The Gesualdo Six are a British vocal consort, directed by Owain Park. The group was founded in Cambridge in 2014 for a performance of the Tenebrae Responsories for Maundy Thursday by Carlo Gesualdo, in the chapel of Trinity College.[1] The Gesualdo Six perform a broad-ranging repertoire, from the music of the medieval period through to contemporary compositions of the present day.
The ensemble were St John's Smith Square Young Artists for the 2015–2016 season,[2] and in partnership with St John's Smith Square and the Music Sales Group, curated a composition competition in 2016, which attracted over 170 entries from across the globe.[3] A second composition competition in 2018 attracted over 300 entries.[4]
In addition to regular concerts across the UK and Europe,[5][6][7] the ensemble undertakes several inter-continental tours a year, these have included several tours of the United States,[8] Canada,[9] Australia[10][11] and New Zealand.[12]
In 2018 the Gesualdo Six released their debut album, English Motets, on the Hyperion label.[13][14] It features works from the English Renaissance by composers including Dunstaple, Cornysh, Byrd, Tallis, Tomkins, Sheppard and Morley. It was selected for the quarterly Bestenliste by the German Record Critics' Awards in August 2018.[15]
A second CD, Christmas, was released in November 2019, again on the Hyperion label.[16] It was selected as The Times 'Album of the Week' for 15 December 2019.[17] Their third album, Fading, was released in March 2020,[18] and won Limelight magazine's "Vocal & Choral Recording of the Year".[19]
Subsequent recordings on the Hyperion label have been Josquin's legacy (2021),[20][21] Tenebrae Responsories for Maundy Thursday (2022),[22][23] Lux aeterna (2022),[24][25] Byrd: Mass for five voices & other works (2023),[26][27] and Morning star (2023).[28]