 4 Kelele Angélique Kidjo, arr. Toby Young ** 5 And So It Goes Billy Joel, arr. Bob Chilcott 6 Down with Love Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, arr. Gordon Langford 7 All of Me John Legend, arr. Alexander L’Estrange ** 8 Shenandoah Traditional, arr. Bob Chilcott ** 9 Lamorna Traditional, arr. Goff Richards 10 Some Folks’ Lives Roll Easy Paul Simon, arr. Andrew Jackman 11 See You Again Wiz Khalifa, Charlie Puth, Justin Franks, arr. Christopher Gabbitas ** 12 Alice in Wonderland Spike Milligan, arr. Gordon Langford 13 Black Horse and The Cherry Tree KT Tunstall, arr. Alexander L’Estrange ** 14 Danny Boy Traditional, arr. Peter Knight 15 I'll Follow The Sun John Lennon, Paul McCartney, arr. Bill Ives 16 Bobby Shaftoe Traditional, arr. Gordon Langford 17 Love is Here To Stay George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, arr. Richard Rodney Bennett 18 Scarborough Fair Traditional, arr. Christopher Gabbitas 19 That Lonesome Road James Taylor, arr. Simon Carrington 20 Loch Lomond Traditional, arr. David Overton 21 Down by the Riverside Traditional, arr. Robert Rice 22 M L K U2, arr. Bob Chilcott CD 2 SPIRITUAL CD 3 SECULAR 1 The Prayer of King Henry VI Henry Ley 1 Be Not Afeard John Rutter * 2 Sing Joyfully William Byrd 2 Le papillon et la fleur Gabriel Fauré, arr. Goff Richards 3 Thou, My Love, Art Fair Bob Chilcott 3 Dessus le marché d’Arras Orlande de Lassus 4 Sicut cervus Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 4 Though Amaryllis Dance in Green William Byrd 5 In manus tuas Thomas Tallis 5 Lagrimas de mi consuelo Juan Vásquez 6 Master of Music Toby Hession * 6 Handmade Proverbs Toru Takemitsu 7 Musica Dei donum Orlande de Lassus 7 Les Marins de Kermor Camille Saint-Saëns 8 Abendlied Josef Rheinberger 8 Con amores, la mi madre Juan de Anchieta, arr. Bob Chilcott 9 The Bell Doth Toll (from Sermons and Devotions) 9 All meine Herzgedanken Johannes Brahms Sir Richard Rodney Bennett 10 Die Nacht Franz Schubert 10 Quatre petites prières de Saint François d’Assise Francis Poulenc 11 Revecy venir du Printans Claude le Jeune 11 Das ist je gewißlich wahr Heinrich Schütz 12 Romance du soir Camille Saint-Saëns 12 Morgengesang Max Reger 13 Horizons Peter Louis van Dijk 13 This Marriage Eric Whitacre 14 Plaisir d’amour Jean-Paul-Égide Martini, arr. Goff Richards 14 Shir hamma’alot ledavid Salamone Rossi Hebreo 15 Come, blessed Bird Edward Johnson 15 Versa est in luctum Alonso Lobo 16 The Little Green Lane Traditional, arr. Samuel Ernest Lovatt 16 Rest Ralph Vaughan Williams 17 Das G’läut zu Speyer Ludwig Senfl 17 Tutivillus (from Wymondham Chants) Geoffrey Poole 18 Basiez moi! Josquin des Prez 18 The Bluebird Sir Charles Villiers Stanford 19 Gentil señora mia Juan Vásquez 20 Quand tu dors près de moi Georges Auric, arr. Gordon Langford
Planned for recording in 2018: Nico Muhly To Stand In This House *
* New GOLD commission ** New GOLD arrangement www.kingsssingers.com
CONTACT The King’s Singers Management Louisa Lawson - Music Productions Ltd [email protected] +44 1753 783739
Signum Records Claire Fleming [email protected] +44 208 997 4000
PRESS: US Amanda Sweet, Caroline Heaney - Bucklesweet Media +1 347-564-3371 [email protected] [email protected]
PRESS: GERMANY Ulrike Wilckens - OPHELIAS Culture PR +49 89 6797 1050 [email protected]
PRESS: UK Kate Gedge – KRPR + 44 1874 730 300 + 44 7754 149577 [email protected]
“Voices of spun gold” BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
“The superlative vocal sextet” THE TIMES, LONDON
“A musical group of the very highest order” GRAMOPHONE
“Their vocal production was effortless, stylistically varied and beautifully blended” WASHINGTON POST
“Voices nothing short of miraculous” TIMEOUT, SHANGHAI
09-17 www.kingsssingers.com