About The English Choir Berlin
The English Choir Berlin was originally formed in the summer of 2013 to accompany Evening Prayers at the cathedral church for the City-State of Berlin. It sings both organ-accompanied and a cappella works.
Since Advent 2015, the choir has been singing Choral Evensong on at least one Saturday of each month. In fact, the Choir’s whole musical focus is on the repertoire commonly used in English cathedrals around the world. Not only does this include musical settings specifically for Anglican liturgies such as Choral Evensong, Choral Mattins, Choral Eucharist, or Lessons & Carols, it also takes in the huge scope of other choral music designed for use in churches and, nowadays, increasingly in concert halls: anthems, motets, masses and more.
During the 2015 – 2016 season for example, The English Choir Berlin also performed in concert the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré, Requiem by W.A. Mozart and Messiah by G.F. Handel. Once established, The English Choir Berlin has rapidly expanded the number of venues where it has appeared. In addition to the Berliner Dom, Choral Evensong, Solemn Eucharist, Lessons & Carols and formal concerts have already been sung.
During the 2017-2018 season, The English Choir Berlin performed in concert the Requiem by Maurice Duruflé and sang High Mass at Notre Dame de Paris and Evensong and Holy Eucharist at the American Cathedral during its Paris tour in May.
During the 2018-2019 season, The English Choir Berlin travelled to Rome to sing Evensong at Santo Stefano Rotondo and High Mass at Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni in Laterano.
During the 2021-2022 season, The English Choir Berlin sang Mass on Ascension Day at the Altenberger Dom, Evensong at St Andreas in Düsseldorf, and High Mass at the Kölner Dom. Also, it sang four Evensongs and Sunday High Mass at Westminster Abbey.
During the 2022-2023 season, The English Choir Berlin sang Evensongs at St. Ludwig in München and at Kloster Ettal, and High Mass at the Dom zu Freising.
The English Choir Berlin is currently made up of some three dozen SATB adult singers of all ages, many of whom have sung in cathedrals or colleges, all of whom are skilled choristers, and some of whom have sung professionally.
Since its inception the choir has been very international. Roughly one-quarter have come from, respectively, the UK, the USA, and Germany, while the remaining quarter have come from a broad range of countries including, over the past few years, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia, Netherlands, Cameroon, Thailand, Hong Kong, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
Weekly rehearsals take place in the Berliner Dom on Thursdays, 18:30-20:45.
Kathleen Bird
Founder and Conductor of the English Choir Berlin
Kathleen Bird was born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in a large family of church musicians. She studied piano and organ; and works regularly as an accompanist and coach for soloists and choirs. She has extensive experience as a choral singer and director and has played keyboard and assisted conductors in musical productions. After living in Germany from 1982- 2001 she took a career break sailing around the Pacific ocean and came to Berlin in 2011. Besides coaching opera singers as a Korrepetitorin and accompanying recitalists, she has from time to time been the Korrepetitorin and conductor in German musical theatre, most recently for Der Hauptmann von Köpenick.
She founded The English Choir Berlin in July 2013.
Education:
- Music with organ major at Towson State University, Baltimore
- Organ scholar at Marburg University in Germany
- Studied the Kodály method of music teaching in Hungary
- Conducting studies with Linda Horowitz at the Akademie für Tonkunst, Darmstadt.
Experience:
- Taught music in schools in Frankfurt am Main
- Music director at the Episcopal Church of Christ the King in Frankfurt am Main
- Organist and Choirmaster for one year at the Anglo-Catholic St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, Illinois.
- Sang in professional choirs in Boston, London, Los Angeles and Germany
Kathleen Bird was born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in a large family of church musicians. She studied piano and organ; and works regularly as an accompanist and coach for soloists and choirs. She has extensive experience as a choral singer and director and has played keyboard and assisted conductors in musical productions. After living in Germany from 1982- 2001 she took a career break sailing around the Pacific ocean and came to Berlin in 2011. Besides coaching opera singers as a Korrepetitorin and accompanying recitalists, she has from time to time been the Korrepetitorin and conductor in German musical theatre, most recently for Der Hauptmann von Köpenick.
She founded the English Choir Berlin in 2013.
