CBC Highlights

1989
The choir is founded by the Huntingdonshire College and the Cambridgeshire Local Education Authority Music Service.

1991
First international tour, to Malta.
CBC soloists sing the parts of the three Spirits in the Royal Opera's production of The Magic Flute at London's Royal Opera House. Six boys were trained for the parts (three performers and three reserves). This marks the start of the choir's Opera Group.
BBC TV screens Mozart in London, a half-hour documentary based on the CBC boys preparing for the Magic Flute performances.

1992
The choir tours Switzerland.

Christmas Day
The choir performs on the BBC TV show Christmas Morning with Anne and Nick, to an audience of over 17 million.

1993
The choir tours Sweden.

April
Because of Education cutbacks, funding is withdrawn and the choir becomes an independent, self-supporting organization.

1994

March 27th
The choir performs Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Pie Jesu and Schubert's The Lord is my Shepherd on primetime national TV's religious show Highway, hosted by Harry Secombe. We receive a huge bag of fan mail after this one.

1995

April 10th - 21st
The choir tours Germany, giving concerts in Heidelberg and the Hagen area.
December 10th
The Anglia TV series Timpson's Country Churches, in which veteran radio journalist John Timpson investigates the history behind English parish churches, reaches Cambridgeshire. The CBC perform César Franck's Panis Angelicus in Ickleton Church while John Timpson relates the story of the church fire.

1996

March 31st
The Opera Group travels to Linford Manor recording studios to lay down backing vocals for Gary Judd's classical/rock crossover album The Heavens, which features a number of international recording stars as well as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
July 11th - 19th
Almeida Opera stages five performances of Param Vir's Snatched by the Gods at the Almeida Theatre, London. The opera features two CBC soloists in the lead role of Rakhal, taking alternate performances.
On 13th July national newspaper The Independent says "The musicianship of [the CBC soloist] as Rakhal dominated 'Snatched'", and on 15th July the London Times' opera critic Rodney Milnes writes "Young [..] gave a supremely touching performance as [the] initially cheerful, ultimately bemused child."
July 21st
The Director travels to Belgium with two soloists, who take part in a recording by I Fiamminghi (The National Orchesta of Flanders) of Gija Kantscheli's Lichte Trauer (Light Sorrow), a contemporary orchestral work centred around two boys' voices.
September 6th
A studio recording of Snatched by the Gods, featuring one of the CBC soloists, is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 - the UK's nationwide classical music station.

1989	The choir is founded by the Huntingdonshire College and the Cambridgeshire Local Education Authority Music Service.

1991	First international tour, to Malta. CBC soloists sing the parts of the three Spirits in the Royal Opera's production of The Magic Flute at London's Royal Opera House. Six boys were trained for the parts (three performers and three reserves). This marks the start of the choir's Opera Group. BBC TV screens Mozart in London, a half-hour documentary based on the CBC boys preparing for the Magic Flute performances.

1992	The choir tours Switzerland. Christmas Day The choir performs on the BBC TV show Christmas Morning with Anne and Nick, to an audience of over 17 million.

1993	The choir tours Sweden. April Because of Education cutbacks, funding is withdrawn and the choir becomes an independent, self-supporting organization.

1994	March 27th The choir performs Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Pie Jesu and Schubert's The Lord is my Shepherd on primetime national TV's religious show Highway, hosted by Harry Secombe. We receive a huge bag of fan mail after this one.

1995	April 10th - 21st The choir tours Germany, giving concerts in Heidelberg and the Hagen area. December 10th The Anglia TV series Timpson's Country Churches, in which veteran radio journalist John Timpson investigates the history behind English parish churches, reaches Cambridgeshire. The CBC perform César Franck's Panis Angelicus in Ickleton Church while John Timpson relates the story of the church fire.

1996	March 31st The Opera Group travels to Linford Manor recording studios to lay down backing vocals for Gary Judd's classical/rock crossover album The Heavens, which features a number of international recording stars as well as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. July 11th - 19th Almeida Opera stages five performances of Param Vir's Snatched by the Gods at the Almeida Theatre, London. The opera features two CBC soloists in the lead role of Rakhal, taking alternate performances. On 13th July national newspaper The Independent says "The musicianship of [the CBC soloist] as Rakhal dominated 'Snatched'", and on 15th July the London Times' opera critic Rodney Milnes writes "Young [..] gave a supremely touching performance as [the] initially cheerful, ultimately bemused child." July 21st The Director travels to Belgium with two soloists, who take part in a recording by I Fiamminghi (The National Orchesta of Flanders) of Gija Kantscheli's Lichte Trauer (Light Sorrow), a contemporary orchestral work centred around two boys' voices. September 6th A studio recording of Snatched by the Gods, featuring one of the CBC soloists, is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 - the UK's nationwide classical music station.