The Parliament Choir was founded in 2000 by Lord Filkin and Simon Over for MPs, Peers and Staff who work in the Palace of Westminster, and now has over 120 full members united by the common love of choral singing. Twenty years since its foundation, it is now a special entity under the direct auspices of The Speaker and The Lord Speaker, as well as being a charity.
The Choir of the UK Parliament is an inclusive organisation, where politicians of all parties and staff work harmoniously together. It is well-loved and has performed to large and enthusiastic audiences in iconic venues such as Westminster Hall, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, the Royal Festival Hall, the Banqueting House, Coventry Cathedral and York Minster.
The Choir has been an ambassador for the UK and the UK Parliament, making active connections with choirs from other national parliaments and in 2010 performed Ryba’s Christmas Mass with the Czech Parliament Choir in Prague at St Vitus Cathedral. In 2012 the Choir of the National Parliament of Kora came to London to sing with the Parliament Choir in Cadogan Hall. Together with the German Bundestag Choir in Berlin, two significant and moving commemorative concerts were presented in Westminster Hall: in 2014 for the centenary of the outbreak of World War I a performance of Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang, and in 2018 for the centenary of the Armistice, the choirs sang Mozart’s Mass in C minor. In Italy, there is an annual music festival in Tuscany and the Choir has also performed at Notre Dame in Paris.
The Parliament Choir is an autonomous body under the patronage of the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker and is open to all who work at Parliament - Members of both Houses, their staff, and parliamentary officials. The choir holds weekly rehearsals in the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft within the Palace of Westminster during sitting periods, and generally performs three or four concerts a year.
The Choir is supported by the Southbank Sinfonia, who are now based at St John’s Smith Square. It is an orchestra of young professionals described by The Independent as ‘a hugely talented young ensemble whose performances are always theatrical’. It is internationally recognised as a leading orchestral academy, each year bringing together 33 of the world’s most promising graduate musicians to provide a much-needed springboard into the profession. Its annual fellowship provides unparalleled opportunities to gain crucial experience in orchestral repertoire, chamber music, opera, dance and theatre – often in partnership with leading performing arts organisations including the Royal Opera and Academy of St Martin in the Fields. From giving the first ever performance of Mozart’s Requiem at Notre- Dame to taking centre-stage in the NationalTheatre’s acclaimed production of Amadeus, Southbank Sinfonia ensures new generations uphold a venerable tradition, but also asks anew what orchestras have the power to communicate in the modern world.
Click here to watch a short excerpt from the Westminster performance.
Join us, or be a friend of the Choir - https://www.parliamentchoir.org.uk/dbpage.php?pg=support
https://www.parliamentchoir.org.uk/