The Renaissance Singers

Welcome to the Renaissance Singers' web site. The Renaissance Singers 2008/9 season is now underway. See below for details of the next events.

The full programme is currently being prepared, and will be on this site shortly.

Next Events:

Open Rehearsal: Allegri's Miserere

Sunday 28th September, 2:30-4:00pm
St Sepulchre-without-Newgate,

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Concert: Allegri's Miserere

Music of the Sistine Chapel

Sunday 12th October, 6:00pm,
Temple Church, London EC4
with guest soprano soloist Ruth Holton

Ruth Holton (Gerald Place)

Founded in 1944 under the auspices of the Renaissance Society, this choir has for sixty years played an important part in the revival and development of Early Music in London.

Each season the choir presents a programme of concerts in London - where it is based - and is often heard outside London performing in festivals up and down the UK. In addition the choir makes an annual tour in a chosen European location.

MAILING LIST

Since we are not able to send out a mailing prior to every event, why not join our Email list? We guarantee not to send large attachments or pass on your details.

AUDITIONS

Interested in Singing with the Renaissance Singers? Why not come and say hello to the Musical Director and discuss what would be involved? We are a very friendly and active choir and we maintain our high standard by having a clear policy on commitment. A good standard of sight-reading is expected.

** We would welcome auditions for all parts at the moment **

Click here to find out more.

RECORDING

In September 2005 the Renaissance Singers launched a compact disc recording, Tudor Portraits, an anthology of Tudor church music. This was made possible through the generosity of the Patrons of the choir, and the support of the Friends of the Renaissance Singers. Click here for details, including the CD notes.

2007/08 Season:-

Click here to see the 2007/08 season programme in pdf format

Open Rehearsal: Allegri's Miserere
Sunday 28th September, St Sepulchre-without-Newgate, 2:30-4:00pm

Have you ever wondered what we get up to behind closed doors?

Come and find out on 28th September when the Renaissance Singers take part in Open Reheasal, a weekend of behind-the-scenes events celebrating the launch of the Cultural Olympiad. Turn up at any time between 2.30 and 4pm to listen as we prepare for our next concert on Sunday 12th October at Temple Church, Music of the Sistine Chapel, the highlight of which is Allegri's famous Miserere.

Allegri's haunting Miserere is perhaps the most iconic piece in the early choral repertoire, composed for the Sistine Chapel in the early seventeenth century. The Vatican, wanting to preserve its aura of mystery, forbade copies and threatened any publication or attempted copy with excommunication. However, when the 14-year-old Mozart visited in 1770 he transcribed it faithfully from memory, thus creating the first "bootleg" copy. We will be performing from a new edition of the work by the Renaissance Singers' conducor JanJoost van Elburg.

Open Rehearsal gives audiences a unique opportunity to get behind the scenes and experience how London's world-class creative and cultural organisations create everything from performing arts to fashion, from art and film to museum collections.
This pan-London season, a Mayor of London’s initiative, is in its 4th year and forms the core London element marking the launch of the Cultural Olympiad, the 4-year cultural programme running until London 2012.

For more information please go to www.openrehearsal.co.uk

Sunday, 12 October, 6:00pm
Music of the Sistine Chapel
Temple Church, London EC4
The Renaissance Singers conducted by JanJoost van Elburg
with guest soprano soloist Ruth Holton

For the first concert of our new season the Renaissance Singers present a concert of large-scale and virtuosic music from the Sistine Chapel, including Allegri's Miserere, one of the most iconic pieces in the early choral repertoire. We are delighted to welcome our guest soloist Ruth Holton, well-known for her acrobatic embellishments of Allegri's fabled setting. With a wonderfully clear voice, Ruth is highly regarded for her performances of the Baroque, Classical and contemporary repertoire. Her extensive discography includes Bach's St John Passion under Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and works by John Adams and Steve Reich. She will be familiar to renaissance music fans from her recordings with groups such as the Tallis Scholars and the Gabrieli Consort.

Please join us for a drink after the concert so we can tell you more about exciting new programme for the 2008/9 season.

Palestrina: Surge illuminare
                Stabat mater à 8
                O beata et benedicta à 5
                Agnus Dei from the Missa Papae Marcelli
                Magnificat à 8
Allegri:       Miserere Mei
Josquin:     Ave Maria à 6
Lassus:      Hodie complete sunt
Victoria:     Salve Regina

Tickets £15 (£12 concessions) including post-concert reception
Book by phone: 07956 092120,
email tickets@renaissancesingerscom
or book online here.
For directions to Temple Church click here:
http://www.templechurch.com/FindUs/default.html

The Renaissance Singers is a registered charity number 1015930