This professional choral group was formed by the conductor and composer John Rutter in 1981 after mixed choral ensembles with men and woman, rather than just men and boys, had been allowed at Clare College, Cambridge from the early 1970s.
After John Rutter had left his position as the choral conductor of Clare College Choir in 1979, in order to concentrate on his work as a composer, he decided to create a choir for a TV programme to be broadcast at Christmas. He asked singers to join him, many being former members of Clare College Choir who now freelanced and called the ensemble The Cambridge Singers.
After its performance for TV, John Rutter was asked to do a recording of his church music. The group were re-assembled and its debut recording titled Gloria: The Sacred Music of John Rutter was released. The recording became a success and the follow-up was Faure Requiem, which won a Gramophone magazine award.
Due to problems with record labels John Rutter decided to start his own label and launched Collegium Records. The Cambridge Singers became a choir that were led by John Rutter and performed on recordings that were primarily on the Collegium label. They have since made more than 40 recordings that have featured orchestras such as the BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the City of London Sinfonia and ensembles such as the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, The King’s Singers and La Nuova Musica.
The ensemble has also performed on the Fresh Aire Albums released by Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller.
Cambridge Singers recordings
Adam lay ybounden (Boris Ord)
Collegium 106 (CD: Christmas Night. Carols of The Nativity)
Conductor/Arranger – John Rutter
Away in a Manger (William J.Kirkpatrick/ James Ramsey Murray)
Collegium 106 (CD: Christmas Night. Carols of The Nativity)
Conductor/Arranger – John Rutter
In Dulci Jubilo (German Traditional/Henry Suso)
Collegium 106 (CD: Christmas Night. Carols of The Nativity)
Conductor – John Rutter
Arranger/translator: Robert Lucas Pearsall
Sources:
- https://johnrutter.com/artist/the-cambridge-singers
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Singers
- https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Cambridge-Singers.htm
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cambridge-singers-mn0000236566/biography
- https://www.singers.com/group/Cambridge-Singers/
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cambridge-singers-mn0000236566/discography
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/443257-The-Cambridge-Singers