Our Latest News. http://www.kingssingers.com We were delighted to see more than 1100 people at Salisbury Cathedral on Saturday 28th January, when we said farewell to Philip after 18 years with the group. It was a wonderful evening, and we were joined by the fabulous South Wilts A Cappella Choir, conducted by Libby Poppleton, who sang Duruflamp;eacute;'s Requiem, as well as performing with us for Bob Chilcott's Even Such is Time. The programme for the evening also included a group of folk songs that had been arranged by both Philip himself, and also long time friend of the group, Gordon Langford, who was able to join us for the concert. As usual, at the end of the evening, we performed a selection of close harmony pieces, and these were all chosen by Philip, and included I'm a Train, Lullabye and It's a New World. Philip had been a King's Singer for 18 years, and it was fitting that his final performance was in his home town of Salisbury , where he sang with the choir before leaving to join The King's Singers. Below is a message from Philip to all King's Singer fans who have supported him over the years: Dear friends, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank fans and friends of the group worldwide for your tremendous support over the years and your many kind comments both after concerts and by email, not just about my singing, but also about my arrangements. It means an awful lot to have your work acknowledged and affirmed, but it means even more to know that occasionally your music can actually affect people's lives in a positive way. That's the biggest incentive there is to continue writing, which I of course intend to do. So many thanks, and see you/hear from you soon. Philip amp;nbsp; amp;nbsp; http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Feb 03 2012 00:12:30 GMT We are delighted that Vocal Australia, Australiaamp;rsquo;s Contemporary A Cappella Hub, have been promoting our upcoming tour to Australia and New Zealand to all of their fabulous members. At the heart of Australian a cappella music, Vocal Australia presents a variety of highly successful programs throughout Australia including their GET VOCAL Festivals, Showcases and Workshops. By providing events, education and resources for singers, Vocal Australia is on a amp;quot;Multi-harmonic crusadeamp;quot; to grow and nurture the future of Aussie a cappella. As part of our visit to Australia, Vocal Australia ran competitions to win tickets to our concerts in Melbourne and Sydney, and we are very much looking forward to meeting the winners. Tickets are selling fast for our concerts in Australia and New Zealand, so make sure you book up now before it is too late. Full details of all the concerts are available on our calendar, but as a quick run down of dates, we will be performing in the following places: 10 February amp;ndash; Adelaide Festival Centre with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra 11 February amp;ndash; Adelaide Festival Centre with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra 14 February amp;ndash; Melbourne Recital Centre 15 February amp;ndash; Melbourne Recital Centre 16 February amp;ndash; Sydney Opera House 19 February amp;ndash; Queensland Performing Arts Centre with the Queensland Pops Orchestra 22 February amp;ndash; The Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, Hamilton, New Zealand 25 February amp;ndash; Auckland Town Hall, Auckland, New Zealand As our first visit to Australia in 27 years, we cannot wait to start the tour. If you would like to know more information about Vocal Australia, please do follow one of the links below: Website: http://www.vocalaustralia.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VocalAustralia Twitter: @VocalAustralia http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Jan 23 2012 00:12:30 GMT Tickets are now on sale for you to join us for a concert that is being recorded for a live album release on the Naxos label later this year. On Saturday 24 March 2012, we will be in Nashville, Tennessee, for a concert in the Cathedral of the Incarnation, and would be delighted if you are able to share the evening with us. The programme, amp;ldquo;Pater Nosteramp;rdquo;, is a meditative exploration of music inspired by or linked to The Lordamp;rsquo;s Prayer. With works both ancient and modern, we will be performing pieces by Josquin, Palestrina and Byrd as well as Stravinsky, Bernstein, and Duruflamp;eacute; and many others. Tickets for this Choral Refection are available online or by calling +1 800 838 3006 http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Jan 19 2012 00:12:30 GMT 2012 begins with a series of concerts around Europe, visiting cities in the Czech Republic, The United Arab Emirates, Italy, Germany and France. Tonight we perform our first concert of the year in the beautiful Church of St. Simon and St. Jude in Prague. We will be performing the programme amp;ldquo;A Loveramp;rsquo;s Journeyamp;rdquo; which includes the four-song set of the same name by Libby Larsen, as well as tracks from our latest album, High Flight. Having performed for The Dubai Concert Committee in April 2011, we return there on Thursday for