THE SCHOLARS of London

 

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Group Biography (for concert programmes)

 

Since their professional debut in 1970, The Scholars have given more than 2,500 concerts in more than 50 countries - a record which can be rivalled by very few ensembles in the field of chamber music. They have performed in many of the world's most recognised concert halls, from New York's Lincoln Center, London's Royal Festival Hall and the Sydney Opera House to smaller, more intimate venues such as the Wigmore Hall in London, and the Brahmssaal in Vienna. Their sparkling performances, often enlivened by humorous commentary, are acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. The name "Scholars" derives from the fact that the original members of the group all won scholarships to Cambridge University to sing in the famous choir of King's College Chapel. Thus The Scholars began as an all-male ensemble, but as early as 1972 the group changed to include a female voice, adding a new dimension to both sound and repertoire. Robin Doveton is a founding member and Kym Amps, Angus Davidson and Simon Grant joined the group in 1983, 1986 and 2004 respectively.

 

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Individual Biographies (may appear in concert programmes if space allows)

 

Kym Amps (soprano) joined The Scholars in 1984. in addition to eighty plus concerts a year with the ensemble, she also has a flourishing career as a concert and recital artist. She has performed in many prestigious concert halls in Europe, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Gewandhaus in Leipzig and the Purcell Room in London.

Amps won the prestigious Maggie Teyte Award and was runner-up in the first Elly Ameling Competition. As well as giving recitals of German Lieder, French Melodie and contemporary music, she is a specialist in music by female composers which she researches and performs for radio and television. Fluent in both French and Spanish, she gives master classes and courses on Baroque, classical and contemporary chamber music in England and Spain.

Kym lives in Madrid, where she enjoys researching Spanish Baroque Music and becoming involved in contemporary Spanish music. Her Discography includes Mozart Lieder, Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle and the Couperin's Trois Lecons de Tenebre. Amps has also recorded Bach's St John Passion, Handel's Dixit Dominus, Regina Caeli and Messiah, Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Fairy Queen and Indian Queen and Rutter's Magnificat.

 

 

 

Angus Davidson (countertenor) began his musical studies at the age of eight, first on the violin and in his local church choir, and later on the piano and oboe. In 1987 he won a choral scholarship to study music at Magdalen College, Oxford and it was there, with the encouragement of organist John Harper, that he realised his remarkable musicianship and distinctive countertenor voice showed great promise for a solo singing career.

After graduating from Oxford, Davidson went on to the Royal College of Music in London for more intensive vocal training and received his ARCM Diploma in 1986. Almost immediately he joined The Scholars and has enjoyed travelling and working with the ensemble ever since.

Angus is a permanent professional member of the renowned choir at Westminster (Roman Catholic) Cathedral. Additionally, he has a busy career as a soloist and as a consort singer with other renowned ensembles. His services are regularly called upon by the Taverner Consort, the English Concert, the Gabrieli Consort and, most recently, as soloist in Bach's Mass in B minor with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir.

Photo: Gerald Plaice

 

Robin Doveton (tenor) began his musical education when he was thirteen, learning piano and violin and singing in several choirs. In 1964 he won a Choral Scholarship to sing in the Chapel choir of King's College, Cambridge under David Willcocks and took a degree in Music, specializing in Composition under Alan Ridout. Upon leaving University in 1968 he sang in several professional vocal ensembles and became a founder member of The Scholars. 

Robin's folksong arrangements are an indispensable part of The Scholars' concert and recorded repertoire, and his compositions are sung by them and by English Cathedral choirs. He has helped build up The Scholars' broad and stimulating repertoire, setting standard works in the context of lesser-known works and genres (e.g. English Classical Glees). He established Doveton Music in 1998 to publish his folksong and carol arrangements and editions of other pieces which have stimulated his enthusiasm. 

He can be heard as tenor soloist on The Scholars Baroque Ensemble's NAXOS recordings in Arias by Monteverdi, Purcell and Handel, and as Evangelist in Bach's St John Passion. Robin lives in Frankfurt, Germany. In 1993 he founded the chamber choir Vocalis, Frankfurt, which has been described by the press as a "Paragon of the highest Choral Art".

 

 

Simon Grant (bass) was a boy chorister in the famous choir of King's College, Cambridge under Sir David Willcocks and later studied singing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He began his varied career as a member of the BBC Singers and then sang with the Swingle Singers for several years. Simon's mastery of extended vocal techniques has led to appearances with contemporary music groups such as Electric Phoenix and Ensemble Moderne (he can whistle and sing at the same time and can be heard whistling on the soundtracks of the films Shrek and Shiner!).

More recently, his rich bass-baritone voice has been much in demand in the fields of Mediaeval, Renaissance and Baroque music. He has a busy concert schedule worldwide and his many solo recordings include works by Monteverdi, J.S.Bach, Charpentier and Monteverdi. He appeared in Monteverdi's Orfeo at the Drottningholms Slottsteater in Stockholm, Blow's Venus and Adonis at the Globe Theatre in London and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas to celebrate 50 years of Londons Royal Festival Hall). He has appeared in Kurt Weills Seven Deadly Sins several times, (with Ute Lemper and Maria Ewingan) as well as Bernstein's On the Town (with Michael Tilson Thomas) and Candide for BBC Radio 3.

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New Music

The Scholars have a distinguished record in the commisioning and performance of new music. The following composers have written pieces specially for the group that have featured in Scholars programmes. However, please note that only those works marked with an asterisk* form part of The Scholars' present standard SATB repertoire!

Howard Blake
The New National Songbook (SATBarB + Instrumental ensemble)
A Christmas Narrative (SATBarB a cappella)  
(Howard's theme from 'The Snowman' made its first appearance in this work)

Christopher Brown
Herrick Songs (SATBarB a cappella)
From the Doorways of the Dawn* (SATB a cappella)

Robin Doveton
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for four voices*
(SATB a cappella)
When daisies pied
* (SATB a cappella)
c. 50 Folksong and Carol Arrangements*
(SATB a cappella)

John Joubert
Five Carols
* (1-5vv SATBarB a cappella)

Benjamin Lees
The golden net*
(SATB a cappella)

William Matthias
Ceremony after a fire raid (SATBarB + Piano & Percussion)

Malcolm Williamson
The Death of Cuchulain (AATBarB + Percussion)

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Past Membership

Since The Scholars' London debut as a group of ex-students from King's College Cambridge in 1969 (a year after the King's Singers) the vocal layout of the group has undergone two fundamental changes - the first from AATBarB to SATBarB in 1972 and then, in 1982, to its present form of SATB. The Scholars membership has shown quite exceptional stability over the past 30 years (Kym, Angus and Robin have sung with the group for an average of over 20 years). However, we must not forget the following distinguished ex-members whose input has contributed to The Scholars' ongoing worldwide success (dates approximate):

Sopranos/Mezzos: Shelagh Molyneux (1972-77 & 1980-82), Sarah Walker (1977), Elaine Barry (1977-80),  Paula Bott (1982-86)
Countertenors: Nigel Perrin (1969-72), Timothy Brown (1969-72) and Nigel Dixon (1972-84)
Baritones: Stephen Varcoe (1969-72), Michael Leighton Jones (1972-80), Philip O'Reilly (1980-84)
Bass: David Van Asch (1969-2003)

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