History

Crouch End Festival Chorus is one of the UK’s leading symphonic choirs with a reputation nationally and internationally for its eclectic repertoire

Based in North London, it was founded in 1984 by David Temple and John Gregson to sing Verdi’s Requiem at Hornsey Town Hall as part of the Crouch End Arts Festival. David has remained as music director ever since while John Gregson is now a patron.

Under David’s leadership and with around 150 singers on our books, we are proud to be known for our wide range of singing skills - from performing and recording traditional classical works to modern and specially-commissioned pieces.

Crouch End Festival Chorus promotes its own concerts at major venues such as the Barbican and Royal Festival Hall in London, while also celebrating its local roots with performances in Alexandra Palace Theatre and Highgate.

The choir has been playing a leading role in classical and popular music for four decades

In 1994 it began cementing its international reputation with the first-ever performance in Poland of Tippett’s A Child of Our Time at the Wratislavia Cantans Festival in Wroclaw.

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Around that time, the chorus was also engaged by Silva Screen Records and has subsequently appeared on over 150 recordings, leading to work with future patrons, composers Ennio Morricone, Hans Zimmer and Debbie Wiseman.

In 1997, the choir reached the Top Ten in the US Billboard Charts with its Cinema Choral Classics CD which led to international acclaim.

Crouch End Festival Chorus sang at the National Maritime Museum to welcome in the new Millennium with celebrated artists including Eurythmics, Bryan Ferry and Lesley Garrett.

Another landmark was in the 2001 when CEFC performed in Ennio Morricone’s first UK concerts and became his UK choir of choice until his final appearance in 2018.

In 2008, the chorus appeared at the Electric Proms with Oasis, cementing a successful recording and performance relationship with choir patron Noel Gallagher.

The choir continues to be the choir of choice for Andrea Bocelli, Sir Karl Jenkins and for concert performances of 'live' film scores and video games music.

The choir has appeared regularly at the BBC Proms

The choir's first appearance was in 2001 with the Kirov Orchestra and Valery Gergiev. A particular highlight included Mahler’s Eighth Symphony at the First Night of the Proms in 2010 which was preceded that summer by an appearance with Sir Ray Davies on the Glastonbury Pyramid Stage.

In 2022, the choir appeared once more on the First Night of the Proms, performing Verdi’s Requiem under Sakari Oramo.

In the past 20 years, the choir has recorded many movie soundtracks

including the Elton John biopic Rocketman, A Cure for Wellness, 1408, Six Minutes to Midnight – as well as numerous television series including Doctor Who, Good Omens, The Crown, Call the Midwife, and Thunderbirds are Go!

The Chorus is well known for regularly commissioning new works

Commisions have included eminent composers such as Joby Talbot, Sally Beamish, Will Todd, Jessica Curry, Ryan Latimer, Cassie To and Robin Haigh.

As well as the many successful recordings of film, pop, rock and games music, the 2017 recording of Bach’s St John Passion for Chandos Records has been a major triumph.