their gala concert of 2012, amp;ldquo;Dinner with The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singersamp;rdquo;. Following a first half of madrigals by Weelkes, Bennet, Byrd and Tomkins, we will then perform a selection of close-harmony favourites. On Sunday 15 January we have our first performance of the amp;ldquo;Royal Rhymes and Roundsamp;rdquo; programme that we will be touring throughout 2012 in celebration of the Queenamp;rsquo;s Diamond Jubilee. This is a programme of music influenced by Royal Courts throughout history. With music from King Henry VIIIamp;rsquo;s manuscript, madrigals from the time of Elizabeth I and part-songs from the age of Queen Victoria this really is a feast of music through the ages. The programme also includes a brand new piece by Paul Drayton, an amusing musical history that explores the sometimes precarious nature of the succession of Englandamp;rsquo;s monarchs. We are delighted to be performing A Rough Guide to the Royal Succession and look forward to sharing it with audiences across the world during 2012. The concert takes place in the spectacular Saloncino del Teatro della Pergola in Florence. Following a short visit to Udine for a performance of our much-loved programme amp;ldquo;Friendsamp;rdquo; on Monday evening, we fly to Cologne for a concert at the Cologne Philharmonie. We are thrilled to be returning to our friends and fans in Cologne, and will perform amp;ldquo;Tanzen und Springenamp;rdquo;, a programme that explores choral compositions of many styles which are inspired by dance music. Our final country to visit in January is France, where we perform six concerts, including at the Salle Gaveau in Paris and the Polydome in Clermont Ferrand. We do hope that you are able to join us for one of our performances across Europe, further information about concert dates can be seen on our concertsamp;nbsp;page. We look forward to seeing you soon. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Jan 10 2012 00:12:30 GMT It has been an incredible year, with performances in over 20 countries. Many thanks to all of our supporters and friends who have joined us at concerts and events around the world and helped to make this year so special. Wherever you are, have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. See you in 2012. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Dec 22 2011 00:12:30 GMT We are now on the final leg of our current tour to Asia, and having already visited Qatar, South Korea and China, we touched down this morning in Singapore, where we will perform our final concert of the tour. Our hotel for the next three nights is the Mandarin Oriental Singapore, with breath-taking views from our bedroom windows that look out over the harbour. The tour so far has been a real success and we have thoroughly enjoyed meeting new fans and supporters, as well as reconnecting with old friends. The welcome we have been given has been exemplary, and we are already looking forward to our next visit. Tomorrow we have a breakfast television appearance, where we will perform two works ahead of our performance on Saturday night. On Sunday morning we will hold a workshop with the Choral Directors Association of Singapore, before flying home that night. It has been a wonderful tour, many thanks to all of our supporters and friends who have made this trip so special. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Dec 15 2011 00:12:30 GMT We are thrilled at the response of the media in New Zealand to the appointment of Chris Bruerton as the first foreign national member of the group since its beginning in 1968. As a popular and talented member of the Christchurch Cathedral choir as well as the National Youth Choir of New Zealand when he was growing up, Chris is a well known member of the musical world in New Zealand. Chris has already been interviewed via Skype for Radio New Zealand, and you can hear the Podcast here. The story has also been featured in the National Business Review in an article about New Zealand artists featuring on the world-wide cultural stage. The National Youth Choir of New Zealand are rightly proud of Chris, and he is featured on the alumni page of their website. amp;nbsp; As a group we are thoroughly looking forward to our return visit to Australia and New Zealand, 27 years since our last visit, and for this to include Chrisamp;rsquo;s first performance with the group will make it specially memorable for us all. Tickets are on sale now for all of our concerts in Australia and New Zealand, make sure you book early to avoid disappointment.amp;nbsp; http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Dec 08 2011 00:12:30 GMT The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers appear on the front cover of the December 2011 edition of Gramophone, with the tag line amp;ldquo;Pick of this yearamp;rsquo;s Christmas albumsamp;rdquo;. In an article that discusses the collection of Christmas albums that have been released this year, The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers are described as presenting amp;ldquo;a typically far-ranging, stylistically diverse and impeccably tuned programme of 18 carols frequently leaving one amazed at how six voices can achieve such rich sonority and long, fluid lines.amp;quot; 'Joy to the World' was recorded live at Cadogan Hall in December 2010 and includes Christmas favourites old and new, including Stille Nacht, Joy to the World and The Twelve Days of Christmas. Available to purchase now from our webshop, this disc will help to get everybody in the mood for Christmas. