About the CBC

Launched in 1989, the CBC has in a few short years gained international recognition as being one of the world's finest and most accomplished boys' choirs.
The CBC comprises some 24 full members aged between 8 and 14, plus some half-dozen probationers. It was started jointly by the Huntingdonshire College and the Cambridgeshire Local Education Authority Music Service, to give boys who enjoy singing an opportunity to form a choir of the very highest calibre and international repute.

Since April 1993 the CBC has been an independent, self-financing organization, owing its continued success to the quality of its music-making, the dedication of its members and the vision of its founder and Director, Nicholas Bergström-Allen.

In recognition of its superlative achievements, the CBC has received the help and encouragement of many eminent figures in the professional music world. The patrons of the CBC have also been partners in its continuing success.

A Unique Sound in Britain

The CBC is no ordinary choir: it is Britain's only independent vocal training establishment devoted exclusively to the training of boys' voices in the Bel Canto tradition. The CBC boys sound like opera singers because they are trained as opera singers.

A Very Special Training

There are two full choir rehearsals a week, held at the King's College Choir School's Chorister Room, which the CBC shares with the College Choir. Each CBC member also has a weekly lesson in voice production, solo singing, and music theory. Boys with soloist potential are invited to join the CBC's Opera Group, whose additional weekly rehearsal covers a more varied and challenging repertoire.

This very special combination of individual tuition and intensive choral training produces spectacular results, and enables both choir and soloists to be prepared - sometimes at very short notice - to carry out a variety of engagements with consummate professionalism.

Each member is trained to be word and note perfect, singing regularly in English, French, German, Latin, Italian and Finnish.

We are always on the lookout for new members: if a career with the CBC could be for you or someone you know, check out the Voice Trial Application page on this site.

The Choir in Performance

As well as giving regular concerts in the UK and making numerous appearances on British television and radio, the CBC has toured Malta, Switzerland, Sweden and Germany. Early in 1996 the choir demonstrated its versatility by laying down backing vocals for pop artist Jimmy Somerville and others on the crossover album The Heavens, which also features the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

For details of the choir's recent activities and forthcoming events, see our Performance Diary.

Soloists for Professional Engagements

CBC soloists performed in the Royal Opera's 1991 production of The Magic Flute, and took the leading role of the boy Rakhal in Almeida Opera's 1996 premiere of Param Vir's contemporary opera Snatched by the Gods. The CBC also sends its soloists abroad on professional engagements - to Japan for TV commercial recording sessions and to Germany for performances at the Munich Opera House. Most recently they went to Brussels, Belgium, to participate in the I Fiamminghi (the Orchestra of Flanders) recording of Gija Kantscheli's Lichte Trauer, a contemporary work for orchestra and two boys' voices singing in Hebrew, Georgian, Russian, German and English.

Singing for its Supper

Apart from its concert and recording commitments, some of the CBC's time is taken up with providing first-class music at weddings, private functions and corporate events. To find out how the choir can be of service to you or your organization, take a look at the CBC Choir Bookings page.

Hear for Yourself

Please email the Choir Director for a demo tape of CBC soloists singing selections from the choir's core repertoire.

Join in the Fun

This website is updated regularly, so you can keep up to date with choir events as they happen. But better than that, you can actually participate in the choir by becoming a Friend of the CBC: the Friends page on this site tells you how.