The Tallis Scholars

History

Peter Phillips, a music student of David Wulstan and Dennis Arnold, formed the ensemble in 1973 while an organ scholar at St John's College, Oxford. He recruited members from Oxford and Cambridge chapel choirs to create an amateur Renaissance vocal group, which became professional after a decade of concerts. Their first performance was at the Church of St Mary Magdalen, Oxford, on 3 November 1973.

Concerts

The Tallis Scholars perform about 70 concerts annually across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. In April 1994 they sang Allegri's Miserere mei, Deus in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel. They commemorated the 400th anniversary of Palestrina's death in Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in February 1994. Their 1999 China tour included two Beijing concerts, and they performed with Paul McCartney in New York City in 2000.

Recordings

Since March 1980 the Tallis Scholars have recorded on their own Gimell Records label, named after the gymel technique. From 1981 to 2006 they released 40 critically acclaimed discs covering repertoire from about 1450 to 1600, with some later works. Their 50th recording, de Victoria's Lamentations of Jeremiah, appeared in 2010. Their 1980 recording of Allegri's Miserere mei, Deus was named one of the 50 Greatest Recordings of All Time by BBC Music Magazine in 2011, and John Taverner's Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas reached number one on the UK Specialist Classical Chart in 2013.

Accomplishments

The ensemble has performed over 1,800 concerts worldwide and released 50 discs, contributing to greater recognition of Renaissance composers such as Tallis, Palestrina, Byrd, Tye, and de Victoria. Their influence helped pave the way for younger groups including the Sixteen, the Clerks, the Cardinall's Musick, the Binchois Consort, Trinity Baroque, the Gabrieli Consort, Octarium, and the Boston-based Blue Heron. In 2000 they established the Tallis Scholars Summer Schools, offering coaching in Oakham, Seattle, and Sydney.

Several members have scholarly pursuits: Phillips published English Sacred Music 1549–1649, while Sally Dunkley, Francis Steele, and Deborah Roberts have worked as music editors. The group has also performed and recorded Russian Orthodox repertoire by Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky, as well as contemporary works by Norbert Moret, Ivan Moody, Arvo Pärt, John Tavener, Eric Whitacre, and Nico Muhly.

Did You Know?

• During the 1982-1983 concert season, the Tallis Scholars formed a core that remained consistent for the next 25 years.
• Former members who developed successful solo careers include Michael Chance, Mark Padmore, James Gilchrist, John Mark Ainsley, Tessa Bonner, and Jeremy White.
• In 1989 the French magazine Diapason awarded the group its Diapason d'Or de l'Année.