| Voice/Instrument: |
Biography
Formed in 1994 and directed by Alistair Dixon Chapelle du Roi is an ensemble of eight singers, many of whom are in the first few years of their professional careers. The choir specialises in performing and recording sacred music of the late medieval, and Renaissance periods.
Chapelle du Roi has two aims. First, to unearth music that has previously languished unseen and unheard on library shelves and that is deserving of greater prominence. Second, to help re-establish Renaissance music as repertoire that can be enjoyed by everybody by bringing it to wider audiences. Whilst the first aim is achieved by careful research and preparation of new editions (many of which are published by the group's director, Alistair Dixon, through The Cantiones Press the second is met by giving live concerts in the UK and abroad and by making recordings and broadcasts. Chapelle du Roi places great emphasis on presenting programmes that are appealing and engaging and which allow the development of a strong rapport between audience and performers.
Chapelle du Roi is based in London, England, and in addition to accepting concert engagements it also promotes occasional concerts in and around London each year.
Chapelle du Roi gave its first concert at St Pancras Church, Euston Road, London on 29th October 1994. The programme was entitled The Art of the Franco-Flemish Masters but the repertoire of Chapelle du Roi, is not limited by national boundaries; France, Germany, Portugal, Mexico, Malta, Italy, and Scotland all produced important music in the renaissance period. Some emphasis, though, inevitably falls on English music, particularly that of the English Chapel Royal. Chapelle du Roi first made a name for itself in 1996 with a series of six concerts covering the complete works of Thomas Tallis, and this led to an invitation to record the same over nine CDs on the Signum label.
Since its inception Chapelle du Roi has established a strong concert audience following and continues to build on its enviable reputation for the interpretation of Renaissance music. Its highly acclaimed appearance at the York Early Music festival in 1997 and the Utrecht Early Music Festival the following three years running led the group to be continuously in demand.
Subsequent concert and radio appearances included performances for the 400th anniversary of the Spanish composer Francisco Guerrero at St John's Smith Square, the Warwick Arts Society, Birmingham Early Music Festival, Utrecht Early Music Festival, the Festival Hall Foyer series, the St Ceciliatide Festival at Stationer's Hall, the Stour Festival, engagements in Alden Biesen and the Flanders Festival as well as many appearances on BBC Radio 3. Chapelle du Roi made its debut tour of the United States with its Millennium programme in 2000.
Chapelle du Roi has continued to specialise in the English repertoire - particularly that of the English Chapel Royal - with performances of the works of William Mundy, John Sheppard and William Parsons. Further afield, repertoire interests extend to Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, including the music of Francisco Guerrero, Cristуbal Morales, Alonso Lobo and the neglected Spanish aristocratic composer, Don Fernando de las Infantas.
In February 1997 Chapelle du Roi released the first in a series of nine CDs covering the complete works of Thomas Tallis: the second was selected as early music disc of the month in Classic FM Magazine. The series was completed in 2005 with the release of the final volume and the boxed set. The group's discography on the Signum label now totals 12 discs with nine in the Tallis series, music for Philip II of Spain, Charles V and Francisco Guerrero.
The first volume in the series of the complete works of William Mundy will be recorded in the Autumn of 2010.
