King's Voices
King's Voices is the mixed voice choir of King's College, Cambridge
King's Voices has a regular programme of rehearsals and services including the singing of Evensong in the Chapel every Monday during University term. In addition to these services, King's Voices performs both sacred and secular music at College events and formal dinners and regularly collaborates with the College Music Society, as well as undertaking tours further afield within the UK and abroad. Such events allow the choir to engage with a wide range of repertoire and, although the choir's primary commitment is to its services in King's, it is always looking to extend its range of musical activities.
King's Voices was founded in October 1997 under the direction of Dr John Butt (Director of Studies for Music at King's, 1997–2001) to give the women of King's the opportunity to contribute vocally to the musical life of the College. The choir's current Director is Owen Elsley, Assistant Director of Music at the College.
Auditions and Choral Exhibitions
The choir is open to all members of King's College. Should spaces be available, provision is also made for some singers from outside the College.
King's College offers Choral Awards for members of the College, which in the case of King's Voices are called Choral Exhibitions. All Choral Awards at Cambridge are awarded after candidates have received an academic offer to study at Cambridge. The Cambridge Colleges hold joint choral auditions in March to assess the vocal potential and musicianship of applicants for Choral Awards. For more information on how to apply for a Choral Award, please visit the Centre for Music Performance website.
Students interested in singing in King's Voices should apply to the Director of King's Voices (Owen Elsley) once their academic place at Cambridge is confirmed.
Members of King's Voices may apply for a subsidy towards singing lessons with the College's singing teachers.
Tours and Concerts
King's Voices undertakes an annual tour, normally at Easter time. The first tour in March 2001 was an exchange trip with the University Choir of Cologne. Since then the choir has visited one or more European city each year, including Venice, Florence, Bologna, Rome, Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Dublin, Copenhagen, Warsaw, and Krakow.
Closer to home, the choir has sung evensongs at local cathedrals (Ely, Bury St Edmunds) and College Livings, as well as concerts in churches throughout East Anglia.