Started singing: voice lessons in school, several workshops for early
music in Germany and Switzerland, choirs and ensembles in 5 countries
mostly with a mixed repertory of early and contemporary music
Favourite music: early music, jazz, live music of any kind
Fave composer: Monteverdi, Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Ravel. I particularly
enjoy early Christian music from the 'new world', performed Gabriel
Garrido and his ensemble Elmya.
Fave director: John Eliot Gardiner
Fave CML concert: Bach B-minor mass in 2008, my first concert with the CML
Hobbies: museums and architecture, 1000 UNESCO heritage sites you must see
before you die, hiking, alpine skiing, golf, indoor climbing
Collegium Musicum of London - with a regular membership of about thirty singers - is a chamber choir based in Clerkenwell, London. Focusing naturally on a capella repertoire and works accompanied by small instrumental forces, the choir is particularly at home with sacred works of the Renaissance and early Baroque periods as well as music of the twentieth century, which encompasses also a great secular literature.
It's 400 years since Monteverdi's celebrated 1610 Vespers of the Blessed Virgin were published in Venice, and to mark the occasion Collegium Musicum of London is presenting a performance of unrivalled passion and authenticity.
The Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer in Clerkenwell is the setting for an October evening of monumental choral music, where the choir will be joined by the highly acclaimed English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, leading specialists in baroque brass and keyboard performance.
As of July, Peter Owens's place as Musical Director has been taken by Russell du Plessis. A former conductor of West London Children's Choir and St Bart's Hospital Choir and Orchestra, Russell won plaudits in 2006 when he steered Fulham Preparatory School Choir to the title of BBC Radio Three Children's Choir of the Year.
Russell's first concert as conductor will be the challenging Monteverdi Vespers, in October, while at present he's putting the final touches to the choir's 2011 season - details coming soon.
He arrives at a time of change for CML; long-standing Chairman Barry Creasy has stepped down as Chair, to be replaced by John Biggins. Barry will continue to contribute through his role as stalwart bass.
We're on Facebook!
CML now has a Facebook page, with news, pictures and discussions.
Recorded in March 2009 at St Mary Abchurch, London, the CD features music from the Russian sacred repertoire, including pieces by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Chesnokov and Glinka.
The choir is always on the look-out for new members. And for those who feel ambitious, we have opportunities for soloists in all sections.
Interested in joining the choir? Click here for details of our straightorward audition process, or email the choir here.
Choir for hire
Anyone for tenors?
Collegium Musicum of London is also available for hire – either to give a concert as part of a festival, to provide one-off concert programmes, or to sing for functions.
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