Warwickshire News Mine

The County Boys’ Choir have formed a partnership with the prestigious Choir of New College Oxford, and both groups joined together in one voice for a special evensong performance at New College chapel on Saturday 18 October.

This was not the first time the two choirs performed together as they previously united earlier this year in March for a highly successful special concert at St Nicholas Church, Warwick. New College were so impressed with the standard of the boys’ choir that they invited the group to join them again for the evensong performance in the college’s own chapel.

The day started for the county boys with rehearsal at the County Music Service’s workshop at Coten End, Warwick, before travelling to Oxford for a tour of the college and rehearsal with Oxford University’s first choral Professor Edward Higginbottom.  The boys were New College’s guests for tea before their joint performance in the chapel at 6.15pm.

Warwickshire’s County Boys Choir, the first of its kind in Warwickshire, was formed in November 2007 by Garry Jones, former Director of Warwickshire County Council’s Music Service. Members, aged from 8 to 14 years, were recommended through their schools. Since last year membership has now reached over 80 choristers from across the county, making the group arguably the largest in the country.

The Choir of New College Oxford whose origins date back to 1379 are superstars of the classical world having made 80 recordings and appeared at the BBC Proms, and in recent years to audiences in Australia, Brazil, Japan and Europe. In September 2008 the choir were presented with an acclaimed international Classic FM Gramophone Award in the Early Music category.

Warwickshire County Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Portfolio Holder for Children Young People and Families said: “This will be a wonderful experience for the young choir who are all really excited about the opportunity to sing at the college chapel.  A strong partnership has formed between the two singing groups and it is hoped that there will be many more similar opportunities to join together in the future. 

“Garry Jones has recently retired from the County Music Service but will continue to work with County Boys Choir to hone their talents.  There is a lot of dedication and passion in the project and I’m sure the choir’s notoriety will continue to grow.”

Link to WCC