In 1924, the BBC engaged Stanford Robinson as Chorus Master. He formed a choir for a performance of Rutland Boughton's Immortal Hour. This choir, known as 'The Wireless Chorus', was thereafter established as a full-time professional choir. In 1927, the BBC created an octet named 'The Wireless Singers', drawn from members of the Wireless Chorus, for performances where fewer singers were required. Guest conductors of both groups during these early years included Sir Edward Elgar, Igor Stravinsky, Arnold Schoenberg and John Barbirolli.
On appointment of Leslie Woodgate as general chorus master in 1934, the group was renamed the BBC Singers, and divided into two octets, known as Singers A and Singers B, one specialising in less standard repertoire including Renaissance polyphony and madrigals, the other in light music and revue numbers. Singers A were typically paid £1 per week more than Singers B. In 1939, Woodgate described the operation and function of the various BBC choirs, including the professional choir, in an interview with The Musical Times.[3]
Woodgate died in 1961. That same year, Peter Gellhorn took over the choir. He re-organised the professional contingent, scrapping the A–B division in favour of a single force of 28 voices, which was renamed the BBC Chorus. Following the appointment of John Poole as chorus master in 1972, the choir reverted to its previous name, the BBC Singers.
The choir continued to broadcast regularly on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, but its long-established participation in The Daily Service had been curtailed to one appearance per week by the early 1990s, after the Rev. David Winter (head of BBC religious broadcasting from 1982 to 1989) judged that its sound was "too clinical" for worship.[5] The appointment of Bo Holten as Guest Conductor in 1991 introduced a new focus and approach to early music. The BBC Singers now work regularly with early music specialists, including Peter Phillips (Tallis Scholars) and Robert Hollingworth (I Fagiolini).
Stephen Cleobury, chief conductor of the choir from 1995 to 2007, held the title of conductor laureate with the choir until his death in 2019. Bob Chilcott is the current principal guest conductor of the choir. David Hill was the most recent conductor from 2007 to 2017. Sofi Jeannin was a guest-conductor of the choir in January 2017. In May 2017, the BBC announced her appointment as the choir's next chief conductor, the first woman to hold the post, with effect from July 2018.[6] In April 2022, the BBC announced the extension of Jeannin's contract as chief conductor of the BBC Singers through 2026, along with the appointments of Owain Park as principal guest conductor, Roderick Williams as composer-in-association, and Anna Lapwood and Abel Selaocoe each as an artist-in-association.[7]
On 7 March 2023, the BBC announced its decision to close the choir later in the year as part of its "new strategy" for classical music.[8][9] Following public reactions in protest at this announcement, the BBC reversed this decision on 24 March.[10] In February 2024, the BBC announced a new partnership between the BBC Singers and the Voces8 Foundation for future sustainability of the BBC Singers.[11] In July 2024, the BBC announced the appointment of Jonathan Manners as director of the BBC Singers.[12]
Judith Bingham – A Winter Walk at Noon – First broadcast 2 March 1986
Benjamin Britten – A Shepherd's Carol & Chorale: Our Father Whose Creative Will – First broadcast 24 December 1944
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies – Apple-Basket: Apple-Blossom – First broadcast 23 December 1990
James Dillon – Viriditas – First broadcast 24 April 1994
Nicola LeFanu – The Story of Mary O'Neill – First broadcast 4 January 1989
Thea Musgrave – For the Time Being: Advent – First broadcast 18 July 1987
Edmund Rubbra – Veni, Creator Spiritus – First broadcast 5 August 1966
Sir Michael Tippett – The Weeping Babe – First broadcast 24 December 1944
Iannis Xenakis – Sea Nymphs – First broadcast 16 September 1994
In 2002, Edward Cowie became the BBC Singers' first Associate Composer, with the functions of composing new works each year for performance by the choir, and participating in workshops with young composers from schools, universities and music colleges. Judith Bingham was the next to fill this position, in 2004. Gabriel Jackson took the post in 2010. Subsequent composers-in-association with the BBC Singers have included Judith Weir and Roderick Williams.[7]
Select discography
Judith Bingham – Remoter Worlds – David Hill (conductor) 2008, Catalogue No. Signum Classics SIGCD144
