CHORAL

DURUFLE REQUIEM – BBC Concert Orchestra & BBC Singers:
“A highly sympathetic reading, taking full advantage of the resonant cathedral acoustic.” 
CATHEDRAL MUSIC

Nicholas Cleobury has conducted a wealth of choirs and choruses, including the BBC Singers, City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus and Glyndebourne Festival Chorus, with repertoires ranging from early music to some of today's most challenging and notable contemporary vocal scores.

He is Principal Conductor of JAM, where he has conducted numerous premieres including works by Judith Bingham, Philip Cashian, Jonathan Dove, Adam Gorb, John McCabe, Paul Mealor, Thea Musgrave and Julian Philips, as well numerous new works from the submission scheme.

He works with the BBC Singers, the choir of Selwyn College Cambridge, Onyx Brass and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

He has conducted many leading chamber choirs including: Aalborg Philharmonic Choir; BBC Singers (regular guest and Assistant Director 1977 – 1980); Danish Radio Choir; English Bach Festival Choir; Guildford Camerata; Netherlands Chamber Choir; Netherlands Radio Choir; New Israel Vocal Ensemble; Schola Cantorum of Oxford (Director 1973 – 1977); Swedish Radio Choir.

He has conducted numerous choruses in the UK, including: Belfast Philharmonic; Brighton Philharmonic; Bournemouth Symphony; CBSO; Edinburgh Choral Union; Halle Choir; Huddersfield Choral Society; Leicester Philharmonic; London Choral Society; Northern Sinfonia; Norwich Festival Choir; Royal Choral Society and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir.

He regularly conducts for the Berkshire Choral Festival (USA and UK) and many other choirs, including: Malmo Symphony Chorus; Melbourne Chorale; Odense Chorus; Orfeon Donosstiara/San Sebastian; Sonderborg Chorus; Soweto and Springs Township Choirs.

“Cleobury inspired the forces to even greater things in a vivid Walton’s BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST: bright brass, terrific woodwinds, keen strings and a choir in splendid voice. What a performance! What an achievement!”
YORKSHIRE POST

Nicholas Cleobury was Principal Conductor of the Oxford Bach Choir from 1997 - 2015. Under his guidance, the Choir continued its tradition of performing not only well-known repertoire but also of supporting new music. Among these new works are notably Nicholas Maw's HYMNUS (recorded for ASV), a performance of David Matthews' VESPERS, the world premiere of Martin Butler's TWO RIVERS and in 2010 the world premiere of Bob Chilcott's REQUIEM and a recording of Jonathan Dove's FOR AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER.

December 2012 Britten TWO PSALMS premiere concert):
“Conductor Nicholas Cleobury's impeccable direction was evident throughout. The Oxford Bach Choir and English Chamber Orchestra were on top form.”
OXFORD TIMES

“From the very start of the Bach Choir’s performance of Handel’s MESSIAH, I felt as though I were hearing this music almost for the first time. The whole piece sparkled with clarity and freshness as though it had been taken apart, scrubbed and reassembled. Nicholas Cleobury directed tirelessly, with barely a detail escaping his attention. All performers contributed hugely. The English Chamber Orchestra played with characteristic brilliance. Their phrasing had the clarity and lightness that this style of music requires, but the use of modern instruments gave the sounds warmth and fullness.”
OXFORD TIMES

In November 2012 he gave the world premiere of Roxanna Panufnik’s SONG OF NAMES with the London Mozart Players and Portsmouth Grammar School and in 2014 Jonathan Dove's FOR AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER. 

“The choir and LMP under Nicholas Cleobury displayed fervour, finesse and flair in catching every different shade of mood.”

WAAPA/Perth (April 2017)
“Profoundly moving. Here and elsewhere conductor Nicholas Cleobury coaxed vocal wonders from his student forces.”
WEST AUSTRALIAN