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Dec 05 2011 00:12:30 GMT We are delighted to announce that our recording of the track The Stolen Child which features on Eric Whitacreamp;rsquo;s debut album amp;ldquo;Light and Goldamp;rdquo; has been nominated for a Grammy award. Reaching the top of both the UK and US Classical charts within a week of release, the recording has been nominated in the amp;ldquo;Best Choral Performanceamp;rdquo; category, having been released on Decca in October 2010 to huge critical acclaim. In a 5 star review, BBC Music Magazine said of the work amp;ldquo;amp;lsquo;The Stolen Childamp;rsquo;, a joint commission for the Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers and the National Youth Chorus of Great Britain, is the most immediately impressive. Here Whitacre deftly weaves the entreating faerie voices of Yeatamp;rsquo;s poem with that of the amp;lsquo;human childamp;rsquo; in closely interlocking textures whose shifting strands are expertly rendered by the artists in this performance.amp;rdquo; The Stolen Child was commissioned for our 40th anniversary, and is now a stable part of our concert repertoire. Other performers on the disc included Christopher Glynn, Hila Plitmann, Laudibus, Pavao Quartet and the Eric Whitacre Singers. We are delighted for Eric to receive his first Grammy nomination with this disc, and cannot wait for the awards to be announced in February 2012. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Dec 01 2011 00:12:30 GMT This morning we embarked on our three week tour leading up to the holiday season. With concerts taking place in Qatar, South Korea, China and Singapore, we will be performing twelve concerts and leading two master classes before returning home for Christmas on 19th December. For our first concert in Doha, we will be performing amp;ldquo;An Evening with The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singersamp;rdquo;, a selection of music including madrigals, traditional folk songs and close-harmony favourites. For the remaining concerts we will be performing music from the holiday season around the globe, including some beautiful Spanish works, as well as Christmas music old and new. For a full diary of performances, please visit the concert page here. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Nov 29 2011 00:12:30 GMT We performed to a full church in London on Thursday 10th November as part of the Polish Sacred Music Gaude Mater 2011 project. In a concert promoted by the cultural programme of the Polish Presidency, we performed a programme of entirely Polish music, ranging from Renaissance works by Pekiel and Liban, to Totus Tuus by Gorecki and the UK premiere of works by both Milosz Bembinow and Pawel Lukaszewski. Tenebrae Responsoria by Lukaszewski received its world premiere in Poznan in September, and was made possible through funds sought by The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers Foundation and was commissioned for The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Warsaw. It was a pleasure to welcome Mr. Lukaszewski to London for this special event, and to be able to share this wonderful Polish music with a UK audience. We hope to add much of the music from the concert to our programming cycle, and look forward to introducing other audiences around the world to these works. The King's Singers with Pawel Lukaszewski http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Nov 16 2011 00:12:30 GMT We are delighted to announce that our brand new DVD amp;quot;Christmasamp;quot; is now available to purchase from theamp;nbsp;web shop. This is a special collection of our Christmas favourites, and even includes footage of Johnny dancing as well as a bonus feature exploring life as a Kingamp;rsquo;s Singer. Tracks include Christmas music from around the world, with a unique collection of both modern Christmas classics as well as special arrangements of much-loved favourites. The programme reflects one of our typical live Christmas shows, and we hope you enjoy this performance. Stocks are now available, do make sure you get your copy before Christmas. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Nov 08 2011 00:12:30 GMT As the Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers current tour to the US draws to a close this weekend, Philip has been reflecting on his 18 years with the group and the numerous performances he has given in both North America and Canada. Combining all of the US trips together since 1994, he has done approximately 600 concerts that have taken him across the continent, from east to west and north to south. In his blog today Philip discusses some of the more memorable occasions in his touring life, and pays tribute to all his friends and fans for making him amp;ldquo;feel so welcome and special these last 18 years.amp;rdquo; Do read the full version to discover some of the unique moments from these concerts.amp;nbsp; We will be performing the final concert of our tour on Saturday 5th November in Northridge, California at the wonderful Valley Performing Arts Centre. If you are able to join us for Philipamp;rsquo;s final concert in North America with The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers we would be delighted to see you there. