Biography
Established in 2003 by conductor Suzi Digby and pianist Harry Briggs, both of whom stayed connected with the ensemble through the late 2010s, the London-based chamber choir Voce took shape as a group of roughly thirty singers in their twenties and thirties. Its performances, centered at Grosvenor Chapel in Mayfair within the West End, showcase an ambitious, mostly a cappella repertory that spans European sacred music, Arabic traditions, gospel, jazz, and programs juxtaposing Renaissance European works with traditional African chant.
Guest conductors have supported Voce's pursuit of stylistic breadth, among them Ken Burton, leader of the Croydon SDA Gospel Choir and one of Britain's leading gospel figures, as well as Scotland's John Butt, director of the Renaissance-focused Dunedin Consort. The choir gave the 2009 premiere of Peter Maxwell Davies' The Five Acts of Harry Patch, with text by poet Andrew Motion and accompaniment from the London Mozart Players, even though most of its work remains unaccompanied.
Under Digby's direction, Voce has presented programs pairing Renaissance and Baroque repertoire with newly commissioned pieces that engage with the earlier music. One such July 2010 concert included an anthem by Giovanni Bononcini for the Duke of Marlborough, unheard since the eighteenth century, alongside composer Mike Brewer's new work Amore Vittorioso. That year the choir issued its debut recording, Sure on This Shining Night, on its own label; in 2017 Signum released 99 Words, containing music by John Tavener and Roxanna Panufnik.
Digby also serves as the Rolling Stones' official choral conductor, leading Voce in appearances at several major concerts by the band, including the 2013 Glastonbury Festival. The group's 2018 activities featured a performance of Walton's Belshazzar's Feast in its choir-and-organ version at St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square, in London's Belgravia district.
Guest conductors have supported Voce's pursuit of stylistic breadth, among them Ken Burton, leader of the Croydon SDA Gospel Choir and one of Britain's leading gospel figures, as well as Scotland's John Butt, director of the Renaissance-focused Dunedin Consort. The choir gave the 2009 premiere of Peter Maxwell Davies' The Five Acts of Harry Patch, with text by poet Andrew Motion and accompaniment from the London Mozart Players, even though most of its work remains unaccompanied.
Under Digby's direction, Voce has presented programs pairing Renaissance and Baroque repertoire with newly commissioned pieces that engage with the earlier music. One such July 2010 concert included an anthem by Giovanni Bononcini for the Duke of Marlborough, unheard since the eighteenth century, alongside composer Mike Brewer's new work Amore Vittorioso. That year the choir issued its debut recording, Sure on This Shining Night, on its own label; in 2017 Signum released 99 Words, containing music by John Tavener and Roxanna Panufnik.
Digby also serves as the Rolling Stones' official choral conductor, leading Voce in appearances at several major concerts by the band, including the 2013 Glastonbury Festival. The group's 2018 activities featured a performance of Walton's Belshazzar's Feast in its choir-and-organ version at St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square, in London's Belgravia district.
Albums
