About us |
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Founded in 1976 as a madrigal choir, The Arcadian Singers are Oxford’s premier independent chamber choir, providing a platform for young singers and excellent music-making. The choir consists mainly of students and staff from the various universities in Oxford. We perform at least one concert a term in Oxford and regularly participate in a wide range of other musical ventures both in and outside the city. Our programming is both innovative and eclectic, ranging from early to contemporary choral music, and has included commissioned works by both young and established composers. Please have a look at our past concerts for an appreciation of recent repertoire.
Over the years we have recorded three successful CDs, premiered several contemporary works, broadcast on BBC Radio 3, performed with professionals such as Katherine Jenkins, and organised regular tours abroad. As well as performing in the many churches and college chapels in Oxfordshire, we have sung services at St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, and since 1995 have been invited to act as the ‘choir in residence’ during the Easter Triduum at Ampleforth Abbey. |
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Director of Music: Gerard Lim
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Singaporean Choral Conductor and Baritone Gerard Lim is a strong advocate of dynamic performances of choral music, through the idiomatic presentation of texts, and vibrant singing. A
graduate of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory (Singapore), he is currently reading a masters in choral conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, under Patrick Russill, and is the Alec Robertson scholar at Westminster Cathedral for the upcoming academic year. He directed several digital productions while at Yong Siew Toh, working on various pieces, such as Brahms’ Liebeslieder, and anthems and motets by Gibbons, Telemann, Buxtehude, and Fauré. Last year, he was also involved in the conservatory chorus’ preparation for their performance of J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion. Gerard was also director of music for St. Joseph Church (Bukit Timah) for nine years, prior to his studies at the academy, conducting for several masses for the Archdiocese of Singapore. He is cofounder and co-artistic director Chroma, which is a collective of singers who seek to present thematic choral programmes, based in Singapore. In his solo singing career, he has performed the baritone solo in Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, in 2019, conducted by Masaaki Suzuki, and was praised for the ‘great expressiveness and characterisation’ in his singing by The Straits Times. Gerard has also sung the part of Adam in Haydn’s The Creation. Last year, Gerard sang the baritone solo in Schubert’s Mass No. 2 in G Major, in the role of Jesus for the St. John Passion, and the baritone solo for Stravinsky’s Pulcinella. |
