London Oriana Choir

London Oriana Choir is a choral group comprising around 120 singers, based in London, England. It was formed in 1973 by Leon Lovett, who acted as conductor and musical director. David Drummond became the choir's musical director in 1996, and Dominic Ellis-Peckham began his term as musical director in September 2013. The choir has developed a following through performances at London venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Barbican Centre, Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall at Southbank, St Paul's Cathedral, St Martin-in-the-Fields and St James' Piccadilly. In 2016 the choir launched a five-year project 'five15' to promote the work of women composers with 15 new commissions from five composers, workshops and recordings. The five commissioned composers-in-residence were Cheryl Frances-Hoad (2016/17), Rebecca Dale (2017/18), Jessica Curry (2018/19), Anna Disley-Simpson (2019-2021), and Hannah Kendall (2021/22). Composer Cecilia McDowall accepted the role of Patron of the choir in 2021. The choir celebrated its 50th anniversary in the 2023/24 season, commissioning a new piece 'Here Hum The Bees' from Cecilia McDowall, which was premiered at a gala concert at St John's Smith Square in March 2024.

The choir tours regularly and since 2015 has performed in France, Portugal, Germany, Malta, Poland, and Italy.

Notable performances

Under Dominic Ellis-Peckham

  • Gala concert '50 Years of Song at St John's Smith Square in March 2024, with special guest Beth Nielsen Chapman.
  • Celebrating the end of the five15 women composers initiative in July 2022 with a Women Composers Festival concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, with guest choirs and a number of women composers.[1]
  • Performing the world premiere of Eric Whitacre's piece The Perfect Gift commissioned by Maggie's charity for a virtual carol concert in December 2020.
  • Performing with Madonna at the Eurovision Song Contest Final in Tel Aviv in May 2019. The choir supplied the monks' chorus for "Like a Prayer".[2]
  • Opening the BAFTA Games Awards ceremony in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, with a performance of The End of All Things by previous Award winner Jessica Curry.
  • Launching a five-year project 'five 15' to promote the work of women composers in the Sammy Ofer gallery of the Cutty Sark, in Greenwich in July 2016.[3]
  • Classic Quadrophenia, an orchestral and choral version of The Who's Quadrophenia album, released on Deutsche Grammophon in June 2015 and performed at the Royal Albert Hall in July 2015.[4]

Under David Drummond

Under Leon Lovett

Leon Lovett directed the choir from its inception until 1996. During this time, the choir regularly performed at the Royal Albert Hall, on BBC television and venues around London.

Recordings

  • "Her Voice" (2024): album of the nine a capella pieces commissioned as part of the choir's five15 project
  • E-single (2022): 'In the blue' by Anna Disley-Simpson (first release of a piece commissioned under the choir's five15 initiative).
  • E-singles (2019): 'In the stillness' by Sally Beamish, 'Vespertilians' by Jocelyn Hagen, and 'Laus Trinitati' by Felicia Sandler
  • "From Babylon to Brazil" (2015) featuring the world premiere recording of Toby Young's 'Ave Regina Caelorum'
  • "The Lady Oriana" (2016) featuring 'O nata lux' by award-winning composer Kerry Andrew.
  • "Nativitie", a Christmas album released in 2012. Includes the premiere recording of Kenneth Leighton's "Nativitie".
  • Armstrong Gibbs "Odysseus" recorded with the BBC Concert Orchestra[9]
  • Walford Davies "Everyman" recorded with the Kensington Symphony Orchestra and released in 2008[10]
  • "Stuff and Nonsense" (1999) featuring Richard Rodney Bennett's 'Nonsense' songs, John Gardner's 'Seven Songs' and George MacIlwham's 'Tam O'Shanter'.

References

  1. ^ Ferrer, Darah (2022-07-14). "A Choral Concert Night And Realisations About Women In Music". The Telling. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  2. ^ Halperin, Malina Saval,Shirley; Saval, Malina; Halperin, Shirley (2019-05-18). "Madonna at Eurovision in Tel Aviv: 'Never Underestimate the Power of Music'". Variety. Retrieved 2020-01-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Unknown. "All women line-up for London Oriana Choir's Greenwich Concert". Retrieved 2020-01-11.
  4. ^ Michaels, Sean (2 December 2014). "Pete Townshend announces symphonic reimagining of Quadrophenia". The Guardian (UK). London. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  5. ^ Partington, Angela (11 March 2003). "One enchanted evening". The Guardian (UK). London. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Gorbachev Gala Draws Starry Crowd". Women's Wear Daily. 7 June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Robert Plant Headlines Electric Proms". Classic Rock magazine. September 14, 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  8. ^ Maddocks, Fiona (13 March 2011). "Women composers: Notes from the musical margins". Observer (UK). London. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  9. ^ "Armstrong Gibbs Odysseus". Cecil Armstrong Gibbs "Odysseus" & George Dyson "Four Songs for Sailors", BBC Concert Orchestra and London Oriana Choir. Dutton Vocalion. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  10. ^ Greenfield, Edward (10 December 2004). "Walford Davies: Everyman, Ferrari/ Johnston/ Staples/ Putnins/ London Oriana Choir/ Kensington SO/ Drummond". Guardian (UK). Retrieved 4 June 2013.