Jeremy Backhouse is now established as one of Britain's leading choral conductors. He is the conductor of the 150-voice Vivace Chorus (formally the Guildford Philharmonic Choir). He is also the conductor of the Vasari Singers, widely acknowledged as one of the finest chamber choirs in the country.

Head chorister at Canterbury Cathedral, he studied music and composition at Liverpool University and began his career as a Music Editor with EMI. From 1998 to December 2004 he was Conductor of the Wooburn Singers - only the third in the choir's history, following Richard Hickox and Stephen Jackson. He has also worked with the BBC Club Choir, Kent Youth Choir, Brighton Festival Chorus, London Choral Society, Trinity College of Music Chamber Choir, Philharmonia Chorus and the BBC Singers.

Major concert works include Mahler, Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.3 at Guildford Cathedral with the Guildford Philharmonic Choir; Bach's B Minor Mass with the Hanover Band and the Wooburn Singers; Tallis Spem in Alium and works by Jonathan Dove, James MacMillan and Francis Pott at St John's, Smith Square with Vasari Singers.

Recent recordings with Vasari Singers include the world premiere of Dupre's De Profundis and La France au Calvaire (both selected as Editor's Choice in Gramophone) and Deep Purple, a medley of swing and jazz choral arrangements from Ward Swingle and John Rutter to Bob Chilcot and George Shearing. Summer 2005 saw the release of his recording with Vasari of 21st Century Anthems - featuring nine new commissions and works written since 2000 by Jonathan Dove, James MacMillan and Jonathan Rathbone. Jeremy has recorded choral music for EMI, Cala/United, Guild and Signum record labels.

Jeremy champions contemporary choral music and works closely with many composers including Richard Blackford, Francis Pott and Gabriel Jackson. With the Vivace Chorus, his forthcoming series of Contemporary Classics - pairing extraordinary choral works from the late 20th- and 21st century with well-established masterpieces - includes Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man, Francis Pott's A Song on the End of the World and Richard Blackford's Voices of Exile. th Reginald Jacques and John Rutter. He is currently Music Director Emeritus of King's College Choir, and an Honorary Fellow of King's College, Cambridge.

Groups Directed

Vasari Singers