The Monteverdi Choir, founded in 1964, is famous for its passionate, committed and virtuosic singing. Over the past forty five years it has been consistently acclaimed as one of the best choirs in the world, noted for its ability to switch composer, language and idiom with complete stylistic conviction. The Choir is also a fertile training ground for future generations of choral and solo singers: Choir members often step out to sing solo parts and many former choristers have gone on to spectacular solo careers. Since 2007, the Monteverdi Apprentice Scheme has added an exciting new dimension to the Choir’s profile.

The Choir has undertaken a number of trail-blazing tours. The most ambitious was the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage in 2000 during which they performed all 198 of JS Bach’s sacred cantatas in more than 60 churches throughout Europe, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the composer’s death. A set of recordings from the Pilgrimage is being released on the Company’s record label, Soli Deo Gloria. The Choir has more than a hundred recordings to its name and has won numerous prizes. They also regularly participate in staged opera productions.

Recent performances in 2010/11 have included acclaimed international tours of Monteverdi’s Vespers (1610) and Bach’s Mass in B Minor with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the English Baroque Soloists. The Choir was in a staged production of Weber’s Freischütz at the Opéra Comique in Paris, as part of a 5-year residency. They also began a collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John Eliot Gardiner, performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.