The international award-winning octet Voces8 has established itself as the foremost young British a cappella group. Performing a repertoire ranging from Renaissance polyphony to unique jazz and pop arrangements, the group has been praised for stunning performances, exquisite singing and creating a sound that spans the entire range of vocal color. Founded in 2003 by ex-choristers of Westminster Abbey, Voces8 first achieved success in 2005, winning first prize at the International Choral Grand Prix in Gorizia, Italy. This collection of German choral music for Mirare finds the group in top voice.

'A Choral Tapestry' explores the rich timbres of sacred vocal music spanning five centuries. Interweaving genres create an ethereal sonic tapestry that centers around masterpieces from Europe's rich choral history.

Five music professionals from Edmonton, Alberta are classically trained members of Voce (pronounced Voh-che). They formed in 1993 to be able to share their interpretations of popular music from the tweedeledee of 'Rockin' Robin' through a 'Rocky Mountain High' which has 'Rivers Of Dreams' flowing through it like 'Tears In Heaven'. Jazz, tight harmonies that take on a close harmony sound, almost, and touches of classical music are all incorporated in the covers found in the midst of three sweet original tunes, the title track 'So Many Ways' and two spirit movers 'The Light' and 'Gift Of Song.'

Cuba has been sharing it's culture and traditions recently with the world at large by exporting a cappella music as part of its rich musical heritage. In Voces Mirtha Millan is the music director and arranger of most of the songs which are sung by six women. Heard for the first time are elements of vocal percussion performed by women somewhat reminiscent of Vocal Sampling. Ballads abound on this recording which is spiced with both jazzy and more classical sounding arrangements. The most familiar tunes are 'Cómo Fue' and 'Guantanamera.' Several of the tunes are accompanies by guitar and a bit of percussion.

Voces8 return to disc with this new recording of J.S.Bach's Motets, BWV 225-230. Joined by the Senesino Players, this young group prove their versatility and skill in performing some of Bach's most challenging and engaging compositions. This disc follows their a cappella debut disc with Signum earlier this year, Aces High (SIGCD187) - themed around some stunning jazz arrangements and songs from the James Bond films: 'The slickest of the lot ... two parts King's Singers, three parts Swingle Singers, a dash of Bobby McFerrin and California sunshine ... fans of a cappella ought to hear this, not just for the singing but the production values and Jim Clements audacious arrangements' Andrew McGreggor, CD Review, BBC Radio 3

The singers are Bruce Cable, Orville Cameron, Martin Murphy, Jeff Watt, and Trent Worthington. Together they are the notable Canadian group who have been awarded top honors at the 1998 Northern Harmony A Cappella Competition, sweeping the contest... Winner: Best Group, Winner: Best Original Song ('Let It Go'), and Winner: Audience Favorite. Now you are the winner with the smooth, rich harmonies which are so tight they might have been found in a barbershop quartet but the chords find more inspiration from popular, show tune, gospel, and doo-wop traditions. Almost all the tunes are original love songs which have been written by members of the group. The tempo's vary from ballad to doo-wop, light rock and there's even a blues tune with a great vocal harmonica break found on 'You Won't Be Hurtin' Me (No More).' The notable covers are 'Paper Moon' and James Taylor's 'Your Smiling Face.' This is a recording of lovely singing which exemplifies the world of contemporary a cappella which they just happen to define in the opening track, 'A Cappella Music.'

Voces8 has established itself as the foremost young British a cappella group, performing a varied repertoire, from popular and jazz arrangements to early polyphony. The 6-men, 2-women octet performs extensively in the UK, Europe and the US, and has been drawing reviews such as 'stunning performance,' 'exquisite singing' and 'a sound that spans the entire range of vocal color.' We can only agree with this assessment in every way, and point out that after the octet's recent performance at the ACDA Convention in Oklahoma City, over a hundred people lined up at the PAC booths to buy 'Evensong,' and only 75 were lucky enough to get one, but we have now managed to get our hands on a bunch more from the group! 12 songs, every one an exquisite gem, so we will simply list them: British composers Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley's title tune, Al Jolson's 'Me and My Shadow,' Otis Blackwell's jazzy 'Fever,' 'Gabriel's Message' (pop mix), Palestrina's soaring 'Magnificat Primi Toni,' Nat King Cole's 'Straighten Up and Fly Right,' Jerry Lieber/Mike Stoller's 'Jailhouse Rock,' 'Good King Wenceslas,' Orlando Gibbons' 'O Clap Your Hands,' Ben Folds' 'The Luckiest,' Gustav Holst's 'Nunc Dimittis' and Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley's 'Feeling Good.' Be it Choral, Vocal Jazz, Pop, Classical Spiritual or whatever genre you'd care to put them in, Voces8 is one of the best a cappella groups we've ever heard. Buy 'Evensong,' turn the volume up or put on some fine headphones, and enjoy!