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Nov 04 2011 00:12:30 GMT We are thrilled to announce that New Zealand born baritone Christopher Bruerton has been appointed as the first ever foreign national member of The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers. His first official duty with us will be, by way of a wonderful twist of fate, a tour that returns him to his home nation. Our first tour to Australia in 27 years includes a performance at Sydney Opera House before we travel on to New Zealand. Within a matter of months Chris will find himself performing in some of the worldamp;#700;s most glorious concert halls including Carnegie Hall in New York and the Philharmonie in Berlin. Half the globe separates the two amp;#699;Christ Churchesamp;#700; which have shaped the life of the 27 year-old singer. Chris was born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand where he joined the cathedral choir at the age of ten and soon after, like his inspiration Aled Jones, released recordings of cathedral and Christmas favourites. Staying with the choir as a Choral Scholar and then a Bass Lay Clerk, he remained inspired by his 1999 trip to England and a visit to the amp;#699;otheramp;#700; Christ Church, Oxford, which had fuelled his dreams of becoming a professional singer in the UK. After graduation from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, he held a position as a teacher of music and French at his old school, Burnside High. In 2010 he was invited by Stephen Darlington to come to Christ Church, Oxford, as Bass Lay Clerk, and Chris made the 12,000 mile journey to continue his dream. On hearing the news, a euphoric Chris said: amp;#699;For me, as a Kiwi, it was a privilege to even sing with The Kingamp;#700;s Singers once, let alone twice at the auditions. When I got the call back I was just stoked to have made it that far. I walked back into the room and greeted the guys again, wondering, as I took out my folder of music, what they would be asking me to sing this time. Then they offered me the job and I was astonished. Mum would have been proud as punch and I know she will be looking down on me throughout the journey.amp;#700; Christopheramp;rsquo;s first official performance will be with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at the Adelaide Festival Centre, Australia on Friday 10th February. We are thrilled to have him joining us as a member of the group, and hope that you will warmly welcome him into The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers family. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Nov 03 2011 00:12:30 GMT On Thursday 3rd November at 6pm, Professor Francis Pott of the University of West London will be deliver a lecture on unique composition which he wrote for The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers concert programme amp;ldquo;1605 Treason and Dischord, William Byrd and the Gunpowder Plotamp;rdquo; which commemorated the events leading up to November 1605. He aims to offer an insight into how an initially haphazard mosaic of both musical and extra-musical ideas begins to take shape as a chose en soi. Steeped in the historical mystery, shadow-play and legend of amp;lsquo;The Gunpowder Plotamp;rsquo;, this work encompasses a diversity of themes, allusions and associative trains of thought worthy of Umberto Ecoamp;rsquo;s celebrated 'Name of the Rose', and boasts a suitably bizarre title to match. As with Hamlet, the playamp;rsquo;s the thing - even if, on this occasion, the King makes his lucky escapeamp;hellip; Master Tresham: His Ducke was recorded by The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers and Concordia on their album 400 years after the original plot was uncovered illuminating the dangers of hearing Mass in secret, of conspiracy and downfall and of protestant relief and celebration through a project of music and prose. Francis Pott was commissioned to write Master Tresham: His Ducke, and the piece reflects on the amp;ldquo;9/11 of its day amp;ndash; 5/11/1605 as it amp;lsquo;aims to respond to the politico-religious espionage and lurking menace around the period of 1605.amp;rsquo; Professor Pott would be pleased to welcome you at his lecture at the University of West London, St, Maryamp;rsquo;s Road, Ealing, to discover the compositional journey that he took when writing and how the social, political and cultural circumstances of 1605 helped to shape his work. Excerpts of our recording will be played, and this will be available for purchase after the lecture. Click here to book your tickets. