News
Presenting Meet Cute by Cecilia McDowall
13th August 2025
Vox Anima Chamber Choir are excited to share their recording of Meet Cute, a piece commissioned from their Patron Cecilia McDowall and premiered at the choir's concert in May.
Meet Cute is a setting of an original text by the American poet and lyricist Charles Anthony Silvestri. It depicts a charming first encounter between two people who go on to fall in love and spend their lives together.
The commission was made possible thanks to the generosity of sponsor Peter Boulton. The choir is thrilled to have the opportunity to record it as part of their professional session at the VOCES8 centre.
The choir has also released recordings of two movements of Kim André Arnesen's Stabat Mater.
Watch the full recordings on our YouTube Channel
Friends of the Vox Emerging Composers Recording
1st August 2025
Vox Anima Chamber Choir is thrilled to begin sharing the results of the Friends of the Vox Emerging Composers project.
Performed by Vox Anima Chamber Choir, recorded at the VOCES8 Centre in London - conducted by James Meaders and accompanied by Richard Hammond-Hall with Flo Peycelon on violin.
First Prize Winner O Oriens, by Anna Roclawska-Musialczyk
Second Prize Winner Song of the Oak by Molly Ijames
Third Prize Winner Alleluia by Christopher Ryan RoncalesTake a look at the recording on the choir's YouTube channel Emerging Composers Playlist
Heartfelt thanks go out to composer Dan Forrest and Artistic Director James Meaders for their commitment, support and artistic inspiration, to the wonderfully talented collaborators Richard Hammond-Hall and Flo Peycelon for their beautifully sensitive playing, to the winning composers for their musical artistry, to the fantastic recording engineer at the Voces8 Centre, Alexander Van Ingen, and to all of the Crowdfunders, for investing and believing in the project.
O Oriens has been published by Beckenhorst Press. Scores can be purchased at https://beckenhorstpress.com/o-oriens-digital-downloadEnd of Season Retreat Weekend
27th July 2025
What a fun way to round off the year! After a day-long rehearsal on Saturday, Sunday saw the choir set forth on a mystery trip planned by Jamie.
We spent the day split into teams named after three favourite composers, Team Quartel, Team McDowall and Team Gill.
First stop: Coffee and buns at Average Doughs Bakery.
Next stop: Hainault Forest to pick farm animals as our team mascots, before a lovely group walk, messing about on the river, and lunch/ice cream.
Final destination: Top Golf where the choir demonstrated various levels of coordination, competitiveness, and skill on the range!
Thank you for your support this season. The choir are very excited about what's coming next year, so keep an eye out for more information.
Recording Day
4th May 2025
What an incredible day the choir had yesterday for their recording day at the Voces8 Centre in London. Thank you to the 100+ supporters who donated to the Friends of the Vox Crowdfunder in support of the project.
The choir professionally recorded the three winning entries from the Friends of the Vox Emerging Composers competition. They also recorded a new commission by Cecilia McDowall and two favourite movements from Kim Andre Arnesen's Stabat Mater.
Thank you as ever to maestro James Meaders, pianist Richard Hammond Hall and violinist Flo Peycelon, for your leadership, musicianship, and friendship. Finally, a special mention to the recording engineer for the day Alexander Van Ingen. Your expertise, encouragement, patience, and humour made the whole experience such a joy.
Friends of the Vox Emerging Composers Recording
10th April 2025
Friends of the Vox has launched a fundraising campaign for the choir's first recording session, taking place at the VOCES8 Centre next month.
Vox Anima Chamber Choir have the honour of recording the three chosen entries from the charity's emerging Composers Call for Scores, as well as a fabulous new piece composed by the choir's Patron Cecilia McDowall.
If you are able to make a donation towards this fundraiser, as the choir continue their mission of presenting stunning new repertoire from today's choral composers, the the choir and the composers would be very grateful! This recording session represents another significant landmark in the story of Vox Anima Chamber Choir and they can't wait to share the recordings with you!
You can make a donation here.
Collaboration with Woldingham School
26th March 2025
Members of Vox Anima Chamber Choir joined the Woldingham School Junior and Senior Choirs, directed by Victoria Milnes, last night to support a moving performance of Cecilia McDowall's Everyday Wonders: The Girl from Aleppo. The performance followed an afternoon workshop two weeks before. Many thanks to the Director of Music, Richard Hammond-Hall, for inviting Vox Anima Chamber Choir to take part in this wonderful concert. The choir were warmly welcomed and blown away by the talent and energy showcased by the students.
Stabat Mater
16th February 2025
On Saturday 15th February, Vox Anima Chamber Choir brought a moment of emotional reflection to its audience, performing Kim André Arnesen’s Stabat Mater at St Luke’s Church in Tunbridge Wells. It was the first time the Choir had performed in this venue - at the kind invitation of Rev David Green - and the singers were made to feel extremely welcome by David and the church community.
The performance was nuanced, sensitive and moving. Here are a few words from audience members:
"We had no idea what to expect, but as soon as we heard your first notes we thought, Ah, this is going to be special!"
"We wish we had known about you sooner!"
"Absolutely sublime - I don't have any other words to describe it."
"It was quite incredible."
"How you sang that I don't know... It was totally beautiful!"
"Just wow - there are no words!"
"I was completely blown away. It was so emotional and so beautiful."
"We would happily sit for another hour and listen to it all over again - now!"
“I’m going home very emotional.”
"The blending in of your voices was amazing."
"It was absolutely beautiful."
The Stabat Mater was beautifully interspersed with tender interludes of Chopin’s Prelude in E Minor played by Richard Hammond-Hall, creating moments of peace which allowed the audience time to reflect upon the themes of the music.You can listen to recordings from the concert on our YouTube channel.
Friends of the Vox Emerging Composers 2024
3rd September 2024
It is going to be an absolute privilege for Vox Anima Chamber Choir to learn, perform and record three new pieces for treble voices, composed by the prize winners in the Emerging Composer Call for Scores 2024.
Friends of the Vox, in collaboration with Dan Forrest, has announced the winners selected from an incredible 100 compositions submitted by composers from 19 countries.
1st Prize: Anna Rocławska-Musiałczyk_composer (Poland) - O Oriens
2nd Prize: Molly Ijames(US) - Song of the Oak
3rd Prize: Christopher Ryan Roncales (Philippines) - Alleluia
Anna’s first-prize winning piece, O Oriens, will be premiered at the Friends of the Vox Upper Voices Festival in November 2024 at St. Peter’s, Eaton Square, London, with Charles MacDougall and Emily Dickens. The second and third prize winning pieces will be premiered by Vox Anima Chamber Choir in spring 2025, and all three prize-winning pieces will be recorded by Vox Anima Chamber Choir at the VOCES8 Centre in London, May 2025.
Honourable mentions were also given to Rachel DeVore Fogarty (New York, US); Joshua Bauder (Minnesota, US); and David Brewer (Texas, US).
Many congratulations to the three winning composers, to those who received honourable mentions, and to everyone who submitted their music for adjudication. It is fabulous to see that new music for treble voices is alive and well across the world.
Congratulations Becca and Alex
8th August 2024
The choir send lots of love and congratulations to Becca (Alto 1) and Alex who tied the knot yesterday. The choir were thrilled to have been invited to sing as part of the service and also happened to have a little surprise up their sleeve for Becca at the reception, singing an arrangement of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, specially commissioned for the occasion. It was a beautiful day for a beautiful couple. xx
