STORY

ABOUT
echo choir sarah latto

Echo is a vocal ensemble made up of young professional singers from across the UK. As a group, Echo intends to explore the full range of what ensemble singing means  - working both with and without a conductor , including improvisation in each concert and performing music both inside and outside of the Western classical canon. The group came together through Genesis Sixteen, the prestigious Young Artists Scheme run by The Sixteen.


The group aims to produce accessible, innovative performances of the highest quality, whilst challenging some of the preconceptions and traditions that can be associated with choral music. 


Alongside the obvious acoustic implications, the name stems from the idea of art being a reflection of society and politics.

echo choir sing

Following highly acclaimed launch concerts in London and Birmingham, Echo headlined the Sounds Sublime Festival in July 2017 and made their St John’s Smith Square debut the same month, in collaboration with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Magnus Lindberg.


Echo were selected as one of the inaugural Chiltern Arts Festival Take Note young artists for 2018, and were featured at the ‘Music in Quiet Places’ festival in Peterborough and Ryedale Festival. An ongoing partnership with the LPO resulted in performances at the Debut Sounds concert in 2018 and 2019 with James MacMillan at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Alongside this, the ensemble’s flagship ‘ Echo presents’ concert series was successfully performed at venues across the UK.


Echo have quickly developed a reputation for imaginative programming and inventive presentation; often creating audience-immersive concert experiences. The production 'EXILE’ at the Brunel Tunnel Shaft featured music from four historical vignettes and was directed by Rebecca Meltzer (Waterperry Opera). 'Meet you in the Maze', a response to the works of artist Polly Apfelbaum was supported by the Arts Council and the RVW Trust, and premiered at the Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, before repeat performances in Southampton and London. 


The group was Ensemble-in-Residence at the 2019 Ryedale Festival in Yorkshire, taking part in a number of performances including chorus and small roles in 'Dido and Aeneas', a concert alongside Roger McGough and a programme of sacred miniatures at Castle Howard. 


The group was a lead partner on the innovative 12 Days of Christmas project in 2020 and 2021 which was hugely well received; The Times called it “a wonderful collection of music” and it was featured by the Guardian, Gramophone and Classic FM. 


Alongside this project, the group has launched a number of Interactive YouTube workshops and online programmes including ‘Listening to Lassus’, ‘The Kitchen Sessions’ and The Improvisation Initiative, reaching thousands of audience members digitally.


2021's Already Gone project saw the group tour the winning compositions from their inaugural Composition Competition to Manchester, Birmingham, London and Lancaster. That tour featured a hybrid live / digital model in which audiences could purchase a digital ticket with exclusive video content alongside their live ticket, and was supported by the Genesis Foundation Kickstart Fund and Cockayne Grants for the Arts.


Alongside performances at London's Kings Place and Manchester’s Stoller Hall, the project featured a workshop for young composers and a broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. A four star review from Arts Desk described the set of performances as "sparkling, poised and powerful".


echo choir sing

2022 saw one of Echo's biggest projects to date; a site-specific project based on Handel’s Messiah. It celebrated the history of Bath’s association with the work by reimagining an early performance of the piece in the city, which was originally organised by the astronomer William Herschel in 1771.


We worked with director Thomas Guthrie to present a staged, minimalist performance of the work, inspired by Herschel's early performance and influenced by Jonathan Miller's St Matthew Passion. Our interpretation used the original 1741 Dublin scoring and intimate forces to capture the intention of that initial performance.


Echo has developed a particularly strong affinity with visual and experimental arts in recent years. The group worked with Ragnar Kjartansson on his 'The Sky in a Room' installation piece, alongside collaborating with British artist and anthropologist Hermione Spriggs and Finnish sound artist Hans Rosenström. Alongside these connections, Echo has an ongoing relationship with Birmingham's Ikon Gallery.


Collaboration continues to be at the heart of Echo's work.In 2023, the group made its Sadler's Wells debut in collaboration with acclaimed choreographer Gregory Maqoma and composer Thuthuka Sibisi. This was as part of an international theatre project called Broken Chord, which was inspired by the story of a South African chorus whose tour through North America and England in the late 19th century was marred by the realities of racism. The production was widely acclaimed for its power and poignancy with four star reviews from the Guardian and the New York Times.



Our journey continues into our 2023/24 season, with new ways of exploring ensemble singing and sharing that discovery with audiences. Join us!

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