Listen to Me and My Shadow in RealAudio.

Founded in 2004 by Dr. Dawn Willis, Bella Voce consists of 40 to 45 auditioned singers, performing existing and newly-commissioned sacred and secular works for women's voices. The ensemble is drawn from four counties throughout Vermont, many of whom also sing in a variety of school, church and community choruses across the region. One of the highlights of the last few years for Bella Voce has included several collaborations with Gwyneth Walker. The members have enjoyed working closely with this gifted composer, whose catalog includes over 170 commissioned works, reflecting both serious and light-hearted musical styles. These 17 works are surprising, refreshing, witty, innovative and inspiring. Some favorites are 'Women Should be Pedestals,' the dramatic 'How Can I Keep From Singing,' 'Gifts From The Sea,' the delicate 'Mornings Innocent,' the a cappella tune 'The Name is Changeless,' the joyous 'Love Is A Rain of Diamonds,' the love song 'I Will Be Earth,' the lovely a cappella song 'So Many Angels,' 'Walk That Valley,' 'Never Sit Down,' the traditional songs 'Crossing the Bar,' 'Peace I Ask of Thee, O River' and the title tune. There is some light accompaniment on most songs. The beautiful liner notes contain all the lyrics. An uplifting treat from Bella Voce and the wonderful composer Gwyneth Walker, that will touch and move you from beginning to end!

Listen to Walk That Valley in RealAudio.

Pride of Vermont since their founding by the renowned Dr. Willis, the 40-strong Bella Voce Women's Chorus brings us a bright, ringing Christmas album of 20 songs, some of them familiar and beloved, like 'The Sussex Carol,' 'Wexford Carol,' John Rutter's 'Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day,' 'A La Nanita Nana,' the spirituals 'Mary Had A Baby' and 'Glory and Honor to the Newborn King;' 'Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head,' 'I Wonder As I Wander,' the Christmas medley 'Christmas Intrada,' Benjamin Britten's 'This Little Babe' and Brahms' 'Ave Maria.' and many of them less familiar to us, like 'Masters in this Hall,' 'O My Dear Heart,' Eleanor Daley's 'What Sweeter Music,' 'La Virgen Lava Panales,' 'The Moon of Wintertime,' 'A la Ru, A la Me' and Steven Rickards' 'Angels Did Sing.' Most songs have some light to heavy accompaniment, and the lovely, extensive liner notes have all the lyrics.

Listen to O My Dear Heart in RealAudio.

With a dash of danger, a hint of high society and mixture of three parts suave English gentlemen to one part beautiful femme fatale, this is the new album by vocal ensemble VOCES8. Aces High is a thrilling blend of James Bond themes and classic Jazz and Pop tunes. VOCES8 has established itself as the foremost young British a cappella group performing repertoire ranging from early polyphony to unique jazz and popular arrangements. VOCES8 has entertained audiences across Europe, and has been praised for its stunning performance, exquisite singing and a sound that spans the entire range of vocal color.

Listen to From Russia With Love in RealAudio.

Composer and 2007 National Medal of Arts recipient Morten Lauridsen plays piano on this CD and proclaims the album a 'superb recording of my choral music and art songs . . . all brilliantly performed by Voce and the Voce Chamber Artists.'

Imagine the group Acappella growing up in Central America. That's what the new album from Voces is like. It's pure gospel and pure Spanish vocals at their best. Their self-titled album is comprised of nine songs from the Acappella Company catalog and two new originals. The album is produced by Gary Moyers. Michael Forehand (formerly of the Vocal Union) took on the brunt of the job as Assistant Producer, as well as mixing the album.

