David Hill, Director Of Music For The Bach Choir Honoured With An MBE, Makes A Plea For The Arts

The Bach Choir's Music Director, David Hill, who received an MBE in the recent Queen's New Year's Honours list, speaks out about the state of the arts in the UK - "an often missing aspect of human growth".

Awarded the MBE in the New Year's Honours "for services to music", David Hill speaks out about the importance of music education and communication of the arts.

"Anyone who is lucky enough to receive a Queen's Honour is both surprised and extremely grateful to be recognised. I feel very privileged to be able to work with so many musicians and people who are so supportive of my role as a conductor and who have been so central to this award being bestowed. I will continue to be passionate about the performance of music at the highest level alongside the role and importance of music education across all sectors. The communication of the arts is a vital and often missing aspect of human growth and I see it as imperative to speak out about its importance which is greater than ever."

His work with The Bach Choir's Outreach programme Vocalise!, for example, demonstrates his commitment to finding new and broader audiences for choral music "This year we're reaching 1,000 children in 10 schools, sharing the joy of singing, and giving them the chance to perform with The Bach Choir. For many this is a life-changing experience." With The Bach Choir, he is also working on a series of concerts with the central theme of 'Oratorio Reimagined' which aims to present oratorio in a way that enables audiences to have a greater insight into the music. The next in The Bach Choir's Oratorio Reimagined series of concerts is Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, on Friday 28 June 2019 in the Royal Festival Hall.

Founded in 1876, The Bach Choir is recognised as one of the world's leading choruses, building upon a tradition that combines musical excellence with creativity and innovation. From the first performance in Britain of Bach's Mass in B minor to the soundtrack for Ridley Scott's 2012 epic Prometheus, our musical heritage is as rich as it is diverse. Directed by David Hill, one of the country's most eminent conductors, we regularly perform and record across London and the UK in prestigious venues, from the Royal Albert Hall to Abbey Road Studios.

Described by the London Evening Standard as 'probably the finest independent choir in the world', we value the freedom that our independence brings, allowing us to work with the very best conductors, orchestras, and soloists, and to choose the music we perform. To date we have sung over 200 works in more than 80 venues, and continue to share our work with audiences around the world.

From oratorio to film scores and from St Paul's Cathedral to Sydney Opera House, our repertoire - which covers works from the 16th century to the present day - celebrates the power that music has to connect us, to take us beyond ourselves, and to spark our imagination. Our work has an emotional intensity that only a large choir can evoke.

It is our people who define us. Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sir David Willcocks: these are just a few of the eminent musicians that have played a part in our history and created the musical pedigree that we build upon today. With HRH The Prince of Wales as our Patron, John Rutter as our President, and David Hill as our Musical Director, our performances and recordings go from strength to strength. Our Accompanist/Assistant Conductor is Philip Scriven, who is widely regarded as one of the finest organists of his generation, and highly respected as a conductor.

The Bach Choir has always been and continues to be characterised by the commitment of its members. With over 220 talented singers coming from all walks of life, an international touring schedule, and an outreach programme that takes our passion for music into inner-city schools, we are an active community performing, recording and sharing music for everyone to enjoy, whatever their age or background.

To post a comment, you must register and login.