The VOCES8 Foundation welcomes friends from around the world to its home in London for its latest winter festival of iconic oratorios, traditional songs and new premieres, as its album ‘A Choral Christmas’ is released on Decca Classics.
LIVE From London Christmas 2023 will comprise six festive concerts released online from 4 December 2023 and remaining available on-demand until 7 January 2024, with a line-up including triple Grammy-nominated US ensemble Skylark, The Gesualdo Six, VOCES8, Apollo5, the VOCES8 Foundation Choir and its Orchestra, the festival will see the return of renowned seasonal works including Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and an extra special free-access family event to be gifted ahead of the festival.
Tickets for all concerts can be purchased via www.livefromlondon.org. Following the live stream on 4 December, all other performances will be available to watch live or on demand from 5 December until 7 January 2024, with the exception of ‘Silver Bells’ (out 23 December).
First single released from Dreamweaver – the new album from Ola Gjeilo
In the new Decca Classics album built around two new multi-movement works titled The Road and Dreamweaver, Ola pays homage to his home country of Norway. The first single release from the album features the opening movement of Dreamweaver, with the full album released on 29th September.
The album features Ola on piano, the Choir of Royal Holloway and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Rupert Gough. Guest soprano soloist is Grace Davidson.
Click here to listen to the Prologue of Dreamweaver on your favourite platform.
VOCES8 new album “Enchanted Isle” released
VOCES8 has released its new album, “Enchanted Isle”. Casting a contemporary eye on the landscape they call home this mixed repertoire album contains music from composers including Sir John Tavener, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Thomas Adès, Samuel Barber, Jake Runestad, Toby Hession and Dan Forrest plus a selection of newly arranged folk songs from arrangers Jim Clements, Matt Sheeran, Geoff Lawson, Joshua Pacey and others. One featured soloist is the amazing voice of Sibéal singing Carrickfergus (video here).
Already at the top of classical charts on release day, Barney and Andrea appeared on the UK’s Sky News to talk about the release as well as the group’s ongoing education work based around the VOCES8 Method.
Further album videos are Enya’s “May it be” (filmed at the Gresham Centre) and Radiohead’s “Pyramid Song”
The Choir of Royal Holloway’s new album release
Ola Gjeilo’s “Winter Songs” for Decca Classics
High summer saw Ola Gjeilo in London recording his new album for Decca Classics – “Winter Songs”. Rupert Gough conducted the Royal Holloway Choir, the Twelve Ensemble and Ola on piano in a set of beautiful tracks reflecting the winter season, in which Christmas tracks mix with original compositions.
Following on from Ola’s first Decca Classics album, which included tracks performed by VOCES8, this new album release is sure to be just as popular.
You can see more about the release at the Decca Classics website here, and on YouTube here and here.
Most importantly, you can pre-order the album here.
Choir of Royal Holloway records with Ola Gjeilo and Decca Classics
Seasonal pieces for a cosy wintertide
Under the hot summer sun The Choir of Holloway has been recording seasonal winter and Christmas songs this month by the composer and pianist Ola Gjeilo. Destined to be a release from Decca Classics this December, the playlist features Ola’s arrangements of well-known traditional carols as well as some of his original compositions for choir, piano and strings (the superb 12 Ensemble), all conducted by Rupert Gough. The album is the follow-up to Ola’s first Decca album.
This summer the choir will give concerts in France. See the details here.