The Ulster Consort
The large core of the Ulster Consort’s performers consists of Northern Irish singers, and singers based in Northern Ireland. Its energies are focused on concert performances of the finest works of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods – working with period instruments and in an historically informed manner – through to the glorious smaller-scaled works of the Romantic era, the 20th century, and the present day.
The Consort collaborates with some of Europe’s finest contemporary composers in concert and recordings. It is the lead choir for one of the most innovative new music programmes of our time: the Cranmer Anthem Book – a project which will see all 88 Collects from the Book of Common Prayer set to music by some of the world’s finest contemporary composers, including a new work from the recently appointed Master of the King’s Music (Errollyn Wallen CBE). October 2025 sees a further 10 world premieres, including one from Northern Ireland-based composer, Piers Hellawell, alongside figures such as Sir John Rutter, Bob Chilcott, and Joanna Forbes-L’Estrange.
In its first five years the Ulster Consort has performed right across Northern Ireland – in 17 different venues in its ‘home’ city of Belfast, as well as in Armagh, Ballymena, Bangor, Downpatrick, Enniskillen, Holywood, Londonderry/Derry, Newcastle, and Portaferry. It has also been the guest of the Pipeworks Festival in Dublin.
The ensemble is dedicated to nurturing the current and next generations of Northern Ireland’s musicians through its educational and outreach programmes, and through its Talent Development Programme, all of which are overseen by the Ulster Consort Foundation, a registered charity which is committed to music education and outreach, to choral singing education, and to growing the worldwide choral heritage.
Biography
The Ulster Consort is Northern Ireland’s newest professional music ensemble and one of the very few professional vocal ensembles in the country. It made its debut with a stellar, critically acclaimed period-instrument performance of Handel’s Messiah in December 2019.
The large core of the Ulster Consort’s performers consists of Northern Irish singers, and singers based in Northern Ireland. Its energies are focused on concert performances of the finest works of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods – working with period instruments and in an historically informed manner – through to the glorious smaller-scaled works of the Romantic era, the 20th century, and the present day.
The Consort collaborates with some of Europe’s finest contemporary composers in concert and recordings. It is the lead choir for one of the most innovative new music programmes of our time: the Cranmer Anthem Book – a project which will see all 88 Collects from the Book of Common Prayer set to music by some of the world’s finest contemporary composers, including a new work from the recently appointed Master of the King’s Music (Errollyn Wallen CBE). October 2025 sees a further 10 world premieres, including one from Northern Ireland-based composer, Piers Hellawell, alongside figures such as Sir John Rutter, Bob Chilcott, and Joanna Forbes-L’Estrange.
In its first five years the Ulster Consort has performed right across Northern Ireland – in 17 different venues in its ‘home’ city of Belfast, as well as in Armagh, Ballymena, Bangor, Downpatrick, Enniskillen, Holywood, Londonderry/Derry, Newcastle, and Portaferry. It has also been the guest of the Pipeworks Festival in Dublin.
The ensemble is dedicated to nurturing the current and next generations of Northern Ireland’s musicians through its educational and outreach programmes, and through its Talent Development Programme, all of which are overseen by the Ulster Consort Foundation, a registered charity which is committed to music education and outreach, to choral singing education, and to growing the worldwide choral heritage.
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