Biography

Tenebrae

Tenebrae is a professional chamber choir, founded by Nigel Short and Barbara Pollock. Performing by candlelight, the choir creates an atmosphere of spiritual and musical reflection, where medieval chant and renaissance works are interspersed with contemporary compositions to create an ethereal mood of contemplation. The beautiful acoustics and lighting effects of a Tenebrae concert are further enhanced by the choir’s dramatic use of movement around the performing space. As singers move around their surroundings to explore all possible sound perspectives, each member of the audience is able to experience the power and intimacy of the human voice.

The word ‘TENEBRAE’ comes from the medieval latin meaning ‘darkness’. Nowadays it is more commonly associated with the word ‘shadows’. It is also the name for the services of matins and lauds which are sung on the last three days of Holy Week. This includes a ceremony of candles.

Passion & Precision

Passion and Precision is the motto of Tenebrae and its members are drawn from musical backgrounds reflecting these qualities, such as the Monteverdi Choir, the choirs of Westminster Abbey and Cathedral and King’s College, Cambridge. Many of Tenebrae’s singers have worked with the leading specialist vocal groups including I Fagiolini, The Tallis Scholars, The Swingle Singers and The King’s Singers. Contributing to the dramatic qualities of Tenebrae’s performing style are singers from Britain’s two major opera houses, Covent Garden and English National Opera. This combination weaves together a huge variety of choral experience, giving the choir an exceptional range of vocal power and colour.

Nigel Short

Nigel began his musical life as a chorister at Solihull Parish Church going on to study singing and piano at the Royal College of Music. He began his career as a soloist in opera and oratorio and as a member of specialist vocal ensembles such as The Tallis Scholars whilst maintaining a regular involvement in church music, firstly as a member of Westminster Abbey Choir then Westminster Cathedral. He joined the King’s Singers when he was 27 and stayed with them for seven years.

After a short break in the Swiss Alps he set about founding his own group, TENEBRAE, aiming to bring together what he loved best as a singer – namely the more passionate sounds of large Cathedral choirs and the precision of ensembles like The King’s Singers – to create a new kind of choral group. Whilst embracing an eclectic repertoire he wanted to have some ‘signature’ works that would make Tenebrae different, adding a theatrical element that would involve singers moving around as if on stage. To that end he wrote The Dream of Herod, commissioned Joby Talbot to write Path of Miracles, and subsequently composed the first four movements of his Rhine project Rhenus Fluvius. Since the choir’s debut performance in 2001 TENEBRAE has given concerts in Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, UK, USA and Bermuda.

Nigel and the group have performed and recorded live with The Chamber Orchestra of Europe for Warner Classics and with the LSO under Sir Colin Davis for LSO Live. They have also given several performances with The English Concert. They record regularly with Signum Classics.

Nigel divides his time between directing Tenebrae and giving an ever increasing number of masterclasses and workshops for both professional and amateur vocal groups and choirs.

Music by Candlelight

Tenebrae concerts will surely stay in people’s minds because of the ethereal atmosphere created by the choir singing in buildings illuminated by candlelight only.

When Nigel Short started with the preparation of the first Tenebrae concerts in London and Switzerland in December 2001, he very quickly realized, that to find beautiful candle stands, holding enough candles to light a venue, was not an easy task. The obvious solution was therefore to have them produced ‘in-house’ specifically for Tenebrae.

Nigel was introduced to Mr. Philippe Naegele, a skilled ironworker, who came up with a design for these candle stands and he got to work in his third generation family-owned forge at the side of Lake Geneva. Tenebrae’s ten candle stands are entirely hand-made using authentic medieval trade skills and techniques.

These stunning candle stands, each holding 25 large candles, now travel with Tenebrae, creating the special atmosphere that audiences must have experienced hundreds of years ago and that so distinctly represents Tenebrae.

For further information, please download Tenebrae’s Electronic Press Kit (PDF)