Voces8 (Vocal Ensemble)

Founded: 2003 (Primarily A Cappella Singers) or 2005 (Facebook) - London, England

Voces8 is an international award winning a cappella octet founded in 2003 by ex-choristers of Westminster Abbey. Voces8 has a diverse repertoire ranging from 13^th century polyphony (early English and European Renaissance choral work), such as Orlando Gibbons to their own arrangements of jazz and pop songs.

Voces8 has entertained audiences across Europe and the UK. The group has been praised for "stunning performance", "exquisite singing" and "a sound that spans the entire range of vocal colour". When not on the concert platform, Voces8 spends much of its time leading workshops and master-classes around the world.

First achieving success in 2005 at the 44th International Choral Grand Prix in Gorizia, Italy, Voces8 won first prize for best jazz performance and the audience vote for best performance. In October 2006, Voces8 took part in the 38^th International Choral Contest in Tolosa, Spain. The group won first prize in both the sacred and secular categories and was awarded the highest number of points in the overall competition.

Voces8 performs widely in the UK, Europe and the USA. Recent highlights include opening the National Choral Competition in Spain, appearances on Austrian and Slovenian television, a concert at Wartburg Castle for Deutschlandradio Kultur and a guest appearance for the International Federation of Choral Music in Belgium. Forthcoming tours in 2009 include the USA, Kenya, China, France, Germany, Spain and Italy.

The group has appeared on the BBC and performed on television and radio in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, France, Spain and Italy. The group has recorded 5 CD's: “Aces High” (2010); “Evensong” (2008); “From Gibbons to Gershwin” (2007); “Blessings” (2006); and “Snowed In” (2006). Voces8 and the Senesino Players, directed by Barnaby Smith will release a CD of JS Bach's Motets (BWV 225-230) in September 2010 on Signum Classics.

Voces8 is the flagship ensemble of Voces Cantabiles Music, a music foundation based in South East England. Other ensembles in this organisation include Voces Cantabiles, an award-winning chamber choir. Voces Cantabiles, conducted by Barnaby Smith, has released a CD of previously unrecorded music by the Renaissance composer, Robert Parsons, on Naxos.

Voces8 members:

Emily Dickens (soprano)
Andrea Haines (soprano)
Chris Wardle (counter-tenor)
Barnaby Smith (counter-tenor)
Charles MacDougall (tenor)
Robert Smith (tenor)
Paul Smith (baritone)
Dingle Yandell (bass)

Source: Primarily A Cappella Singers Website; Voces8 page on Facebook
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September 2010)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Barnaby Smith

Choir

BWV 225-230

Links to other Sites

Primarily A Cappella Singers: Voces8
Voces8 on Facebook

Voces8 (Wikipedia)