Linked to the London Vocal Project Concert on the same day, this accessible workshop for all abilities is a chance to work (and perform later at the concert!) with jazz composer and educationalist Pete Churchill and The London Vocal Project, one of the UK’s leading contemporary vocal ensembles, specialising in jazz and groove music. 

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Pete Churchill

Pete has been a member of both Kenny Wheeler’s and Abdullah Ibrahim’s vocal projects, travelled extensively as Mark Murphy’s accompanist and has collaborated with, amongst others, Norma Winstone, Stan Sulzmann, John Taylor, Cleveland Watkiss, Julian Arguelles, Bobby Wellins and Tina May. 

Following 18 years of teaching on the Post Grad Jazz course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Pete is now Professor of Jazz Composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London whilst running the jazz choir at Trinity College of Music. 

Much of Pete’s time now is taken up with directing his own choir ‘The London Vocal Project’. In addition to high profile performances with Cleo Laine, Norma Winstone, Kenny Wheeler and, most recently Bobby McFerrin, this seminal ensemble of young singer/workshop leaders regularly join Pete on his massive educational projects and they are fast gaining a reputation, under his guidance, as the next generation of gifted educators.

The London Vocal Project

From a solid foundation in Gospel and Groove music, the London Vocal Project has developed into an impressively versatile ensemble with a constantly expanding repertoire. Since its inception in January 2008 it has rapidly become recognised as the leading contemporary jazz-vocal ensemble in the country.

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The London Vocal Project is one of the UK’s leading contemporary vocal ensembles, specialising in jazz and groove music. One of their first major collaborations was with Bobby McFerrin in the London concert of the music from his VOCAbuLarieS album. Since then LVP have continued to work on many other challenging projects: recording a highly acclaimed album of poetry settings with Kenny Wheeler and Norma Winstone. More recently that have been working on Jon Hendricks' Miles Ahead - an important and historic contribution to vocal jazz.

For the Festival they will be presenting a mix of standards and groove tunes including a few from their recent Miles Ahead project