July 2024

A WIGMORE EXPERIENCE

We had a fantastic time launching our album at London ‘s iconic Wigmore Hall earlier this month. We were joined by a work experience student, Becca, for the concert and rehearsals, and she was hugely helpful and professional! Here she writes about the experience:

“From the 2nd to the 4th of July,  I had the privilege of working with Echo on a three day work experience placement during the launch of Innocence. I was first introduced to Echo through my school’s Careers and Work Experience Coordinator; after coming across many dead ends contacting local recording studios and instrument shops, I reached out to her for help, and she came back to me saying that she had a potential opportunity with a local professional choir. Music is something that I’ve been passionate about for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always been so interested to learn what life is like in the industry as a working professional musician, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to travel to my local church and see what being a musician in my hometown is like. But after researching Echo and getting in contact with their conductor, Sarah, I realised that the opportunity before me was even more incredible than I ever could have imagined- I would be working with one of the most amazing vocal ensembles during the launch of their debut album which they had performed on the BBC, and I would be travelling to London to work in Wigmore Hall, one of the city’s most renowned concert halls! To say it was a dream come true would be an understatement.

My main task for the first day was to take videos and photos of the choir’s penultimate rehearsal for social media before the album launch concert the following day. Coming from a background of jazz and rock guitar, and travelling from a river-side town to the big city, it’s safe to say I was quite nervous stepping into a completely new environment- but after meeting Sarah and the singers at Green Lanes Methodist Church, I was put at ease right away. Something that I was so pleased to discover was just how lovely the environment was; everyone was so kind and welcoming, and although Sarah and the choir focused with diligence on every detail of the repertoire, however small, the room was still filled with many smiles, laughs, and an overwhelming sense of care for eachother as well as the music that shone through in their performance at Wigmore Hall. It was so inspiring seeing the communication between Sarah and the choir to bring out their best, and the genuine friendship between them all through their shared love of music- I felt so lucky to sit in on a rehearsal with such talented and passionate musicians, and to be able to capture these moments on camera. 

For the second day at Wigmore Hall, my main jobs were to continue with social media, and to work at front of house selling CDs after the concert. Stepping into the venue for the first time was just breathtaking; I had never been inside a concert hall before and it was so beautiful I couldn’t help but beam. As well as learning what life is like as a performing musician, I also began to learn about everything that goes on behind the scenes. I met Echo’s Digital Marketing Manager, Bradley, who was my mentor for the day, and I learned so much from him about what it involves to get a musical project running from start to finish: including financing, fundraising, marketing and stewardship to name a few. Working with him opened my eyes to how much of a collective effort a project like an album launch is; the sheer amount of work, time, and care invested by so many people; how seemingly small and overlooked tasks (such as getting a card reader to work) can make a huge difference. I also came to realise how many different pathways within the music industry there are beyond performing, ones that I didn’t even know existed. Experiencing all of this first-hand allowed me to appreciate Echo’s performance even more; the concert was just magical and unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. I felt so moved hearing the choir sing, from Ravel to The Smiths, and got chills from how delicate yet powerful Sarah’s conducting was. The collection of songs was so diverse, and the way Echo performed them was too; falling asleep about the stage during the dream sequence, venturing out into the audience during Patake- in the audience participation section where the whole room was singing together I couldn’t stop smiling.  Selling the CDs after the concert was such a rush, and it was really lovely to see so many people so passionate about the album. 

My third and final day was spent back at home editing photos and videos, and posting CDs to supporters and those who purchased the album. Following some admin work I had done the previous two days sorting out the orders, my job was to label, package and post the CDs, along with writing little thank you inserts. Although I was away from the bustling environment of the London music scene, I still learned a lot of valuable skills and lessons this day, such as problem solving and adapting when something doesn’t quite go to plan. It also allowed me a lot of time to reflect on all of the amazing things I had experienced and lessons I had learned, as well as time to listen to the CD, which is now a staple in my household! 

Before having the privilege of working with Echo, the world of choral music and the music industry as a whole were completely unknown to me- but after the three days I worked with them, the brief glimpse I had into their world taught me more than I ever could have imagined, as well as opening up more questions for the future. Although the time I spent with Echo was at the culmination of Innocence, what hasn’t gone unnoticed is the years of hard work, care and passion that have gone into it from Sarah, the singers, and her team. It’s been such an honour to work with Echo, and it will be an experience I will cherish forever.”

