The Sarum Consort
Described as “the jewel in the crown of Salisbury music”,
The Sarum Consort has been presenting innovative
and compelling programmes ever since its debut in 1992.
“... The Sarum Consort sings everything with poised intensity
and does this lovely music every possible justice”
— BBC Music Magazine
Under the inspirational leadership of founder Andrew Mackay,
The Sarum Consort has earned itself a reputation as one of the
United Kingdom’s leading early music ensembles, receiving critical acclaim for
both recordings and concert performances.
“Lively, imaginative and very expressive singing”
— The Independent
Live performance highlights include Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil at
St John’s, Smith Square, London, and as guest artists in The Salisbury Festival.
The group has released six recordings, including two on the Naxos label.
Alastair Carey
The Sarum Consort’s Director Alastair Carey has been involved
in choral performance since the age of six. He has performed, recorded
and broadcast throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, appearing as a vocal performer with groups such
as The Gabrieli Consort, I Fagiolini,
The Oxford Camerata and The Brabant Ensemble in
diverse performances ranging from the BBC Proms to the Leipzig Bach Festival.
“A conspicuously gifted choral conductor”
— The Dominion Post
Alastair holds diplomas in both vocal technique
and keyboard performance. He studied conducting at Cambridge with Stephen Layton
and ensemble performance at the Basel Schola Cantorum in Switzerland with Anthony Rooley.
He has directed concerts in Asia, Australasia, Europe and throughout the United Kingdom,
including award-winning performances at competitions in The European Grand Prix in Spain and
the World Choir Games in South Korea.
Alastair was appointed Director of The Sarum Consort in 2014.
Andrew Mackay
The Sarum Consort’s founder and Director-Emeritus
Andrew Mackay read Classics at Cambridge, where he sang bass at Trinity College
under Richard Marlow and alto at King's College under Sir David Willcocks. As a
guest conductor he has worked with choirs such as Southampton University Chamber Choir
and I Polifonici Senesi; soloists who have sung under his direction
include Michael Chance, Andrew Kennedy and James Bowman. As an operatic and orchestral
conductor his credits include The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni,
The Magic Flute, Cosi fan tutte and Purcell’s
Dido and Aeneas. Also a playwright and lyricist, Andrew is currently
completing a fourth show in collaboration with Philip Lawson, a former member
of The King's Singers.
Andrew founded The Sarum Consort in 1992.
He was appointed the Director of The Farrant Singers in 2011.
The Patrons
The Patrons of The Sarum Consort offer generous assistance
towards the funding of concert programmes, special projects and individual artists.
Many different named sponsorship opportunities are available to those
who would like to donate;
contact us to find out more.
The Friends
The Friends of The Sarum Consort provide significant support
to the Consort, not just financially but in many different ways: by providing
accommodation for the artists, score preparation and purchasing, and in one case
a whole library of early music.