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The Oxford Camerata was founded by Jeremy Summerly in 1984, and gave its first concert at the Maison Française in Oxford on May 22, 1984. Since then the choir has given concerts throughout Europe and has made almost 30 CD recordings.
The core group comprises 12 singers with or without keyboard accompaniment, but for certain projects the choir has been made up of as few as four singers and as many as 40. After a performance of J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion (BWV 244) in the Snape Maltings on Good Friday 1986, Sir Peter Pears, who was at the performance, agreed to become the Oxford Camerata’s first patron. Sadly he died within days but his place was immediately taken by Philip Ledger. Not long afterwards Lord Bullock also agreed to become patron to the choir.
While Oxford Camerata was initially recognised as a specifically early music group, since the early 1990’s the choir has expanded its repertory to include music from Gregorian chant to the present day. The Oxford Camerata Instrumental Ensemble (using modern instruments) was formed in 1992 and the Oxford Camerata Baroque Orchestra in 2007. |