July 2024

ALBUM LAUNCH

We are delighted to present Innocence, our debut recording, released with Resonus Classics. The album moves freely between musical traditions sacred and secular, composed and improvised, classical and popular. Spanning 900 years of musical history, it explores the concept of innocence and its many connections to our changing ideas of faith, tradition, childhood and the natural world. 

Find out more and pre order here

June 2024

NEW VIDEO

We are excited to share the first single from our new album, Innocence. This is the second movement from Ravel’s Trois Beaux Oiseaux, written when he was in Paris in 1914 waiting to be drafted for the First World War. He wrote both the text and music himself for each of the three movements, and while the first and third draw on fairytales, darkly humorous in the style of the 16th century chanson, the second is a direct reference to the horrors that the world was about to face.

Sung here by soprano Sam Cobb, the protagonist is talking about her love who is away at war, and three beautiful birds (one blue, one white and one red) visit her, each representing a colour of the French flag. It is only at the final moment that she realises the final bird has brought her news that her love has died, and the innocence of the first movement is shattered at this realisation.

Thank you to Gramophone for making this their Video of the Day. Pre order the full album here.

March 2024

ARTS FOUNDATION FUTURE AWARDS

We were so honoured to perform at the Arts Foundation Awards Ceremony in London last week. The Arts Foundation awards five £10,000 prizes each year to promising artists across a range of fields. It was a privilege to share the stage with the incredible winners and nominees for 2024, and to celebrate the incredible music of John Barber.

John won the prize for choral composition in 2021, and with it wrote 2 E.Ps worth of music and recorded those with Echo. We performed his piece “F*ck Dsytopian Loneliness” alongside a brand new film created for the occasion by filmmaker Fred MacGregor featuring dancer Jamal Sterrett.

It was a truly inspiring evening, celebrating artists in the realms of jazz composition, short documentary film making, theatre writing, visual art and regenerative design. Find out more about the winners here.

Jan 2024

WIGMORE HALL DEBUT

We have some exciting news about our debut recording - we’re launching the album with a special concert this July at the iconic Wigmore Hall in London. We’ll be singing music from the album, including the wonderful and virtuosic Trois Chansons by Ravel, alongside music by Mouton, Monk and Palestrina.



Tickets are now on sale - we’d love to see our London supporters there!

Wednesday 3 July, 1pm

Wigmore Hall, London

Aug 2023

CHORAL CHIHUAHUA

We had a feature in August in the latest Choral Chihuahua podcast, run by I Fagiolini’s Robert Hollingworth and The Sixteen’s Eamonn Dougan. In it, our conductor Sarah was interviewed about Echo’s journey, our improvisation specialism and our work with Hans Rosenström. 

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Unfolding Silence is our collaborative piece with Hans and will be exhibited at Frieze Sculpture in Regents Park this month and next. Do check it out if you get a chance - we’d love to hear what you think of it! @echo_vocal (X)

Frieze Sculpture Fair

Regents Park, London, 20 Sep - 29 Oct

June 2023

REGENT’S PARK SOUND INSTALLATION

This summer Echo will working with Finnish artist Hans Rosenström to put together a devised piece based mainly in improvisation, that will be used as one of the exhibits at Frieze Sculpture Exhibition in Regent’s Park, London this autumn. Unfolding Silence is a sound installation planned for a small grove within the Park. The work aims to offer an intimate place for listening, and will be part of Frieze in October 2023.

April 2023

VIDEO RELEASE

We're thrilled to share the #Messiah250 film celebrating our inspiring project from last year...

We ran a three month project in Bath alongside Paragon Singers for a project based on Handel’s Messiah. It celebrated the history of Bath’s association with the work, and reimagined an early performance of the piece in the city, originally organised by the astronomer William Herschel in 1771.Through January and February, we ran a series of singing workshops throughout Bath, including a Come and Sing day, a free taster day for beginner cities and, in partnership with charity Julian House, weekly singing sessions for homeless and vulnerable people living in Bath.Those participants were then invited to join Echo and

Paragon Singers to sing the chorus for the performance.

We loved the whole project and are grateful we can share a glimpse of it with you here!

