In the first half of the 1980s Henrietta Cowling, David Hurley and Jeremy Summerly established this choir. The made their debut in Oxford in May 1984 and after performing J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion in 1986 they won the patronage of Sir Peter Pears. He passed away within a few days of becoming their patron and was replaced immediately by Philip Ledger. Not long after they also won the patronage of Lord Bullock.
The choir, led by Jeremy Summerly, can vary in size from 4 to 20 members and, depending on what they are performing, they perform a cappella or sing with the accompaniment of a solo instrument, an ensemble or an orchestra, often using period instruments. Although their initial repertoire was early music, they widened their scope of music after about 8 years and now perform anything from Gregorian chant to present day works.
Known for their many concert performances throughout Europe they are recognised as being one of the foremost ensembles of their kind in Europe and were the recipients of a European Cultural Prize in 1995. No strangers to the recording studio, they have released more than 30 CD recordings to date.
Members of the Camerata past and present include:
Jonathon Arnold
Lisa Beckley
Robin Blaze
Andrew Carwood
Miranda Cawrse
Philip Cave
Alison Coldstream
Robert Evans
Andrew Gant
Nicholas Gedge
James Gilchrist
David Hurley
Carys-Ann Lane
Deborah Mackay
Michael McCarthy
Janet McMumn
William Missin
Daniel Norman
Andrew Olleson
Rebecca Outram
Julian Smallbones
Jeremy Summerly
Matthew Vine
Dominic Wallis
Edward Wickham
Oxford Camerata recordings
Be Merry, Be Merry (15th century English)
Naxos 855075 (CD: Medieval Carols)
Sources:
- http://www.camerata.demon.co.uk/serv01.htm
- http://www.singers.com/choral/oxfordcamerata.html
- http://www.naxos.com/choirinfo/Oxford_Camerata/14916.htm
- http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=2282
- http://www.naxosdirect.com/title/8.550576
- http://stellaceli.style.coocan.jp/day_signal/?p=516