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Oct 28 2011 00:12:30 GMT We are delighted to announce the release of our new album High Flight, which contains music by Eric Whitacre, Bob Chilcott and Morten Lauridsen. It has been chosen as a featured disc by Classic FM in the UK. John Brunning will be playing tracks from it each day next week on his Drive Time show from 6.15pm. Listen in, and if you like it you can order a limited edition hand signed copy from our website here. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Oct 27 2011 00:12:30 GMT For the first time in 27 years we will be returning to Australia and New Zealand for a series of performances around the countries. Performing at the Southern Hemisphereamp;rsquo;s most prestigious venues, with both orchestraamp;rsquo;s and in our usual a cappella mode, we will present three magnificent programs; The A Capella Program will feature KS amp;lsquo;favouritesamp;rsquo; from the lighter side of our repertoire, consisting of early music, arrangements of English and Australian and New Zealand folk songs, spirituals, contemporary pop songs and a recently commissioned work by Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin. The Orchestral Program promises to be lively and cheerful and features popular contemporary songs from the groups recent release Swimming Over London, and a jazz set that includes arrangements of Gershwin and Ellington. A special Valentineamp;rsquo;s Day Program amp;ndash; A Loveramp;rsquo;s Journey, is scheduled for Melbourne Recital Centre on February 14th, with The Kings Singeramp;rsquo;s presenting songs of love, yearning and romance from throughout the ages. This is our first visit to Australia and New Zealand since 1984, and we are thoroughly looking forward to sharing our music with our wonderful fans and supporters in these countries. Tickets are now on sale for all of our concerts and they are listed on our website, please book early to avoid disappointment. The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Fri 10 Sat 11 Feb, 8pm Adelaide Festival Centre www.bass.net.au | 131 246 The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers - A Cappella Tues 14 (Valentines Day) Wed 15 Feb, 7.30pm Melbourne Recital Centre melbournerecital.com.au | 03 9699 3333 The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers - A Cappella Thurs 16 Feb, 8pm Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com | 02 9250 777 The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers Queensland Pops Orchestra Sat 18 Feb, 8pm Sun 19 Feb, 3pm Queensland Performing Arts Centre qpac.com.au | 136 246 The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers - A Cappella Sat 25th Feb, 8pm The Civic (Auckland - NZ) buytickets.com.nz | 09 357 3355 The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers amp;ndash; A Cappella Wed 22 Feb, 8pm Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, Hamilton premier.ticketek.co.nz | 0800 TICKETEK http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Oct 26 2011 00:12:30 GMT Sunday eveningamp;rsquo;s broadcast of Songs of Praise featured The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers performance of This is the truth sent from above (Trad. arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams). You can see the broadcast on BBC iPlayer here. This track can be found on The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers Christmas album on Signum Records which is available here. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Oct 24 2011 00:12:30 GMT We have just performed our first concert Mexico City and are looking forward to our second performance tonight in Sala Blas Galindo. These first two concerts have been supported by the Anglo Mexican Foundation who are recognized as one of the most important not for profit educational organizations in Mexico. Its main activities are linked to English language teaching, examinations and teacher training, formal education and social contribution in the form of cultural activities and scholarships for teachers of English. Tomorrow we head for two concerts outside of the city, one in Guanajuato and one in Queretaro. These concerts are part of the Festival Cervantino and it is great to be part of this vibrant cultural event and perform in locations outside of Mexico City. On Monday 25th October we fly up to Salt Lake City, where we will be working with our old friends The Utah Symphony Orchestra for a series of three orchestral concerts that include the beautiful version of Wind in the Willows by John Rutter, a stunning work that transports you to the riverside lives of Rat, Mole, Toad and Badger. Following our dates in Salt Lake City we move across the country and visit Fort Wayne (IN), Columbus (OH), Kennet Square (PA) and Northridge (CA). In these concerts we will be performing our new High Flight programme that contains pieces from our newly released CD of the same name. This includes works by Bob Chilcott, Eric Whitacre and Morten Lauridsen which are wonderful additions to the choral canon. We will of course end each programme with a performance of close-harmony favourites. We are very much looking forward to catching up with all of our Mexican and American friends, please do join us if you possibly can. