The Friends' Musick is a chamber choir whose repertoire spans over 500 years of vocal music, though their performances in 16th century period costume are always popular.
Formed in 1990 and encouraged by the late Sam Wanamaker, (founder of Shakespeare`s Globe) the singers were originally involved in numerous events which helped to raise funds and public interest in the building of The Globe on Bankside, culminating in its performances during its opening Festival of Firsts,which was attended by HM the Queen. Since that time The Friends' Musick has performed extensively in concerts ranging from a production of a medieval morality play Everyman to the BBC`s Music Live Festival as well as a number of summer appearances in France. Most of the concerts performed by The Friends' Musick are within the standard formal setting, comprising an eclectic mixture of a-capella and accompanied repertoire.
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Costumed performances
Included among the Group's numerous concerts in period costume, the singers have also performed at festive events such as a Spring Bank Holiday May Fayre, Tudor/Elizabethan Banquets and corporate events. A firm favourite in the calendar is the ever-popular Candlelight Carol Service at the Actors` Church, Covent Garden.
Non-Costumed performances
Non-costumed appearances include Concert for Lent, Spring Concert, Celebration of St Cecilia, Patron Saint of Music and Under the Greenwood Tree (see Shakespeare Connection).
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As performers of background music
The singers have provided unaccompanied background music for a production of the medieval morality play Everyman, performed in the Royal Naval College Chapel, Greenwich, and Disillusion, the world premiere production of a play about Henry VIII by Tom Masters, presented by The Matchbox Theatre.
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Performance venues have included
Actors' Church, Covent Garden...Barbican Centre, London...Bear Gardens Museum, Bankside...Carnegie Library, Herne Hill...Clink Prison Museum, Bankside...Covent Garden Piazza (Queen's Jubilee)... Danson House, Bexleyheath, Kent...Crosby Hall, Chelsea...Dulwich College...Geffrye Museum, Shoreditch...Golden Hinde, St. Mary Overie Dock...Hall Place, Bexley... Horniman Museum, Forest Hill...Kenwood House, Hampstead...Liberty's, Regent Street...London School of Economics... Middle Temple...Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park...Queen's House, Greenwich...Ranger's House, Blackheath...Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew...Royal National Theatre...Royal Naval College Chapel, Greenwich...Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Bankside... Southwark Cathedral.....Staple Inn Hall, High Holborn... Theatre Museum, Covent Garden............
and at the following festivals
National Music Day (1992-96)....Festival of Renaissance & Baroque Music in Bear Gardens Museum (1992 &'93) and on the Globe site (1994 -'96)....Dulwich Festival (1995, '96 & 2006) ....Mayday Festival , Bankside (1996)...Festival of Firsts at Shakespeare's Globe (1997)...Festival de la Dordogne, SW France (1997)...La Fête en Perigord, SW France (1998)...Festival Culturel du Quercy, France (1998)
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Broadcasts
CBS Television (1992)... BBC Radio 2 Live (1993)... London Talkback Radio (1994)... BBC Television Documentary on the Building of The Globe (1996) .... Granada Plus TV (2002)
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Clients have included
Worshipful Company of Glaziers & Painters of Glass.... Worshipful Company of Actuaries.... Bernafon UK....
Supporters have included...... The Garrick Club...Society of London Theatre..The London College of Fashion......Musicians' Union...Millennium Awards for All...Mercury Communications plc...Rotary Club...Ryman's Stationers.....Tesco's.....
