by Rose Rushe
THE concert hall has secured the entertainment services of half a dozen of Britain’s best looking men for a February concert, each of them in possession of glorious voice. Together, The King’s Singers are admired to the magnitude of having premiered some 200 works, most of them dedicated commissions and having a discography of 150+.
Their albums are pinned with Grammies. The world’s composers have written for them and re-arranged classics from The Great American Songbook, and others. This sextet has a range from a capella to Tavener and MacMillan.
Jonathan Howard was a fresh Oxford graduate working in advertising four years ago when he received a phone call asking him to audition; each of The King’s Singers (est. 1968) is invited to join. Recommendation came via David Hurley, 25 years with the group and another former singer with New College’s choir through the same chorus master.
Of the career change? “A surprise move but a welcome one!” grins the good humoured Mr Howard.
He defines the Limerick programme of Thomas(es) Morley, Tomkins and Weelkes as typical, a mix of Villiers Stanford, Sullivan and Petrassi with folksongs and Songbook.
He and the Kings like best the music written for or re-arranged for “what our six voices can do. We have the luxury to programme arrangements for our specific voices, people who know us well and who are understanding of what we can achieve”.
Jonathan Howard makes the point that The King’s Singers are not a regular mix of alto, tenor and so on. “We have certain ways in which we like to do things, interpret [works]… we are a special make up of six voices”.
Fear not pompous overblow. This professional bass is as sunny as Malvern water and is adoring of Ireland and the Irish, having been here several times. “I am amazed at how everyone goes about things daily as everyone does everywhere, but makes me feel so much better about myself. I am a huge, huge fan”.
Let the thrills be mutual on Wednesday February 4, 8pm with this sextet. Book on www.uch.ie