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Oct 21 2011 00:12:30 GMT On Thursday 10th November 2011, we will give the UK premiere of Pawel Lukaszewksiamp;rsquo;s Tenebrae Responsoria at St. Jamesamp;rsquo; Church, Piccadilly, London, in a programme of Polish a cappella sacred music. We would be thrilled if you could join us for this free event in the heart of London. We will perform pieces by the most eminent Polish composers both young and old, including works by Bembinow, Gamp;oacute;recki, Liban, Pamp;#281;kiel, Wacamp;#322;aw of Szamotuly and Zieleamp;#324;ski. Tenebrae Responsoria by Lukaszewski received its world premiere in Poznan in September, and was made possible through funds sought by The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers Foundation and was commissioned for The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Warsaw. The concert is part of the project amp;ldquo;POLISH SACRED MUSIC Gaude Mater 2011amp;rdquo; which consists of concerts in four European capital cities: London, Paris, Moscow and Live. The aim of the project is to promote sacred works by Polish contemporary composes, to present the most valuable religious compositions from Jasna Gamp;oacute;ra Monastery archives, and to share the achievements of this International Festival of Sacred Music, amp;ldquo;Gaude Mater, in the international arena. The concert is free to attend as part of the cultural programme of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is one of the largest projects promoting Poland since 1989 with over 1400 cultural events taking place internationally. The concert is promoted by the Culture Programme of the Polish Presidency in European Union and is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Oct 19 2011 00:12:30 GMT Tickets are now available for Philip Lawson's farewell concert, taking place on Saturday 28th January in the stunning Salisbury Cathedral. After 18 years with the group, Philip will be taking to the stage with The King's Singers for the final time in his home city of Salisbury. Performing a programme that includes Bob Chilcott's Even such is time as well as our much-loved close harmony repertoire, this will be a memorable evening to celebrate Philip's time with the group. We hope that as many of our loyal fans and supporters as possible can join us for this very special evening, tickets are now available from Salisbury Playhouse on 01722 320333. Please book early to avoid disappointment. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Oct 06 2011 00:12:30 GMT On Saturday 17 September, we gave the world premiere performance of Lukaszewskiamp;rsquo;s Tenebrae Responsoria in the amazing baroque Fara Church in Poznan, Poland. We are currently away on a three week tour that visits Germany, Poland and Finland, with performances in some of the world's most beautiful concert venues, including the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. Following on from the performances in Poland, a concert will be held in London, promoted by the Culture Programme of Polish Presidency in European Union and cofinanced by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland. This concert, held at St. Jamesamp;rsquo; Piccadilly, will be on Thursday 10 November at 19:30, and it is free to attend. This concert is being given in order to promoter Polish music and composers, and the programme will feature beautiful works by Pekiel, Liban, Bembinow, Waclaw of Szamotul, Zielenski, Lukaszewski, and Gamp;oacute;recki. Please do join us for this special concert if you are able, we would be thrilled to see you there. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Sep 20 2011 00:12:30 GMT On Thursday, 13 October 2011, we will perform in a concert at St Peter's Church, Eaton Square, London, in support of The King's Singers Foundation and Kidscape. We have a small allocation of tickets which are being offered exclusively to our Friends, VIPs and Patrons. The tickets cost amp;pound;50 and every penny will go directly to The King's Singers Foundation. The programme that we will be performing is: Oriana - The Golden Age of English Madrigals JOHN BENNET: All Creatures now are merry minded JOHN BENNET: Weep O mine eyes JOHN FARMER: Fair Phyllis I saw sitting all alone ORLANDO GIBBONS: The silver swan THOMAS WEELKES: As Vesta was from Latmos Hill descending Gloriana - The Faerie Queene BENJAMIN BRITTEN: Choral dances from 'Gloriana' Time Concord Time and Concord Country girls Rustics and finsherman Final dance of homage GABRIEL FAURamp;Eacute; ARR. RICHARDS: Lydia GABRIEL FAURamp;Eacute; ARR. RICHARDS: Mandoline GEORGES AURIC ARR. LANGFORD: Quand tu dors pramp;egrave;s de moiamp;gt; JACQUES BREL ARR RUNSWICK: La valse a mille temps Interval PAUL DRAYTON: Masterpiece Close Harmony - Pieces from The King's Singers much loved lighter repertoire By attending this event, you will support the work of our new Foundation in four disciplines - education, online resources, new music and accessibility. New projects that will immediately benefit from your support at this concert include the creation of a substantial online library of educational/workshop videos for singers