About Blackburn Chamber Choir
Former Director John Robinson conducts Renaissance Singers
Blackburn Chamber Choir is one of the leading choral ensembles in the region. Known as The Renaissance Singers until 2021, the group give a varied annual programme of concerts each year at Blackburn Cathedral (where they are based), and also take part in a number of services there throughout the church year. The choir is also delighted to be invited to sing at other venues both in Lancashire and further afield, and has taken part in a number of CD recordings. Furthermore, the choir broadcasts regularly for the BBC, and has appeared on Radio 2 and BBC 1’s Songs of Praise in recent years. The choir's repertoire is broad, including sacred and secular choral music spanning five centuries. Each season the programmes range from small-scale unaccompanied works to performances with orchestra.
The choir is also available for private hire for weddings and other events. Please contact us for further details.
John Hosking is the current Director of Blackburn Chamber Choir. He is Organist in Residence at Blackburn Cathedral, Organ Advisor to the Diocese of St. Asaph and an organist for BBC Radio 4's Daily Service. Prior to this, he was Director of Music at Holy Trinity, Southport for four years and Assistant Director of Music at St. Asaph Cathedral for fourteen years. Whilst at St. Asaph Cathedral he founded and directed the 30-strong Voluntary Choir and was assistant conductor of the St. Asaph Choral Society, with whom he directed performances in the North Wales International Music Festival and various other North Wales venues. He also regularly conducted the opening of the Conwy Music Festival with massed choirs.
A prize-winning graduate of the Royal College of Music, John studied with Martin Baker, Nicholas Danby and Margaret Phillips. He held the organ scholarship at Westminster Abbey for an unprecedented three years, during which time he played for Royal and State occasions and gave 20 solo recitals in the Abbey. He also directed the majority of services sung by the Lay Vicars and trained the probationer choristers. As a composer, John has over 40 published works.
The Renaissance Singers 2015 with former director Samuel Hudson
Blackburn Chamber Choir was founded in 1965 by Dr John Bertalot. Originally named the Blackburn Bach Choir, their annual Christmas concerts in King George's Hall, Blackburn attracted capacity audiences. For two years in succession they won the national rounds of the BBC's international competition "Let The Peoples Sing". They were rated as the finest mixed voice choir in the UK. Dr John Bertalot was the Director of Music at Blackburn Cathedral for eighteen years. The choir was known for many years as The Renaissance Singers at Blackburn Cathedral, before agreeing a new name in 2021, to better reflect the range of music in the choir's repertoire.
The Blackburn Bach Choir c.1970
Blackburn Chamber Choir
Blackburn Cathedral, Cathedral Office, Cathedral Close, Blackburn, BB1 5AA
Telephone: 01254 277 436