Huge thanks to the whole team:

Conductor Sarah Latto

Director Thomas Guthrie

Our wonderful instrumentalists led by Bojan Cicic

Film students from Bath Spa University

and of course generous funders Andrew and Gill Clarke and Arts Council England

Echo Vocal Ensemble: Sam Cobb, Hilary Cronin, Mae Heydorn, Sophie Timms, James Micklethwaite, Will Wright, Tom Herring

Orchestra led by Bojan Čičić: Davina Clarke, Flora Curzon, Mark Seow, Jane Rogers, Jordan Bowron, Henrik Persson, Callum Anderson, Emily Newman, Rosie Moon

Oct 2022

FUTURE VOICES

a brand new collaboration between Echo and young artists

We're excited to announce a new partnership with the Royal College of Music Junior Department.

We're teaming up with the RCM this autumn in a brand new collaboration working with the young composers in their Junior Department, aged 12-18. The students will be set a challenge to write a short piece for SATB choir, for Echo to perform in a public concert at the end of November.

Our singers will work with the students, giving them crucial feedback on their compositions in progress, and enabling them to experiment with new ideas in person ahead of the final concert. The project is a chance for vital links to be made between aspiring young people with those in the industry, and a way to celebrate the art form of ensemble singing.

Our longtime collaborator, poet Roger McGough has also joined us for the project; he ran a poetry writing workshop for the students to kick off the term, allowing them to experiment with creating their own texts for their pieces.

Join us for the final performance on Saturday 26th November - at the Royal College of Music.
Tickets cost £5: more details here.

#newmusic #composer #musicforvoices #youngtalent #nextgeneration

April 2022

REVIEW - MESSIAH 250

Collaborative project alongside Paragon Singers, Julian House and Thomas Guthrie receives glowing write-up

It has been great to read this lovely review of director Thomas Guthrie's work, which includes words on our recent Messiah 250 project with him!  Thank you to Dorota Kozińska for this gorgeous and thoughtful write up.

"joy, uncertainty, awe, despair and ecstasy were marked with a different shade on the face and in the gestures of each musician, including the instrumentalists"

"The understanding between Latto, who holds the whole thing together, and the director to make every gesture of the conductor both musically legible and significant in the story, to make it at one time resemble maternal tenderness, at another a grimace of derision, at yet another pure ecstasy"

Full review here

Dec 2021

LITTLE GIRL BLUE

Collaborative performance between Echo Vocal Ensemble and Christopher Glynn is launched

This Christmas, we’re releasing in full Sarah’s arrangement of the traditional carol ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’ combined with Nina Simone’s beautiful song ‘Little Girl Blue’. Sam sings the soprano solo beautifully in this performance and we were thrilled to collaborate with the wonderful Christopher Glynn on piano.

This was part of last year’s ’12 Days’ package of music in collaboration with The Gesualdo Six, The Swan Consort and Ryedale Festival - if you are still looking for Chrhistmas presents and want to buy someone the gift of music, we highly recommend this year’s offering. It's filmed in the intimate beauty of Birdsall House in North Yorkshire and features some absolutely stunning music!

MORE DETAILS HERE

Oct 2021

Joy and Devotion

We're delighted to be involved in the launch of a ‘Joy & Devotion’, a new annual festival of Polish sacred music, presented by

The Adam Mickiewicz Institute.

On Thursday 4th November, Echo will be giving a concert at Downing Place URC in Cambridge as part of the Cambridge Early Music Festival of the Voice. Titled ‘The Polish Court’, this programme explores the work of composers living in Warsaw and Krakow in the 16th and 17th centuries, featuring Gorczycki’s Missa Paschalis as its centrepiece, alongside motets by Luca Marenzio, Asprillo Pacelli and Vincenzo Bertholusi.

Echo will then perform as the closing act of the London Festival, which takes place at St Martin-in-the-Fields from 2 to 5 November under the artistic direction of composer and conductor Paweł Łukaszewski, and features performances by The Gesualdo Six and Tenebrae.

Our performance on Friday 5th November will contrast 16th century motets by Mikołaj Zieleński and Wacław of Szamotuły set against works by three vibrant modern composers: British-Polish composer Roxanna Panufnik and emerging Polish composers Aleksandra Chmielewska and Anna Rocławska-Musiałczyk.

