The Bach Choir has always been and continues to be characterised by the commitment of its members. With over 220 talented singers coming from all walks of life, an international touring schedule, and an outreach programme that takes our passion for music into inner-city schools, we are an active community performing, recording and sharing music for everyone to enjoy, whatever their age or background.
David Hill has appeared as guest conductor with many of the leading choirs and orchestras in the UK and abroad, including the Minnesota Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Choir and RIAS Kammerchor, Berlin. His commitment to new music has led to him commissioning works from leading composers including Judith Bingham, Judith Weir, Carl Rütti, Francis Pott, James MacMillan, Philip Moore, Naji Hakim, Philip Wilby and Jonathan Dove.
In 1956, Janet Baker won second prize in the Kathleen Ferrier Competition and in 1962 she first sang with the English Opera Group, as Polly in Benjamin Britten’s famous production of The Beggar’s Opera at Aldeburgh. She later credited the leading spirits of that group, Britten and tenor Peter Pears, with giving the ensemble and its singers the highest possible standards, as well as raising the reputation of British singers internationally.
James Bowman’s concert career is equally wide-ranging; in Europe he is well known as a recitalist, and has a large following. In 1992 the French government honoured him with admission to L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and he was awarded the Medal of Honour of the city of Paris in recognition of his long-standing contribution to the musical life of the city. He has given the world premieres of many significant works by Britten, Tippett, Maxwell Davies and others and has a wide ranging discography of over 180 recordings. He was appointed a CBE in the 1997 Queen’s Birthday Honours and became an Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford in 1998.
This hope was not fulfilled, but The Bach Choir did sing on the first Decca recording, with Britten conducting; this went on to sell 200,000 copies in the first five months after its release and is still the seminal recording today. More recordings followed, including Howells’
which had been commissioned by Jacques and The Bach Choir nine years earlier, and other premieres at this time included
Our Outreach Programme relies on volunteers from The Bach Choir. Each workshop is led by an animateur, with a conductor and accompanist, and a small group of singers who are volunteers from the Choir and who sing to and with the children. We are proud of our workshops: our ability to expose the children to four-part harmony, and especially to men’s voices, has proved particularly popular and is part of what makes The Bach Choir Outreach Programme so special. Many of the children have never previously experienced the thrill of singing in harmony, or even listened to a choir singing live.