worldwide to access free of charge, funding an animateur to support the new KS education programme, providing transportation and tickets to the young and the elderly who have no such access to music, and commissioning new music from young and established composers to add to the choral canon. The King's Singers are delighted to partner with the children's charity, Kidscape, which is an exceptional organisation committed to keeping children safe from abuse. Cubitt House are supporting Kidscape this year and have taken the opportunity to organise this charity concert .amp;nbsp; Tickets are available exclusively to our Friends, VIPs and Patrons. Further information about the Foundation can be found on our website where you can sign up immediately to become a Patron, or read more about our Friends scheme here. Each amp;pound;50 ticket includes an invitation to a pre-concert and an interval reception with The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers, hosted by Cubitt House. To reserve your tickets, please email or call the office on +44 (0)1753 783739 with your name and the number of tickets required. Payment can be made via cheque or bank transfer. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Sep 02 2011 00:12:30 GMT Last week we had the great pleasure of working with 9 talented groups in Lamp;uuml;beck, for the Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival Meisterkurse. Over the course of 5 days we worked both individually and in pairs with each of the groups of singers, culminating in a combined concert on Wednesday evening. amp;nbsp;We were all excited to see the instruction provided throughout the week come to fruition in the final concert - amp;nbsp;David remarked that watching from the audience was 'like having 58 children on stage in a school play'. We send our grateful thanks to all the performers who participated from the following groups: Annas Alibi, Vivae Vocis, Ensemble Quartonal, Ensemble Via Nova, More than Words, Latvian Voices, The Songmen, Vokapgroup VIP and Vox Nova Vocal Ensemble.amp;nbsp; Below, Paul and Johnny in sessions with Latvian Voices and The Songmen; rehearsal for the final concert. http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Aug 09 2011 00:12:30 GMT Well folks, I have made the decision after 18 years of touring and recording with The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers, to move on, and begin the next phase of my career. It wonamp;rsquo;t come as a surprise to those who are familiar with the groupamp;rsquo;s work to discover that composing and arranging will form a large part of what I do next with a number of new pieces already commissioned. I used to say to people that it was easy for me to keep up with my writing with all the spare time we have on planes and in hotel rooms when weamp;rsquo;re not dealing with KS business, but that has become harder as more work comes in, so I am really looking forward to being able to spend more time working from home. Of course the main excitement for me about moving on is that I finally get to spend more time with my fantastic family, who are counting the days until I unpack my suitcase for the last time in January next year. Without the unerring patience and quiet support of my family I definitely wouldnamp;rsquo;t have lasted this long. My last concert will be in Salisbury at the end of January 2012 - details will be made available on the website soon. This is not the time for goodbyes, because there are plenty of concerts and tours left to do with The Kingamp;rsquo;s Singers, and I will cherish each one. I have been a fan of the group since 1974 and still to this day have to pinch myself sometimes to make sure Iamp;rsquo;m not dreaming about actually being onstage singing in it. But there is always a time to move on, and for me that time has come. If you want to keep up with what Iamp;rsquo;m doing (or even book me to do some composing or arranging or a workshop.) I already have a website www.philiplawson.net through which I can be contacted, and a Facebook page, which you can amp;ldquo;likeamp;rdquo;, if you like. 'Bye for now. Philip amp;nbsp; From David, Tim, Paul, Chris and Johnny After eighteen years in the KS, Philip has decided to 'empty his suitcase' and spend more time at home with Lizzie and the girls. It's hard to know what to write about somebody who has not only taught us so much musically, but also been a great friend for such a long time. Where to start? Well, we shall miss the quality time we have all spent together, when even during the most stressful of periods, Philip manages to 'crack a joke' which has everybody falling about laughing. Philip's prolific skill as a composer and arranger have been a huge asset to the group - his skill in writing for us is a rare talent, and one which will be very much in demand when he leaves us next year. A true 'team player' we shall all miss his contribution in the day to day running of the KS, but most of all we salute an all-round great guy, and true friend. Our loss is Lizzie, Sophie, Amy and Georgia's gain...... Paul, David, Tim, Chris and Johnny http://www.kingssingers.com/news.php?nid=271 Jul 23 2011 00:12:30 GMT