Biography
Choral conductor Jeremy Backhouse has earned his primary recognition leading the London chamber choir known as the Vasari Singers. He has also directed the Guildford Philharmonic Choir, subsequently renamed the Vivace Chorus, and the Salisbury Community Choir, while appearing as guest conductor with several of Britain’s foremost choral groups.
His musical path began as a boy chorister at Canterbury Cathedral, where he advanced to Senior Chorister. In 1980 he entered editorial work for Britain’s Royal National Institute of Blind People, converting printed scores into Braille notation, and later held editorial positions at the EMI Classics label and the music publisher Boosey & Hawkes before moving into freelance conducting. Since 1980 he has served as the Vasari Singers’ principal conductor. That ensemble captured the Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year title in 1988 and has built a standing for performances that combine technical excellence with broad appeal. The singers appear regularly at prominent London concert halls as well as cathedral and chapel spaces throughout Britain and are frequent contributors to broadcasts on Classic FM and the BBC radio networks.
Backhouse assumed leadership of the Guildford Philharmonic Choir in 1995. With both that ensemble and the Vasari Singers he has championed contemporary repertoire, commissioning more than twenty-five new pieces for the latter group. Between 1998 and 2004 he also directed the Wooburn Singers and has served as guest conductor for the BBC Singers, the Philharmonia Chorus, and the London Choral Society, among other ensembles.
More than twenty recordings document his work with the Vasari Singers, many focusing on recent compositions. These releases have appeared on EMI, Signum, Guild, and additional labels. Since 2011 the partnership with Naxos has predominated, yielding the thematic program Heaven Full of Stars in 2020.
His musical path began as a boy chorister at Canterbury Cathedral, where he advanced to Senior Chorister. In 1980 he entered editorial work for Britain’s Royal National Institute of Blind People, converting printed scores into Braille notation, and later held editorial positions at the EMI Classics label and the music publisher Boosey & Hawkes before moving into freelance conducting. Since 1980 he has served as the Vasari Singers’ principal conductor. That ensemble captured the Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year title in 1988 and has built a standing for performances that combine technical excellence with broad appeal. The singers appear regularly at prominent London concert halls as well as cathedral and chapel spaces throughout Britain and are frequent contributors to broadcasts on Classic FM and the BBC radio networks.
Backhouse assumed leadership of the Guildford Philharmonic Choir in 1995. With both that ensemble and the Vasari Singers he has championed contemporary repertoire, commissioning more than twenty-five new pieces for the latter group. Between 1998 and 2004 he also directed the Wooburn Singers and has served as guest conductor for the BBC Singers, the Philharmonia Chorus, and the London Choral Society, among other ensembles.
More than twenty recordings document his work with the Vasari Singers, many focusing on recent compositions. These releases have appeared on EMI, Signum, Guild, and additional labels. Since 2011 the partnership with Naxos has predominated, yielding the thematic program Heaven Full of Stars in 2020.
Albums
