Blossom Street Singers
Blossom Street Singers
The Blossom Street Singers is a dynamic vocal octet of highly trained professional singers, all in their twenties. The group performs a very wide range of music which is tailored to the audience or venue - from jazz and pop arrangements to close harmony to well-loved classical favourites. A typical programme might include popular classics like Elgar’s Nimrod and Barber’s Adagio, alongside jazz standards and the theme tunes to Austin Powers and Friends. In December 2005, Blossom Street filmed a medley of Christmas carols for BBC2, which was broadcast during the snooker championship final; since then they have performed nationwide.
Depending on your requirements, Blossom Street can provide between four and eight singers for concerts, events or private functions. The group’s versatility makes it an ideal choice for weddings; perhaps providing classical, religious or spiritual music during the ceremony and lively pop and jazz arrangements at the reception. Similarly at corporate events, Blossom Street can either perform a range of easy listening background music or provide the main entertainment of the evening, with sparkling renditions of popular hits. Either way, this adds a unique and special feel to any function.
Blossom Street was established in 2003 by Hilary Campbell, who gained a distinction for her MA in Vocal Studies at the University of York and subsequently took up a postgraduate place at Trinity College of Music. Hilary directs the ensemble and sings soprano. Other members of the group, many of whom are Oxbridge graduates, also sing with prestigious professional choirs such as the BBC Singers and the Monteverdi Choir.
Recent Review
Blossom Street Singers, Hertford College Chapel, By Giles Woodforde Oxford Times July 08
'In December 2005,' Blossom Street's advance publicity announced, 'the Singers filmed a medley of Christmas carols for BBC2, which was broadcast during the snooker championship final.' This certainly didn't suggest a group that confines itself to the more rarefied areas of musical academia, and so this concert proved. Kicking off with a King's Singers arrangement of Can't Buy Me Love, the repertoire ranged through Purcell, Lassus, Finzi, Stanford, and Howells before finishing with Goodnight Sweetheart.
Blossom Street consists of eight professional singers. Apart from producing a disciplined, well-matched sound, it quickly became apparent that the group is united in the enthusiasm with which it goes about its work. The opening set of three pop classics displayed a great feeling for rhythm, while Miss Otis really did seem to be sorry in Miss Otis Regrets. Then came a change of gear, with Robert Pearsall's madrigal Lay a Garland.
Later, there was an even more arresting juxtaposition, when Lassus's polyphonic Musica Dei Donum Optimi was followed by A Whiter Shade of Pale. On paper, this should not have worked, but Blossom Street made it sound completely natural...
Elsewhere, there was an attractively romantic performance of Stanford's The Blue Bird, and a more serious note was struck by Howells's The Scribe, which demonstrated Blossom Street's expertise in floating a musical line. The Hertford College organ got a look in too, with Tom Hammond-Davies providing a beefy accompaniment to Finzi's God is Gone Up. This was an exhilarating concert.
Testimonials
“WHAT A PERFORMANCE!! You all were the talk of the evening and most of the next day. Thank you all for such a brilliant mixture of songs to please everyone. I wonder if you saw us Americans practically dancing in the aisle to the 'Friends' theme?! … Just perfect.”
Lee Cognetta, Barnfather
“Many thanks for a superb session. I've had nothing but excellent feedback"
Mayor of Bridgnorth
"THANK YOU again for adding an unforgettably wonderful touch to my birthday"
Ray Gill
"We all enjoyed your singing very much and hope we can hear you again soon"
Rotary of York
Repertoire List
• Pop and Jazz arrangements include:
Goodnight Sweetheart
I’ll be There for You (Friends theme tune)
Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby?
Lullaby of Birdland
Miss Otis Regrets
Rescue Me*
Satin Doll
Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat
Son of a Preacher Man*
Soul Bossa Nova (Austin Powers theme tune)
The Way You Look Tonight
That Lonesome Road
Whiter Shade of Pale
Why do Fools Fall in Love?
• Beatles Songs include:
Can’t Buy Me Love
Eleanor Rigby
Honey Pie
I Feel Fine
Michelle
When I’m Sixty Four
Yesterday
• Popular Classics include:
Barber’s Adagio
Bruckner’s Locus Iste
Elgar’s Nimrod
Finzi’s My Spirit Sang All Day
Gorecki’s Totus Tuus
Purcell’s Hear My Prayer
Stanford’s The Blue Bird
• Music for Weddings includes:
Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring*
Chilcott’s Irish Blessing
Delibes’ Flower Duet*
Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine*
Franck’s Panis Angelicus
Mozart’s Ave Verum*
Mozart’s Laudate Dominum*
Rutter’s For the Beauty of the Earth
Rutter’s God Be in My Head
Schubert’s Ave Maria*
Stanford’s Beati Quorum Via
Tallis’ If Ye Love Me
• Contemporary and other classical music includes:
Elgar’s My Love Dwelt in a Northern Land
Ireland’s The Hills
Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium
Parry’s Never Weather-Beaten Sail
Pearsall’s Lay a Garland
Tippett’s Spirituals
Vasks’ Three Poems
Vaughan Williams’ Silence and Music
Whitacre’s Water Night
* With piano accompaniment
