12th May 2021: London Oriana Choir is delighted to announce that Cecilia McDowall has accepted the role of Patron of the choir. She is the choir’s first patron and is taking on this position at an auspicious time for London Oriana Choir. In September, the choir will begin the fifth and final year of its five15 initiative in support of women composers and, in 2023, will be celebrating its 50th birthday.
Dominic Ellis-Peckham said: “We are so proud that Cecilia has agreed to be our Patron. She has been a good friend of the choir for many years and this appointment cements the high regard in which she is held by our members, who so enjoy singing her music. We are looking forward to strengthening our relationship with her in the coming years.”
Cecilia McDowall said: "I am thrilled and honoured to be invited to be Patron of the London Oriana Choir in the run-up to its 50th year. The choir’s forward-looking approach to commissioning new music is so exciting and I just love my association with this vibrant and versatile choir."
Cecilia McDowall has won many awards throughout her career as one the country’s leading composers. Her music has been commissioned and performed by leading choirs, including the BBC Singers, The Sixteen, Oxford and Cambridge choirs and at festivals worldwide. Most recently, in 2020 McDowall was presented with the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for ‘outstanding music collection’ for a ‘consistently excellent body of work’.
London Oriana Choir is one of Britain’s leading choral groups and one of the most exciting and versatile in the capital. It has a rich history of performances and recordings, from baroque to rock, sacred to secular, a cappella or accompanied in venues great and small in London, around the UK and abroad. In 2016, the choir launched its five15 initiative in support of women composers, a project which includes increased programming, commissions, recordings and much more.