Voces8, styled VOCES8, is an a cappella octet from England. They have appeared internationally and made recordings of classical music, jazz, pop, and their own arrangements. Recent recordings are for Decca Classics and under their own label, Voces8 Records. Educational efforts are run by the Voces8 Foundation.

History

VOCES8 is a British vocal ensemble originally founded in 2003 and regrouped in 2005 by brothers Paul and Barnaby Smith, both former choristers of Westminster Abbey. For most of its history, the ensemble has contained two sopranos, two countertenors, two tenors, a baritone and a bass. By 2018, one of the countertenors had been replaced by a female alto.

The ensemble has a diverse repertoire, including early English and European Renaissance music, traditional folk song, classic jazz, pop, and their own arrangements. They have appeared internationally, touring especially in Europe, Asia, and North America.

LIVE from London is an online choral festival and broadcast series founded in 2020 by VOCES8 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting professionally produced performances by vocal ensembles and artists from the United Kingdom and internationally, with selected participants including The Tallis Scholars, VOCES8, Take 6, I Fagiolini, London Adventist Chorale, ANÚNA, amarcord, The Aeolians, Apollo5, The King's Singers, and Stile Antico.

VOCES8 has commissioned new works from composers such as Ēriks Ešenvalds, Ola Gjeilo, Jonathan Dove, Jocelyn Hagen, Ken Burton, Roderick Williams, Alexander Levine, Roxanna Panufnik, Mårten Jansson, Ben Parry, and Christopher Tin. Jim Clements is their arranger-in-residence.

The octet won the Limelight International Artist of the Year: People's Choice award at the 2021 Limelight Awards.

Their 2022 tour programme was called Stardust, after a composition commissioned from Taylor Scott Davis.

In June 2025, VOCES8 marked its twentieth anniversary with an official anniversary concert at the Barbican Centre on 8 June, joined by the VOCES8 Scholars, former members of the ensemble, and the BBC Singers. Reviewing the concert, The Guardian noted the participation of alumni, apprentices, violinist Jack Liebeck and the BBC Singers, and described the event as a celebratory twentieth-anniversary performance.

In March 2026, VOCES8 announced that first tenor Blake Morgan would transition into the role of VOCES8 Ambassador and Associate Artist from the 2026-27 season, and that the ensemble would begin a search for a new singer to fill the tenor seat.

Members

Current

Current members are as follows:

• Savannah PorterFirst soprano (2025–present)

• Virginia GrabovskySecond soprano (2026–present)

• Katie Jeffries-HarrisFirst alto (2018–present)

• Barnaby SmithSecond alto/countertenor and Artistic Director (2005–present)

• Blake MorganFirst tenor (2016–present; on sabbatical until Easter 2026, covered by Monty Charles); in March 2026, VOCES8 announced that he would transition into the role of VOCES8 Ambassador and Associate Artist beginning in the 2026-27 season, stepping away from his permanent tenor seat while continuing to work with the group through composing, arranging, selected performances, digital media production, and educational workshops.

• Euan WilliamsonSecond tenor (2019–present)

• Chris MooreBaritone (2018–present)

• Dominic CarverBass (2022–present)

Former

The ensemble's former members are:

• Rachel MajorFirst soprano (2005–2008)

• Andrea HainesFirst soprano (2008–2025)

• Catherine BackhouseSecond soprano (2005–2009)

• Emily DickensSecond soprano (2009–2017)

• Eleonore CockerhamSecond soprano (2017–2021)

• Molly NoonSecond soprano (2021–2024)

• Eleonora PoignantSecond soprano (2025–2026)

• Daniel Keating-RobertsFirst countertenor (2005–2007)

• Chris WardleFirst countertenor (2007–2018)

• Charles MacDougallFirst tenor (2005–2012)

• Oliver VincentFirst tenor (2012–2016)

• Thomas ElwinSecond tenor (2005–2006)

• Robin BaileySecond tenor (2006–2009)

• Robert Mingay SmithSecond tenor (2009–2013)

• Sam DresselSecond tenor (2013–2019)

• Paul SmithBaritone and founder (2005–2016)

• Rob ClarkBaritone (2016–2018)

• Simon WhiteleyBass (2005)

• Greg HallamBass (2006)

• Dingle YandellBass (2006–2015)

• Jonathan PaceyBass (2015–2022)

Timeline

Lineup

VOCES8 Foundation

The VOCES8 Foundation (formerly VCM Foundation) is a UK-registered charity, set up by VOCES8 founder members Paul and Barnaby Smith in 2006 to develop the ensemble's music education and outreach programmes. Awarded a Classic FM (UK) Public Choice Award at the 2020 Music & Drama Education Awards, the charity works across choral and small vocal ensemble performance and education and is based at the VOCES8 Centre at St Anne and St Agnes Church in the City of London.

Performance

Foundation artists perform around 200 concerts each year, including through online/livestreaming. In 2026, Voces8 were artists in residence of the Rheingau Musik Festival.

Education

Foundation artists reach up to 40,000 people a year in regular workshops and masterclasses with Music Hubs, schools and community groups. In 2015 the ensemble launched the VOCES8 Scholars Programme which provides training in performing, recording and workshop leading for 20 young singers with an interest in choral singing in the UK and USA.

In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic they launched the VOCES8 Digital Academy featuring tutorials, exercises, learning and performing tracks and videos.

Discography

The group has recorded with Decca, Signum, and their own Voces8 Records label. As part of their 15th anniversary celebrations in 2020, the group released their project After Silence, consisting of four digital EPs.

Albums

• Aces High (2010, Signum)

• Bach's Motets, with the Senesino Players (2010)

• Brahms, Bruckner, Reger (2011)

• In the Beginning (2012)

• Christmas (2012, Signum)

• A Choral Tapestry (2012, Signum)

• Where I Sleep (2014, Decca)

• Eventide (2014, Decca)

• Lux (2015, Decca)

• Winter (2016, Decca)

• Equinox (2018)

• Enchanted Isle (2019)

• After Silence (2020, Voces8 Records)

• Infinity (2021, Decca)

• Nightfall (2024)

• Twenty (2025)

EPs

• Voces8 EP (2019)

Collaborations

• A Capella Collection (2012, Signum) – with other groups, marking 15 years of Signum Records

• Choral Collection (2012, Signum) – same

• Early Music Collection (2012, Signum) – same

• A Purcell Collection (2014, Signum) – by Voces8 and Les Inventions

• Psalms (2015, Signum) – works by Benedetto Marcello, Voces8 and Les Inventions

• Ola Gjeilo (2018, Decca) – works by Ola Gjeilo and Voces8

• Home Is (2018) – by Jacob Collier and Voces8

• Requiem Novum (2022) – by Mårten Jansson, Voces8, Apollo5, and the Philharmonia Orchestra

• The Lost Birds (2022) – by Christopher Tin, Voces8 and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

• Home (2023) – with Eric Whitacre

• Seven Psalms (2023) – with Paul Simon

Music books

• A Cappella Songbook (2012, paperback)

• A Cappella Songbook 2 (2018, paperback)

References

External links

• Voces8 Foundation (official website)

• Voces8 (Vocal Ensemble) Bach cantatas website 2019

• Robert Hugill: Voces8 / Lux planethugill.com May 2015