Voces8

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Voces8
Voces8 in 2019
Voces8 in 2019
Background information
OriginEngland
GenresA cappella music
Years active2005 (2005)–present
Labels

Voces8, styled VOCES8, is an a cappella octet from England. They have appeared internationally and made recordings of classical music, jazz, pop, and their own arrangements. Recent recordings are for Decca Classics and under their own label, Voces8 Records. Educational efforts are run by the Voces8 Foundation.

History

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VOCES8 is a British vocal ensemble originally founded in 2003[1] and regrouped in 2005[2] by brothers Paul and Barnaby Smith, both former choristers of Westminster Abbey.[3][4] For most of its history, the ensemble has contained two sopranos, two countertenors, two tenors, a baritone and a bass.[1] By 2018, one of the countertenors had been replaced by a female alto.

The ensemble has a diverse repertoire, including early English and European Renaissance music, traditional folk song, classic jazz, pop, and their own arrangements.[5] They have appeared internationally, touring especially in Europe, Asia, and North America.[6][2]

VOCES8 has commissioned new works from composers such as Ēriks Ešenvalds, Ola Gjeilo, Jonathan Dove, Jocelyn Hagen, Ken Burton, Roderick Williams, Alexander Levine, Roxanna Panufnik, Mårten Jansson, Ben Parry, and Christopher Tin. Jim Clements is their arranger-in-residence.[6]

The octet won the Limelight International Artist of the Year: People's Choice award at the 2021 Limelight Awards.[7]

Their 2022 tour programme was called Stardust, after a composition commissioned from Taylor Scott Davis.[8]

In June 2025 Voces8 celebrated their twentieth anniversary with the release of their album Twenty, featuring a mix of tracks from across the genres they are notable for. This was accompanied by a 20th-anniversary concert on 8th June at the Barbican Centre.[9]

Members

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Current

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  • Savannah Porter – First soprano (2025–present)
  • Eleonora Poignant – Second soprano (2025–present)
  • Katie Jeffries-Harris – First alto (2018–present)
  • Barnaby Smith – Second alto/countertenor & Artistic Director (2005–present)
  • Blake Morgan – First tenor (2016–present)
  • Euan Williamson – Second tenor (2019–present)
  • Chris Moore – Baritone (2018–present)
  • Dominic Carver – Bass (2022–present)


Former

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  • Rachel Major – First soprano (2005–2008)
  • Andrea Haines – First Soprano (2008–2025)
  • Catherine Backhouse – Second soprano (2005–2009)
  • Emily Dickens – Second soprano (2009–2017)
  • Eleonore Cockerham – Second soprano (2017–2021)
  • Molly Noon – Second soprano (2021–2024)
  • Daniel Keating-Roberts – First countertenor (2005–2007)
  • Chris Wardle – First countertenor (2007–2018)
  • Charles MacDougall – First tenor (2005–2012)
  • Oliver Vincent – First tenor (2012–2016)
  • Thomas Elwin – Second tenor (2005–2006)
  • Robin Bailey – Second tenor (2006–2009)
  • Robert Mingay Smith – Second tenor (2009–2013)
  • Sam Dressel – Second tenor (2013–2019)
  • Paul Smith (Wikidata) – Baritone & Founder (2005–2016)
  • Rob Clark – Baritone (2016–2018)
  • Simon Whiteley – Bass (2005)
  • Greg Hallam – Bass (2006)
  • Dingle Yandell – Bass (2006–2015)[10]
  • Jonathan Pacey – Bass (2015–2022)

Timeline

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<timeline> ImageSize = width:950 height:auto barincrement:30 PlotArea = left:116 bottom:72 top:06 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/2003 till:07/09/2026 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors = 

id:Soprano1        value:pink                  legend:First_Soprano
id:Soprano2        value:red          legend:Second_Soprano
id:ACT1  value:orange          legend:First_Alto/Countertenor
id:ACT2          value:yellow              legend:Second_Alto/Countertenor
id:Tenor1        value:green         legend:First_Tenor
id:Tenor2      value:skyblue       legend:Second_Tenor
id:Baritone value:blue legend:Baritone
id:Bass value:purple legend:Bass
id:bars          value:gray(0.95)

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom BackgroundColors = bars:bars ScaleMajor = increment:1 start:2003

BarData = 

  bar:RM       text:"Rachel Major"
  bar:AH       text:"Andrea Haines"
  bar:SP       text:"Savannah Porter"
  bar:CB       text:"Catherine Backhouse"
  bar:ED       text:"Emily Dickens"
  bar:EC       text:"Eleonore Cockerham"
  bar:MM       text:"Molly Noon"
  bar:EP       text:"Eleonora Poignant"
  bar:DKS      text:"Daniel Keating-Roberts"
  bar:CW       text:"Chris Wardle"
  bar:KJH      text:"Katie Jeffries-Harris"
  bar:BS       text:"Barnaby Smith"
  bar:CM       text:"Charles MacDougall"
  bar:OV       text:"Oliver Vincent"
  bar:BM       text:"Blake Morgan"
  bar:TE       text:"Thomas Elwin"
  bar:RB       text:"Robin Bailey"
  bar:RS       text:"Robert Smith"
  bar:SD       text:"Sam Dressel"
  bar:EW       text:"Euan Williamson"
  bar:PS       text:"Paul Smith"
  bar:RC       text:"Rob Clark"
  bar:CHM      text:"Chris Moore"
  bar:SW       text:"Simon Whiteley"
  bar:GH       text:"Greg Hallam"
  bar:DY       text:"Dingle Yandell"
  bar:JP       text:"Jonathan Pacey"
  bar:DC       text:"Dominic Carver"

