Ikon Arts Management Ltd Suite 114, Business Design Centre 52 Upper Street , London N1 0QH t: +44 (0)20 7354 9199 f: +44 (0)870 130 9646 info@ikonarts. com www.ikonarts.com The Swingle Singers Biography Vocal Ensemble “their precision is awesome, their technique impeccable” Classic Fm Magazine Website www. swinglesingers.com Contact Jessica Hill Email jessica @ikonarts.com For half a century, T he Swingle Singers have pushed the boundaries of what the human voice can achieve. Their voc al agility and blend, combined with captivating showmanship, have thrilled audiences across the globe. Celebrating their 50 th anniversary in the 2013 "14 season, today’s young and gifted Swingle Singers represent the group’s evolution from baroque jazz pion eers to contemporary a cappella phenomenon. The group’s history is a remarkable tale of renewal. In 1963, American "born Ward Swingle assembled a group of Parisian session singers to sing Bach’s keyboard music. The resulting album, Jazz Sebastian Bach , lau nche d The Swingle Singers to fame. Over five decades the group has sustained a level of international popularity beyond its founder’s wildest dreams, with each new singer bringing something fresh to the Swingle sound. Now based in London, the group is ma de up of seven young and versatile voices, driven by the same innovative spirit that defined the original line "up. The Swingle Singers take audiences on a journey through a multitude of musical styles and atmospheres. Their repertoire spans classical, jazz , latin, folk and pop music – and, for the first time in many years, original songs. All are delivered with unflagging passion and precision, using the human voice alone. The Swingles have sung on the world’s most famous stages, from Ronnie Scott’s to La Scala. They have won 5 Grammy Awards, featured on the soundtracks of Sex and the City and Glee , and made over 50 recordings. Recent releases include Ferris Wheels (featuring unique versions of songs by Björk, Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake) and the winter EP Yule Songs . The 2013 "14 season will see the release of two new albums to mark their anniversary year. Their adaptability across the musical spectrum has resulted in many opportunities for collaboration, from the Pierre Boulez to Jamie Cullum. Luciano Ber io was one of the first composers to explore the sound of the Swingles’ amplified voices combined with acoustic instruments, and the group continues to perform his groundbreaking Sinfonia with some of the world’s greatest orchestras. More recent commission s have been penned by British jazz legend John Dankworth, Michael Nyman, French composer Pascal Zavaro, and Berio's protégé Azio Corghi. The Swingle Singers present their own London A Cappella Festival at Kings Place each January. The festival is the firs t of its kind in the capital, and welcomes the finest international talent from the a cappella world. Through the festival, through their education work and numerous television and radio appearances, they are passionate ambassadors for their craft. In 20 13, their concert schedule takes them to North and South America, Russia, China and Dubai in addition to extensive touring in Europe and the UK. As they enter their sixth decade, T he Swingle Singers invite you to join them for the next stage of their extra ordinary journey. September 2013 Please do not use this biography if it is more than three months old .