The Tallis Scholars have established themselves as leading exponents of Renaissance sacred music through world-class recordings and concert performances. Their exploration of the depth and variety of this repertoire has reached a world-wide audience. Peter Phillips has worked with the ensemble to create, through good tuning and blend, the purity and clarity of sound which he feels best serves the Renaissance repertoire, allowing every detail of the musical lines to be heard. It is the resulting beauty of sound for which The Tallis Scholars have become renowned.

The Tallis Scholars announce the launch of NCEM Composers Award 2010

Peter Phillips in conversation with Lucie Skeaping launches The NCEM Composers Award 2010 on the Early Music Show, BBC R3 at 13.00 on Saturday 3 October 2009.

Following the success of this year’s award, we are delighted to announce the launch of the 2010 NCEM Composers Award in association with BBC R3 and The Tallis Scholars. This major national award is open to composers up to the age of 25, divided into two age categories: 18 and under, and 19 to 25. The 2010 NCEM Composers Award will be launched on Saturday 3 October on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show, featuring The Tallis Scholars and their director Peter Phillips. This will provide a fantastic opportunity for young composers to find out more about the group and how best to write for them. (The programme will be available for a further week online: www.bbc.co.uk/radio3).

The competition invites young composers to write a new a cappella (unaccompanied) piece for Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass. The Award will be judged by Peter Phillips, Director of The Tallis Scholars; Chris Wines, Senior Music Producer BBC Radio 3 and Delma Tomlin, Director of the NCEM. The winners’ pieces will be premiered by The Tallis Scholars in Chester Cathedral as part of the 2010 Chester Summer Music Festival. BBC Radio 3 will record and broadcast highlights of this concert.

For further information visit www.ncem.co.uk/composersaward. Alternatively you can contact the NCEM on 01904 632220 or email info@ncem.co.uk.

Peter Phillips takes on ‘Soul Music’

Peter Phillips is to appear in BBC Radio 4’s ‘Soul Music’ on Tuesday 1st September at 1:30pm, to be repeated the following Saturday. ‘Soul Music’ is a series about pieces of music with a powerful emotional impact, and in this episode, Peter will be interviewed by Rosie Boulton about the Allegri Miserere, alongside Roy Goodman. He will appear in a second episode, discussing Vaughan Williams’ inspirational Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis, alongside Michael Kennedy, on Tuesday 15th September.

The Tallis Scholars on BBC Radio 3

The group appeared on The Early Music Show on 19th July, at 13:00.

Catherine Bott presented a performance of John Taverner's Missa Corona Spirea by The Tallis Scholars, directed by Peter Phillips, given as part of the York Early Music Festival 2009.

The ensemble also performed the winning two entries of the 2009 National Centre for Early Music's Young Composers' Award - Arise by Elizabeth Edwards, and God by Michael Perrett. Catherine introduced the music, met the composers and spoke with Peter Phillips about the work of The Tallis Scholars, and about the competition.

This concert was the opening performance of the York Early Music Festival 2009, which took place in York Minster on 10th July 2009:

‘The opening salvo in this year’s festival, on until July 18, was stylishly unleashed by The Tallis Scholars under their founder-director Peter Phillips.’
(Martin Dreyer, The Press, July 2009)

NEW RECORDINGS

JOSQUIN: Missa Malheur me bat & Missa Fortuna desperata

"As we expect by now, the Tallis Scholars offer first-class ensemble-work (informed by uncompromising scholarship) in characteristically ingratiating performances that always leave us satisfied that we've just heard the most exacting and sincerely "authentic" rendition possible by modern singers."
David Vernier, Classics Today, April 2009

Now available on the Gimell label: www.gimell.com.