The English Concert Singers

About the Choir

English Concert Singers

The English Concert Singers and its extension choir, the English Concert Chorus, consist of between 50 and 150 experienced choral singers from all walks of life. They come from different areas of the country including North Yorkshire, Cornwall, Wales, Suffolk, Essex, Sussex the London area, Birmingham and the Midlands. The choirs were formed by Roy Wales in 1989 on his return from living and working in Australia. They have appeared in many venues throughout the UK, including the Royal Albert and Festival Halls, Barbican Centre and St John’s Smith Square in London, Symphony Hall and the NIA in Birmingham and cathedrals in Arundel, Bury St Edmunds, Derby, Chichester, Birmingham, Southwark and Truro, working with orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the English, London and BBC Concert Orchestras. The English Concert Singers have undertaken overseas tours to many parts of the world including Australia, the Caribbean, Channel Islands, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and South America. In 2007 they appeared with the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra in Croatia in a performance of Handel’s Messiah and in October 2008 they visited Istanbul. In October 2009 they will give concerts in Salzburg. The choir has also made a number of recordings including Choral Kaleidoscope and the Vivaldi Gloria with the Hungarian Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra. The English Concert Singers’ very first performance in 1989 was in Lichfield, Staffordshire, and the choir is delighted to be returning to the Midlands and Birmingham Town Hall for its 20th Anniversary performance of Brahms’ German Requiem on March, 8 at 3.00pm. Further information regarding the English Concert Singers and Chorus can be obtained from the Administrator: 01273 300894. engconsing@fastnet.co.uk

English Concert Chorus

The English Concert Chorus regularly features at many Raymond Gubbay-promoted concerts in London and Birmingham, including the Classical Spectacular Concerts at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Albert Hall, London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. They have sung in Opera Gala Concerts, Glory of Christmas events and choral performances of Carmina Burana and Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall. They performed with the BBC Concert Orchestra in A Tribute to Mario Lanza with José Carreras at the Royal Albert Hall and in Sheffield Arena. They also appear on José Carreras’ best-selling CD Passion.

English Concert Orchestra

Formed in 1969 by Roy Wales, the Orchestra is celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2009. It has performed in many of the major concert venues in the UK, including the Royal Albert Hall, St. John’s, Smith Square, London South Bank Concert Halls, Birmingham Symphony Hall and in various British cathedrals and regional concert halls. It has played with distinguished soloists at a number of prestigious music festivals and often performs with the English Concert Singers/Chorus.

Tim Rhys-Morgan (accompanist)

Tim has been accompanying choirs since the age of eleven when he played for the successful Desborough School choir in Maidenhead. He continued his education at Bangor University where he studied piano with Jana Frenklova and became accompanist for the Bangor Choral Society and the College Singers under William Matthias. Since then Tim has established himself as a versatile and sensitive accompanist and has worked for many societies, groups and soloists up and down the country, including the Cantorum Choir, Rug Opera, Leigh Orpheus Male Voice Choir, Southend Operatic and Dramatic Society and the South Anglia Savoy Players. He was Musical Director for première performances of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, A Christmas Carol and The Selfish Giant and is Director of a hundred-strong Essex-based choir. He has been associated with the English Concert Singers for more than ten years and has toured extensively with them as their accompanist, including visits to Australia, South Africa, China and South America.