Biography
Although the Clare College Choir at Cambridge cannot claim the long-established lineage found in many other British university ensembles, it has consistently supplied prominent voices to the nation’s choral world. Choral activity at the college began in 1866 with a group of undergraduates handling the lower parts and boys drawn from nearby schools providing the trebles. That boy-treble arrangement ceased in 1966, leaving the ensemble without upper voices for several seasons. In 1971 music fellow Peter Dennison assembled the mixed-voice undergraduate choir that continues today. John Rutter succeeded him in 1975 and stayed until 1979, when he stepped down to concentrate on composition; the choir has nevertheless maintained a steady place for his works in its programs. Timothy Brown took the helm in 1979 and served until 2010; Graham Ross is the present music director. The ensemble numbers between twenty-five and thirty singers, chiefly College undergraduates supplemented by local volunteers. Many participants hold choral scholarships that carry the obligation to sing regular Evensong and Compline services as well as special holiday concerts. Two organ scholars assist in directing the group. Beyond Rutter, alumni include conductors Roger Norrington and Ivor Bolton together with harpsichordist Richard Egarr. The choir travels at least once a year, chiefly to venues in Europe and the United States but also to East Asia. Its extensive recorded catalogue appears on outside labels rather than any in-house imprint. Since issuing Handel’s Messiah, HWV 56, in 2006, the ensemble has recorded frequently for Harmonia Mundi. Its repertory centers on contemporary British choral music while embracing many other periods and styles. In 2020 the choir and the Dmitri Ensemble released an album devoted to Arvo Pärt, Pēteris Vasks, and James MacMillan on the Harmonia Mundi label.
Albums
