VOCES8 is a critically acclaimed a capella octet from the UK, focusing on medieval and Renaissance works as well as their own arrangements of modern pop tunes. This episode is an interview with the group’s artistic director and countertenor, Barnaby Smith. We discuss the group's history and educational outreach, the creative challenges of chamber singing, and a few of the sacred works the group has recorded over the past decade.

The following recordings are included in this episode with permission from VOCES8 (links are to lyrics):

William Byrd (1538-1623), Vigilate from A Choral Tapestry, 2011 http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Vigilate_(William_Byrd)

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976), Corpus Christi Carol from Eventide, 2013 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Christi_Carol#Lyrics

Anonymous French, Angelus ad Virginem from Equinox, 2018 http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/BVM/AngelusAdVirg.html

Links

Cluny Media, a new Catholic publisher https://clunymedia.com

VOCES8 http://www.voces8.com

VOCES8 music store http://www.voces8.com/shop

VCM Foundation https://vcm.foundation/

Good article on William Byrd’s Catholicism https://www.firstthings.com/article/2014/03/a-double-life

Episode 24: Talking A Capella with VOCES8's Barnaby Smith