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Tenebrae is a vocal ensemble, founded and directed by former King’s Singer Nigel Short. Passion and Precision is Tenebrae’s motto and its members are drawn from musical backgrounds reflecting these qualities, such as the choirs of Westminster Abbey and Cathedral, King’s College Cambridge and from Britain’s two major opera houses, Covent Garden and English National Opera. This combination offers an impressive scope of choral experience and interpretative and dramatic skills giving the choir its exceptional range of vocal power and colour.

Tenebrae has built an impressive reputation for innovative and memorable performances at festivals and venues throughout the UK and Europe. Its ever-expanding performing schedule includes many return visits to venues, and also sees it making its Spanish debut in 2006 touring Path of Miracles to the great churches of the Camino route, and the start of an association with the LSO. Recordings on Signum Classics to date cover a wide range of repertoire from the 16th to 21st century. Tenebrae will also appear on the LSO Live label.

Ngel Short began his career as a soloist in opera and oratorio and as a member of specialist vocal ensembles such as The Tallis Scholars whilst maintaining a regular involvement in church music, firstly as a member of Westminster Abbey Choir then Westminster Cathedral. He joined the King’s Singers when he was 27 and stayed with them for seven years.

After a short break of about one ski season in the Swiss Alps he set about founding his own group, Tenebrae, aiming to bring together what he loved best as a singer - namely the more passionate sounds of large Cathedral choirs and the precision of ensembles like the King’s Singers – to create a new kind of choral group. Whilst embracing an eclectic repertoire he wanted to have some ‘signature’ works that would make Tenebrae different, adding a theatrical element that would involve singers moving around as if on stage. To that end he composed ‘The Dream of Herod’, with a central role for baritone Colin Campbell, and commissioned Joby Talbot to write Path of Miracles, premiered in July 2005. Since their debut in December 2001 Nigel and Tenebrae have given concerts in Spain, Italy, Germany, France, UK, USA and Bermuda.

Nigel and the group have performed and recorded live with The Chamber Orchestra of Europe for Warner Classics and have given several performances with The English They record regularly with Signum Classics. He now divides his time between directing Tenebrae and giving an ever increasing number of masterclasses and workshops for both professional and amateur vocal groups and choirs throughout Europe.

Click here to read the Choir and Organ Magazine article Vocal Colour with Nigel Short talking with Shirley Ratcliffe 
 
released:
 
The Dream of Herod
Mother and Child
Gaudete
Rachmaninoff Vespers
The Path of Miracles 
Allegri Miserere 
What Sweeter Music
Songs and Carols for Christmas
Poulenc: Figure Humaine
Prayers for Mankind:
A symphony of Prayers of Father Alexander Men
Alexander Levine
Toma´s Luis de Victoria
Requiem Mass, 1605
Hubert Parry
Songs of Farewell

You can visit Tenebrae's web site at
www.tenebrae-choir.com

Nigel Short with Tenebrae