Bella Voce is a not-for-profit 51-voice-strong Rochester, Minnesota-based young women's choir, directed by founder directed by founder Shelly Winemiller, who is celeerating her 4th season as Bella Voce's Artistic Director. The group is committed to providing access to all their concerts to all members of the community regardless of their ability to pay, and channels donated money to a number of community and humanitarian causes. 'Best of Bella' is a rich, live-in-concert collection of 21 wonderful cuts, most of them accompanied by drums, piano or various instruments. Some favorites are 'Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal,' arranged by Alice Parker, Morten Lauridsens 'Dirait-on,' John Rutter's 'Angels' Carol,' Max Reger's 'Mary's Cradle Song,' Pablo Casals' 'Nigra Sum,' Carl Schalk's 'Before the Marvel of This Night,' Benjamin Britten's three 'Selections from A Ceremony of Carols, James Mulholland's 'Life has Loveliness to Sell,' the Moses Hogan-arranged 'Music Down In My Soul,' Jeffery Ames' 'Holy is the Land' and Katie Bart's 'The Blessing.' This spirited, altruistic ensemble has a beautiful, angelic sound with rich harmonies and strong leads. 'Best of Bella' is a lovely winner from one of Minnesota's finest, most talented young women's choirs. Don't miss this one!

'A Bella Christmas: Angels are Singing' is an aptly-named, live, gorgeous Christmas collection from the pride of Rochester, Minnesota. Most of the songs are accompanied by piano, a brass ensemble, organ, oboe and congas. But the highlight of the album is the high, soaring voices of the 51 singers, in perfect solos and together in glorious harmony. Some of our favorites among the 15 cuts are Z. Randall Stroope's 'Magnificat' and 'There Is No Rose;' Chris Dedrick's 'The Angel Choir and The Trumpeter,' Mozart's 'Alleluia,' John Rutter's lovely 'Candlelight Carol' and a cappella 'Deck The Hall;' Tchaikovsky's 'Dans des Mirlitons' (Dance of the Reed Flutes,' Pietro A. Yon's sublime 'Gesu Bambino,' the traditional song 'Cantemos a Maria' (Let Us Sing to Mary); Egil Hovland's 'Stay With Us' and the traditional carol 'Silent Night.' Every cut here is perfect, and guaranteed to bring joyous music to your Christmas celebrations for years to come!

Voce is San Luis Obispo, CA's Cuesta College's finest Vocal Jazz 9 mixed-voice ensemble, and 'Timepieces' is recorded with a hot five-man student Jazz band. Formed in 1981, Voce has won an Outstanding Performance Award from DownBeat, first place at the 1998 Reno Jazz Festival and performances at Switzerland's prestigious Montreaux Jazz Festival. There are 10 cuts on this impressive second album (their first was 2007's excellent 'Just One of Those Things'), some favorites among these sometimes accompanied pieces are Michel LeGrand's 'I Will Wait for You,' Anders Edenroth's a cappella 'The Grass Grows Greener,' the mellow 'Something 'bout Believing,' George & Ira Gershwin's classic 'Summertime,' Thad Jones' moody a cappella 'Somna Mitt Barn,' a sweet a cappella adaption of Tchaikovsky's 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' and Imogen Heap's wonderfully harmonic a cappella 'Hide and Seek.' Voce has a beautiful sound, creative arrangements, and we loved 'Timepieces!'

Listen to Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy in RealAudio.

A beautiful disc of (mostly) World Premiere recordings, this first-ever CD to be devoted solely to his choral music will act as a herald to next year's Rubbra centenary celebrations. The earliest are the Five Motets of 1934, settings of 16th century metaphysical poems. It was madrigalist Thomas Campion whose poems provided the basis for two delightful sets of Madrigals, and charming too are the group of four simple Carols. It is for his liturgical music that Rubbra is perhaps best known today, and the four substantial works included here demonstrate why. There is his largest a cappella piece, Lauda Sion, a magnificent Aquinas setting, plus his second setting of The Beatitudes. Two settings of the mass are featured, his third, written in medieval style, and his fifth. This is the focal point of the whole collection, the Mass in Honour of St Teresa of Avila of 1981 which was Rubbra's last major choral work, and summarises the composer's mature harmonic language.