Paweł Łukaszewski, Artistic Director, said:

“It has been an honour and a delight to work on the inaugural 'Joy and Devotion' festival. The programme this year is a stirring introduction to the abundance and emotion of Polish sacred music. I am as excited to bring the works of well-known and much-loved composers such as Penderecki, Górecki and Roxanna Panufnik to audiences as I am presenting more obscure works not yet widely known in the UK from centuries-old Polish masters and the world premieres of two composers just starting their careers.”

Sep 2021

BBC Broadcast - listen again

Below you can listen to our performances of Britten and Palestrina, broadcast list on BBC Radio 3, alongside interviews between presenter Sean Rafferty and members of Echo.

August 2021

Summer Tour - Already Gone

We had a summer of firsts this year; it was amazing to tour new and old music to new audiences across some of the UK's biggest cities, and to premiere the winners of our competition composition: Rory Wainwright Johnston, Lillie Harris and shortlisted composers Janet Oates and James Brady. We also took part in a live BBC broadcast, created a behind-the-scenes video to bring audiences closer to the process and held an open workshop featuring the new compositions.

We were thrilled with this four star review of the final date of our summer tour, which described our performance as "sparkling, poised and subtly powerful". We were also delighted to have had such lovely audience reactions to the tour:

"My first concert for 18 months - so glad it was this one"
"I was privileged to be in the audience last night at Kings Place at your excellent concert"
"An unbelievable level of conceptual integrity and intonation"

We've left some photos above of our performances at Kings Place, MAC, Stoller Hall and at Broadcasting House.

With huge thanks again to Genesis Foundation, The Golsoncott Foundation, RWV Trust and The London Community Foundation: Cockayne - Grants for the Arts.

May 2021

Tour Announced

We are so happy to announce our summer tour!

Already Gone combines music by Palestrina and Clemens non papa with Britten's Five Flower Songs and world premieres from our inaugural Competition Composition.

We're thrilled to be making our Kings Place debut to kick things off, before heading to Manchester and Birmingham.

 Click here for all details. 

The Already Gone Tour is a Genesis Kickstart Project, supported by the Genesis Foundation. It is also made possible thanks to the Golsoncott Foundation and the RVW Trust.

March 2021

Press ahead of premiere

We received a very nice write up in the Henley Standard for our 'Listening to Lassus' project this month. Click the image to read the article in full.

Feb 2021

LISTENING TO LASSUS

Our 'Listening to Lassus' premiere at Chiltern Arts Festival was due to take place at the end of February, but had to be rescheduled due to the national lockdown.

We're very happy to confirm a new date of May 25th - original tickets are still valid for the rescheduled festival, and you can book via www.chilternarts.com/whats-on.

We're thrilled to be appearing on the same line up as the likes of Clare Hammond and Mahan Esfahani, and particularly with this project, which is an important one for us. It's the group's first piece of music theatre, working in a completely new way alongside the wonderful Aminita Francis and Miriam Sherwood. We can't wait to get back in the (socially distanced) rehearsal room!

Jan 2021

THE TRUTH FROM ABOVE

Collaborative performance is Gramophone Magazine's video of the day

Sep 2020

New Appointment

After an open call out with 120+ applications, in September we appointed Aminita Francis to join the creative team as a co-leader and collaborator. She is an actor-devisor and vocal artist whose practise revolves around using the human voice to tell stories.

She specialises in song, beatboxing, spoken word, rap, live looping and vocal processing, and she plans to work with the singers to encourage them to use the full capabilities of the human voice in rehearsal and performance, alongside devising improvisations as a group.

We're thrilled to be working with Aminita and can't wait to get started on the rehearsal process!

August 2020

New 'Inside the Music' video released

We've just launched a NEW video, featuring Echo in rehearsal, discussing the context behind Benjamin Britten's fascinating piece from 1938, Advance Democracy, which is set to a text by Randall Swingler.

Check it out here and over on our youtube channel.

Open Call for New Collaborator

We are looking for a collaborator to work with on 'Listening to Lassus', a theatre piece that premieres in spring 2021. It's very exciting to be devising our first piece of theatre as a group, alongside the brilliant dramaturg Miriam Sherwood. This is an opportunity for a third collaborator to join the creative / directing team, and to bring their skills, experience and specialism to the production.

Head to our recruitment page for full details about this opportunity.