Ex Cathedra

Who we are

Ex Cathedra is a leading UK choir and Early Music ensemble with a repertoire that reaches from the 12th to the 21st centuries.  We are known for our passion for seeking out the best, the unfamiliar and the unexpected in the choral repertoire and for giving dynamic performances underpinned by detailed research.

Founded in 1969 by Jeffrey Skidmore OBE, the group has grown into a unique musical resource, comprising specialist chamber choir, vocal Consort, period-instrument orchestra and a thriving education programme, aiming to explore, research and commission the finest choral music and to set the highest standards for excellence in performance and training.

We present a series of concerts in Birmingham, where we are an Associate Artist at Town Hall, across the Midlands, and in London. We tour extensively and enjoy invitations to appear at festivals and concert series across the UK and abroad.

Ex Cathedra has made numerous critically-acclaimed recordings for ASV, Hyperion, Orchid Classics, SOMM Recordings, Signum, and on its own label.  A French Baroque Diva won a Gramophone Award in 2015 and recent months have seen the release of Brazilian Adventures and Alec Roth’s A Time to Dance, both with Hyperion. 

Our extensive programme of award-winning schools and community projects is delivered by a team of expert vocal tutors, who are all members of Ex Cathedra. Singing Playgrounds now reaches well over 600 primary schools across the UK and also in Belgium, China, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand, and the project won the ‘Best Musical Initiative’ Award at the Music Magazine Awards 2014. Singing Medicine for chronically-ill children takes place weekly at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, and Singing Pathways works with adult stroke patients at Solihull Hospital.

Nurturing young singers is at the heart of our work, and our Academy of Vocal Music comprises four regularly rehearsing groups: Children’s Choir for school years 1-3, Junior Academy for years 4-8, Girls Academy for years 9-13 and Boys Academy for years 8-13.Over the years many Academy singers have progressed to sing in Ex Cathedra itself, and a notable group have pursued very successful careers as professional soloists.