|
|
(Your shopping cart is empty)
|
|
 |
|
|
TENEBRAE
Tenebrae is a professional chamber choir, founded and directed by Nigel Short. Performing by candlelight, the choir creates an atmosphere of spiritual and musical reflection, where medieval chant and renaissance works are interspersed with contemporary compositions to create an ethereal mood of contemplation. The beautiful acoustics and lighting effects of a Tenebrae concert are further enhanced by the choir’s dramatic use of movement around the performing space. As singers move around their surroundings to explore all possible sound perspectives, each member of the audience is able to experience the power and intimacy of the human voice.
PASSION & PRECISION
Passion and Precision is the motto of Tenebrae and it’s members are drawn from musical backgrounds reflecting these qualities, such as the Monteverdi Choir, the choirs of Westminster Abbey and Cathedral and King’s College, Cambridge. Many of Tenebrae’s singers have worked with the leading specialist vocal groups including I Fagiolini, The Tallis Scholars, The Swingle Singers and The King’s Singers. Contributing to the dramatic qualities of Tenebrae’s performing style are singers from Britain’s two major opera houses, Covent Garden and English National Opera. This combination weaves together a huge variety of choral experience, giving the choir an exceptional range of vocal power and colour.
NIGEL SHORT
Nigel began his musical life as a chorister at Solihull Parish Church going on to study singing and piano at the Royal College of Music. He began his career as a soloist in opera and oratorio and as a member of specialist vocal ensembles such as The Tallis Scholars whilst maintaining a regular involvement in church music, firstly as a member of Westminster Abbey Choir then Westminster Cathedral. He joined the King’s Singers when he was 27 and stayed with them for seven years.
After a short break of about one ski season in the Swiss Alps he set about founding his own group, Tenebrae, aiming to bring together what he loved best as a singer – namely the more passionate sounds of large Cathedral choirs and the precision of ensembles like The King’s Singers – to create a new kind of choral group. Whilst embracing an eclectic repertoire he wanted to have some ‘signature’ works that would make Tenebrae different, adding a theatrical element that would involve singers moving around as if on stage. To that end he wrote ‘The Dream of Herod’, with a central role for baritone Colin Campbell, and commissioned Joby Talbot to write Path of Miracles, premiered in July 2005. Since its debut performance in 2001 Tenebrae has given concerts in Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, UK, USA and Bermuda.
Nigel and the group have performed and recorded live with The Chamber Orchestra of Europe for Warner Classics and have given several performances with The English Concert. They record regularly with Signum Classics.
Nigel divides his time between directing Tenebrae and giving an ever increasing number of masterclasses and workshops for both professional and amateur vocal groups and choirs throughout Europe.
|
|
|
|
|