PlotData= 

 width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:RM from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2008 color:Soprano1
bar:AH from:01/01/2008 till:01/01/2025 color:Soprano1
bar:SP from:01/01/2025 till:end        color:Soprano1
bar:CB from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2009 color:Soprano2
bar:ED from:01/01/2009 till:01/01/2017 color:Soprano2
bar:EC from:01/01/2017 till:01/01/2021 color:Soprano2
bar:MM from:01/01/2021 till:01/01/2025 color:Soprano2
bar:EP from:01/01/2025 till:end color:Soprano2
bar:DKS from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2007 color:ACT1
bar:CW from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2018 color:ACT1
bar:KJH from:01/01/2018 till:end color:ACT1
bar:BS from:01/01/2003 till:end color:ACT2
bar:CM from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2012 color:Tenor1
bar:OV from:01/01/2012 till:01/01/2016 color:Tenor1
bar:BM from:01/01/2016 till:end color:Tenor1
bar:TE from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2006 color:Tenor2
bar:RB from:01/01/2006 till:01/01/2009 color:Tenor2
bar:RS from:01/01/2009 till:01/01/2013 color:Tenor2
bar:SD from:01/01/2013 till:01/01/2019 color:Tenor2
bar:EW from:01/01/2019 till:end color:Tenor2
bar:PS from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2016 color:Baritone
bar:RC from:01/01/2016 till:01/01/2018 color:Baritone
bar:CHM from:01/01/2018 till:end color:Baritone
bar:SW from:01/01/2003 till:01/01/2006 color:Bass
bar:GH from:01/01/2006 till:01/01/2007 color:Bass
bar:DY from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2015 color:Bass
bar:JP from:01/01/2015 till:01/01/2022 color:Bass
bar:DC from:01/01/2022 till:end color:Bass

</timeline>

Lineup

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Period First Soprano Second Soprano First Alto/Countertenor Second Alto/Countertenor First Tenor Second Tenor Baritone Bass
2005–2006 Rachel Major Catherine Backhouse Daniel Keating-Roberts Barnaby Smith Charles MacDougall Thomas Elwin Paul Smith Simon Whiteley
2006–2007 Robin Bailey Greg Hallam
2007–2008 Chris Wardle Dingle Yandell
2008–2009 Andrea Haines
2009–2012 Emily Dickens Robert Smith
2012–2013 Oliver Vincent
2013–2015 Sam Dressel
2015–2016 Jonathan Pacey
2016–2017 Blake Morgan Rob Clark
2017–2018 Eleonore Cockerham
2018–2019 Katie Jeffries-Harris Chris Moore
2019–2021 Euan Williamson
2021–2022 Molly Noon
2022–2024 Dominic Carver
2025–present Savannah Porter Eleonora Poignant

VOCES8 Foundation

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The VOCES8 Foundation (formerly VCM Foundation) is a UK-registered charity, set up by VOCES8 founder members Paul and Barnaby Smith in 2006 to develop the ensemble's music education and outreach programmes.[11] Awarded a Classic FM (UK) Public Choice Award at the 2020 Music & Drama Education Awards,[12] the charity works across choral and small vocal ensemble performance and education and is based at the VOCES8 Centre at St Anne and St Agnes Church in the City of London.

Performance

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Foundation artists perform around 200 concerts each year, including through online/livestreaming.[13]

Education

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Foundation artists reach up to 40,000 people a year in regular workshops and masterclasses with Music Hubs, schools and community groups. In 2015 the ensemble launched the VOCES8 Scholars Programme which provides training in performing, recording and workshop leading for 20 young singers with an interest in choral singing in the UK and USA.[14]

In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic they launched the VOCES8 Digital Academy featuring tutorials, exercises, learning and performing tracks and videos.[15]

Discography

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The group has recorded with Decca, Signum, and their own Voces8 Records label. As part of their 15th anniversary celebrations in 2020, the group released their project After Silence,[16] consisting of four digital EPs.[17]

Albums

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  • Aces High (2010, Signum)[18][17]
  • Bach's Motets, with the Senesino Players (2010)[4]
  • Brahms, Bruckner, Reger (2011)
  • In the Beginning (2012)
  • Christmas (2012, Signum)[1]
  • A Choral Tapestry (2012, Signum)[18]
  • Where I Sleep (2014, Decca)[19]
  • Eventide (2014, Decca)[19]
  • Lux (2015, Decca)[19]
  • Winter (2016, Decca)[2][19]
  • Equinox (2018)[20]
  • Enchanted Isle (2019)[21]
  • After Silence (2020, Voces8 Records)[22]
  • Infinity (2021, Decca)[21]
  • Nightfall (2024)
  • Twenty (2025)

EPs

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  • Voces8 EP (2019)

Collaborations

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Music books

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  • A Cappella Songbook (2012, paperback) Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • A Cappella Songbook 2 (2018, paperback) Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

References

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