Page 287 - FINAL_The Sixteen Coverage Book 40th Anniversary Year

asked to put on a concert at Magdalen. That was in May 1979. A week later we made
our debut in London.”

Harry Christophers
Over 40 years the group has made an extraordinary impact on the classical music world
with its Choral Pilgrimage tours, acclaimed recordings for CORO, numerous international
tours, the launch of its young artist initiative Genesis Sixteen, its education outreach
work and its projects with homeless charity Streetwise Opera, as well as becoming the
Voices of Classic FM.

“It’s developed into something I’m very proud of,” Harry says. “It’s quite amazing all the
things we’ve done, it’s been incredible. And we’ve maintained that same joy of
performing that we had 40 years ago.

“It’s very much a family, albeit the members have changed. The age range is mid-20s to
mid-60s, so very wide. It’s just lovely.”

This year has seen The Sixteen perform Handel’s rarely-staged oratorio Belshazzar at
The Grange Festival, in collaboration with The Grange Festival Chorus, as well as
touring Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, undertaking its annual Choral Pilgrimage tour and
having a special 40 Anniversary collection released by CORO.
th

Coming up in 2020 is a tour of Handel’s Acis and Galatea, another Choral Pilgrimage
tour (which will be coming to Oxford in March) and the customary Christmas tour, and a
return to Grange Park is scheduled for 2022.

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