Voces Cantabiles Music is a British Educational Foundation, led by Artistic Director Barnaby Smith and an elite team of 19 professional performance artists, teachers, facilitators and workshop leaders that maintains 4 ensembles, Voces Cantabiles, Voces Cantabiles Youth Choir, the Senesino Players, a professional chamber orchestra, and Voces8, a professional a cappella vocal octet. 'Snowed In' is a finely-crafted Christmas collection of 17 songs by these 6 young men and 2 women singers, founded in 2003 by ex-choristers of Westminster Abbey. With a repertoire ranging from 13th century polyphony to new jazz arrangements, the group has toured extensively in Europe, winning first prizes at International Grand Prix in Goriza and at the European Grand Prix in Spain, for both the sacred and secular categories. Favorites are standards 'I Saw Three Ships,' 'The Boar's Head Carol,' 'Good King Wenceslas,' 'Gabriel's Message,' 'The Twelve Days of Christmas,' 'Ding Dong Merrily on High,' 'The Holly and the Ivy,' 'I Wonder as I Wander' and 'In the Bleak Midwinter,' but the fresh, clean sound of this talented group makes every selection a winner. Treat your family and friends to 'Snowed In,' one of the best Christmas recordings of the year!

Listen to Ding Dong Merrily on High in RealAudio.

The marvelously varied repertoire of Voces Cantabiles Music's 6-man, 2 woman a cappella ensemble Voces8 is highlighted on this collection of tunes that have been wowing audiences and judges across Europe, making the group one of the most highly sought after vocal ensembles around. The group's links to Westminster Abbey are clear in the first two cuts, 'O Clap Your Hands,' a polyphonic work by former organist Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), and Richard Dering's (1580-1630) Italian canzona 'Factum est Silentium.' William Byrd's 'Haec Dies' continues the Italianate theme, and returning to Westminster Abbey we hear from another former organist, Henry Purcell (1659-1695), his 8-part 'Hear My Prayer, O Lord.' Other fine classical works follow, among them 'Gaude Virgo, Mater Christi' by Josquin de Prez, Claudio Monteverdi's 'Cantate Domino,' Josef Rheinberger's 'Abenlied' and Robert Pearsall's 'Lay a Garland.' Two spirituals, the plaintive 'Steal Away' and 'Didn't my Lord Deliver Daniel,' Louis Armstrong's jazz recording of 'Mack the Knife' hears the ensemble imitate an 8-part big band, 'Maria' from 'West Side Story' and 'Who Will Buy' from the musical 'Oliver' follow. The final cut returns to an Armstrong recording of Gershwin's 1930s classic, 'I Got Rhythm.' A wonderful, stunning collection, and another winner for Voces8!

Listen to Cantata Domino in RealAudio.

Time is Now, the successor of their first album Nordic Voices, contains a broad spectrum of favorites from the choir's repertoire. The time span is huge, covering music from the Renaissance to the present day, with compositions by Francisco Guerrero, Josef Rheinberger, James Taylor, Olle Lindberg, Susanne Rosenberg, among others. The conductor and artistic leader, Lone Larsen, has contributed with the title track Time is Now and also with some of the arrangements. The variety in the repertoire is a clear signum of Voces Nordicae. Voces Nordicae has gained an international reputation as one of the most prominent choirs in Sweden. Part of this reputation is due to their successful appearances at special performances abroad and a number of awards at international choir festivals. As one of the foremost representatives of Swedish choral singing, Nordic Voices was invited to the ACDA's (American Choral Directors Association) national meeting in Miami, in Mars 2007. This is an honor that previously has been given to only three Swedish choirs, among these the Swedish Radio Choir and The Real Group.

Lone Larsen founded the choir Voces Nordicae during her diploma studies at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, supervised by professor Anders Eby. Her Danish heritage is reflected on the album NORDIC VOICES; here you will find music by three of the most brilliant Danish composers: Vagn Holmboe, Jorgen Jersild and Per Norgard. This CD also contains two arrangements by one of Scandinavia's most apprechiated arrangers of choral music, Gunnar Eriksson. The two songs are Kristallen den fina (a quadlibet of three folk songs) and To the mothers in Brazil, the latter being one of the most popular songs by the Swedish jazz composer and pianist Lars Jansson. The Finnish composer Jaakko Mantyjarvi is represented with his magnificent piece Five Shakespeare Songs. Two composers; the Basque composer Javier Busto, with his folkloristic piece Sagastipean and the Estonian composer Urmas Sisask, with his expressive piece Benedictio, represent Europe outside the Nordic countries.