The Choir

Palatinate Voices was founded in 1996 by two members of Durham Cathedral Choir, as a way of bringing together singers from the Cathedral, the University and the City to form a chamber choir capable of tackling the most challenging repertoire. From 1997 to summer 2011 the choir was conducted by Durham Cathedral's then Sub-Organist, Keith Wright. Andrew Fowler took over as the choir's Director from the Michaelmass term of 2011. A fully biography will follow shortly.

The choir regularly performs in Durham Cathedral's Chapter House and at Elvet Methodist Church, and has sung elsewhere in the region, including St Brandon's Church at Brancepeth, St Michael and All Angels' in Houghton-le-Spring, Ushaw College and St George's, Cullercoats (as part of the 2006 St George's Early Music Festival).  The choir has also sung services in Durham Cathedral and York Minster.

Performances are often accompanied by instrumental forces, from viol consorts and brass ensembles upwards.  In recent years there have been many collaborations with the period-instrument orchestra, Durham Baroque.  The choir has also at times joined forces with the choristers and gentlemen of the Cathedral Choir, and with a network of friends, in order to perform larger-scale repertoire (such as Widor's Mass for Two Choirs and Two Organs, and Tallis's Spem in alium).