Choir and Music

The music of King’s College Chapel is as well-known as the building itself, and depends on the continued provision of education for the sixteen choristers at King’s College School, fourteen Choral Scholars and two Organ Scholars, as well as the employment of a full-time Director of Music.

Singing at daily Chapel services is the Choir's primary duty, and has been since the foundation of King’s College in 1441, when King Henry VI envisaged that the Choir would provide music for the daily offices and celebrations of the Mass in his new Chapel.

In addition to their singing of the daily services, the Choir participates in a number of high-profile events in the Chapel. These include the live radio broadcast of the famous Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which is heard by tens of millions of people around the world, television broadcasts of Carols from King’s, and radio broadcasts from the Easter at King’s festival.

The Choir's commitments are not restricted to performances in the Chapel, however: its worldwide fame and reputation, enhanced by its many recordings, has led to invitations to perform around the globe, and to an extensive international tour schedule.

Why We Need Your Support

The funding needs for one of the world’s most renowned and best-loved choirs are significant. The excellence of King’s music depends on the continued provision of education for the sixteen choristers at King’s College School; fourteen Choral Scholars and two Organ Scholars at the College; and the employment of a full-time Director of Music.

King’s has over the past years found new ways to bring the music of the Choir and the Chapel experience to the world, through recordings, webcasts and tours. These generate some revenue, but philanthropic support remains essential to ensure the future of the Choir and the permanent position of Director of Music.

Choir endowment £5,000,000
Endow the position of Director of Music £2,500,000
Fund a recording £10,000-£50,000
Sponsor King’s Voices, the College’s mixed choir, for a year £25,000
Sponsor a tour performance £25,000

Choir Endowment

The College originally founded the King’s College Choir School to educate the sixteen Choristers, aged nine to thirteen, who sing in the Choir. Today the College supports the Choristers by paying school fees of £300,000 annually, as well as all of the expenses associated with the Choir.

The Choir does not have a dedicated endowment fund, and we believe it is essential to establish additional endowment to ensure the future of the Choir. In addition, and through donations of all sizes, our eventual goal is to establish five fully-endowed choristerships at the school, paying for the termly £8,000 fees and ensuring that choristerships are open to any boy of the right musical ability, regardless of financial circumstances. A single chorister can be funded for a five-year period for £120,000, or in perpetuity at an endowed cost of £716,000.


 

Endowing the post of Director of Music

Carols from King's

The consistently high standards achieved by the Choir owe much to the musicians who over the last 140 years have served as Director of Music. Since 1876 there have been only five permanent Directors of Music, each of whom has left their mark on the style, repertoire and public perception of the Choir. In 2019, Sir Stephen Cleobury handed over the role to Daniel Hyde (KC 2000) after 37 years of outstanding service to the College and the Choir.

Sir Stephen died in November 2019. To commemorate his work and remarkable legacy the College wishes to create a new endowment to support in perpetuity the position of the Director of Music at King’s, with a target amount of £2.5 million.


 

Choir Recordings

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King’s recordings have cemented the Choir’s reputation as one of the world’s most loved and renowned choirs. The College releases multiple recordings a year, many of them featuring the Choir, on its own record label. Profits from the Label are returned to the College, in turn supporting the ongoing work of the College, Chapel and Choir.

Making these staple recordings is only possible thanks to the generosity of those who support them. A recording can cost anywhere from about £10,000 to upwards of £50,000, depending on the repertoire and the number of musicians involved (e.g. a large orchestra).
 


 

King's Voices

King's Voices

King's Voices, the mixed voice choir of King's College, was founded in October 1997 under the direction of Dr John Butt to give the women of King's the opportunity to contribute vocally to the musical life of the College.

The choir has flourished over the past 20 years, performing regular services in the Chapel and touring internationally. In 2013 we appointed the Director of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, Ben Parry, as the Choir's Director.

Sponsorship of King’s Voices will support the choir in an exciting time in its development under Ben Parry, helping to provide for music costs, tuition subsidies and future touring. King's Voices can be sponsored for £25,000 for a year.
 


 

Tour Performances

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In recent years King’s College Choir has travelled to the USA, China, Australia and a host of European countries. Performing abroad allows the Choir not only to enhance its international reputation and relationships, but also to engage in educational and philanthropic activities across the globe.

Touring is one of the more expensive activities the Choir undertakes, and the future of this programme relies on the generosity of those who support King’s. A gift of £25,000 will sponsor a performance of the full choir at a single venue; a gift of £3,000 will sponsor educational and cultural activities for the choristers and scholars while on tour.

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To mark the outstanding career of Sir Stephen Cleobury, we wish to permanently endow the Director of Music position at King's.
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The Chapel is the spiritual home of the College and a place of untold inspiration for the millions who tune into our radio and television broadcasts.
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As well as preserving many rare treasures, the Library and Archives together serve the needs of students and senior members of the College.
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King’s offers a wide range of social activities, with students managing over 100 clubs and societies including sports, music, performance and art.

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