Composers-in-Association

St Martin’s Voices are delighted to announce the appointment of Lucy Walker and Bob Chilcott as Composers-in-Association for 2025-2028. Over the next three years, the two composers will work closely with St Martin’s Voices and Director of Music Andrew Earis to create and premiere new works inspired by the ensemble’s programming themes. Their partnership will encompass not only composition but also workshops, public performances, and creative mentoring for emerging composers, reflecting the choir’s ongoing commitment to championing contemporary choral music.

 

Andrew Earis, Director of Music at St Martin-in-the-Fields, shared his delight in the new collaboration:

“I am absolutely thrilled that Bob Chilcott and Lucy Walker have agreed to join us as Composers-in-Association with St Martin’s Voices. Both bring extraordinary musical imagination, depth, and warmth to their writing- qualities that align perfectly with the spirit and artistry of our ensemble.

 

Bob’s long-standing reputation as one of the UK’s finest choral composers, known for his lyrical, expressive music and his ability to connect deeply with singers and audiences alike, combined with Lucy’s fresh voice in contemporary choral music and her inspiring work as our recent Composer-in-Residence, promises to enrich our creative life in remarkable ways. These new partnerships will undoubtedly inspire both our singers and audiences, and I couldn’t be more excited for the musical journeys ahead.”

 

Lucy Walker (b. 1998) is quickly establishing herself as one of Britain’s foremost emerging compositional voices. Originally from the North East of England, Lucy is now based in Cambridge, where she completed her postgraduate studies in 2021. Recognised as one of Classic FM’s Rising Stars in 2024, Lucy is gaining a reputation for her vibrant choral writing and has received numerous high-profile commissions, including works for the BBC Singers, VOCES8, The Sixteen, various UK cathedral choirs, and Anna Lapwood. Her music is regularly broadcast on national radio, features on commercial recordings, and is increasingly performed across Europe and the US.

 

Lucy says:

“I am absolutely delighted to be continuing my partnership with St Martin’s Voices and to be working with Bob Chilcott as my fellow Associate Composer. Over the past two years, I have grown so much as a composer under the mentorship of Andrew Earis, and I look forward to embarking on the next steps of our collaborative and creative journey.”

 

Bob Chilcott has enjoyed a lifelong association with choral music- as a chorister and choral scholar at King’s College, Cambridge, and as a member of The King’s Singers. He became a full-time composer and conductor in 1997 and has since created an extensive catalogue of choral works published by Oxford University Press. His most widely performed pieces include Can You Hear Me?, A Little Jazz Mass, Requiem, and the St John Passion.

 

His music has been recorded by many of the UK’s leading choirs and ensembles, including The King’s Singers, King’s College, Cambridge, Wells Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, The Sixteen, Tenebrae, The BBC Singers, The Bach Choir, Commotio, and St Martin’s Voices.

 

Bob says:

“I am so thrilled to be associated with St Martin's Voices in this way. The group is at the centre of a programme at St Martin-in-the-Fields that has become one of the most vibrant and exciting choral energies in the United Kingdom. I look forward to contributing and collaborating with Andrew Earis and the group- and to all that this might bring.”

 

This collaboration between Lucy Walker, Bob Chilcott, and St Martin’s Voices builds on the ensemble’s long-standing mission to nurture new music for voices and engage audiences through creative and inclusive programming.