EXAUDI

Juliet Fraser / soprano

Tom Williams / countertenor

Stephen Jeffes / tenor

Jonathan Saunders / bass-baritone

James Weeks / director



'…one of the most sensationally gifted vocal groups performing in the UK at the moment' Gramophone
 
Since its debut in 2002, EXAUDI has emerged as one of Britain's leading contemporary music ensembles. Founded by James Weeks (director) and Juliet Fraser (soprano), EXAUDI is based in London and draws its singers from among the UK's brightest vocal talents. The ensemble typically works as a consort rather than a choir – usually one voice to a part, ranging from three to eighteen voices – and draws inspiration for its sound from that of early music ensembles, a strong but focused tone that is ideal for the performance of harmonically intricate contemporary music. Many EXAUDI programmes combine the new with the old, and the ensemble is equally in demand for its performances of music of the High Renaissance and early Baroque.

 
EXAUDI's special affinity is for the radical edges of contemporary music, at home equally with maximal complexity, microtonality and experimental aesthetics. The newest new music is at the heart of its repertoire, and it has given national and world premieres of Sciarrino, Rihm, Finnissy, Fox, Posadas, Eφtvφs, Gervasoni, Skempton, Ayres, Pesson, Poppe, Fox and James Saunders among many others. Through its new commissioning scheme, EXAUDI is particularly committed to the younger generation of composers currently in their twenties and early thirties, and is proud to champion the work of major emerging voices including Aaron Cassidy, Evan Johnson, Bryn Harrison, Amber Priestley, Matthew Shlomowitz, Joanna Bailie, James Weeks and Claudia Molitor.
 
EXAUDI's many international engagements include Wittener Tage (Gervasoni, In Dir), IRCAM (Paris), Festival d'Automne (Paris), Pharos (Cyprus), Musica (Strasbourg), MAfestival (Bruges), CDMC (Madrid), MITO Settembre (Milan/Turin) and ConTmpo (Girona). The ensemble has also collaborated with many leading soloists and ensembles including London Sinfonietta (BirtwistleThe Last Supper), CBSO (Boulez cummings ist der Dichter), Ensemble L�Instant Donnι (Pesson,Trois Cantates), Ensemble Modern (Eφtvφs SCHILLER: Energische Schφnheit) and Ensemble InterContemporain (Poppe Interzone).
 
EXAUDI has appeared at many leading UK venues and festivals, including Spitalfields, Aldeburgh, Soundwaves Brighton, City of London, Vale of Glamorgan, FuseLeeds and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festivals, Dartington International Summer School, King's Place, South Bank and National Portrait Gallery. Recently the ensemble has developed particularly strong links with Aldeburgh Music, resulting in a number of concert appearances, broadcasts and residencies since 2006. EXAUDI broadcasts regularly on BBC Radio 3, and has released critically acclaimed recordings of Michael Finnissy, Elisabeth Lutyens, Howard Skempton and Christopher Fox on the NMC, Metier and Mode labels.
 
EXAUDI will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2012 with major UK and international tours and new commissions from Matthew Shlomowitz, Joanna Bailie, Bryn Harrison and Aaron Cassidy.
 
EXAUDI gratefully acknowledges support from the PRS for Music Foundation.