The Choir of King's College, Cambridge is one of today's most accomplished and renowned representatives of the great British choral tradition. It was created by King Henry VI, who founded King's College, Cambridge in 1441, to provide daily singing in his Chapel, which remains the main task of the choir to this day.
Today the choir is directed by Stephen Cleobury and derives much of its fame from the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, broadcast worldwide to millions on Christmas Eve every year, and the TV service Carols from King's which accompanies it.
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The statutes of the College provide for sixteen choristers. These are boys who are educated at King's College School. From the beginning of the 20th Century fourteen Undergraduates have also sung in the choir as Choral Scholars.
Former members of the Choir (including Directors of Music and Organ Scholars) are able to join the King's College Choir Association.
The Choir is conducted by the Director of Music, a Fellow of the College.
The fourteen Choral Scholars are male students (usually Undergraduates) at the College. Choral Scholars must succeed at both the general entry requirements of the College as well as the Choral Trials in order to join the Choir.
Two of the Choral Scholars are assigned the role of Beater, as Senior and Junior Beater (traditionally the Senior Choral Scholar and his pre-chosen successor); these two are also usually responsible for the direction of Collegium Regale. These two Choral Scholars usually 'beat' (conduct while in the stalls) the psalms, and often the introit, during the service, even when the Director of Music is present.
Very occasionally, a Lay Clerk may be appointed in place of a Choral Scholar, usually if a vacancy arises unexpectedly: for example, when a student, having gained a conditional place at the college (subject to A-level grades being achieved) fails to meet the conditions. Such Lay Clerks have, to all intents and purposes, the same status as a Choral Scholar. The few Lay Clerks that have existed (since the establishment of Choral Scholars) have often been Choral Scholars agreeing to remain for an additional year.
The Choral Scholars form collectively, in their spare time, a separate group, Collegium Regale (Latin for 'King's College'), which sings a wide range of music written for men's voices, from early music through to Barbershop arrangements (many of the latter having been written exclusively for the group by present/former Choral Scholars).
Various singing groups have been spawned from groups of Choral Scholars:
The organ is played by two Organ Scholars, who, like the Choral Scholars, are students (typically undergraduates) at the College. An Organ Scholarship is awarded as necessary to ensure that there are always two undergraduate Organists in the College - a new Scholar is appointed to arrive when the previous one graduates.
If the Director of Music is not present for any reason, an Organ Scholar takes responsibility for conducting the Choir.
The Choir often tours externally, usually involving longer tours in the summer and at Christmas, and shorter stays throughout the year.
Previous tours have included:
Recent recordings under the EMI Classics label include: