Brixi Singers directed by Richard Lea

The Brixi Singers were formed in 1994 as a small chamber choir in Bolton, to perform a variety of works, with a maximum number of 22 singers. This small group first sang in a much larger concert, and the piece they chose to sing was Veni Spiritui Sancto, by a 17th century Czech composer called Brixi. As the group became established, they took inspiration from this, and named their group after this composer! The Brixi Singers undertake 4-6 concerts a year, and have performed many sacred and secular pieces, either alone as a group, or in collaboration with other groups. In this way, they have been able to give small intimate performances of pieces such as Handel’s Messiah, and larger works, such as Bach’s B Minor Mass, Brahms German Requiem, Monteverdi Vespers,  or Karl Orff’s Carmina Burana. The Brixi Singers are also much in demand for charity concerts, where a lighter programme is provided, and for weddings. Although Bolton in Lancashire is the home town of the Brixi Singers, the choir has sung in places as far apart as Oxford’s Merton College Chapel, Prague, Notre Dame de Paris, Brussels,  Majorca,  and most recently in Berlin.

Richard Lea – Musical Director

Our Musical Director is Richard Lea,  who took over from Rory Wainwright Johnston in September 2019.  Richard is Organist at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool. He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and Christ’s and Notre Dame College in Liverpool and was Organ Scholar at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral studying with Noel Rawsthorne, Terence Duffy and Philip Duffy. He was then Organist at the Church of St. Oswald and St Edmund Arrowsmith, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire. He was appointed Organist at the Cathedral in 1999 working with Mervyn Cousins, Keith Orrell, Terence Duffy, Timothy Noon and Christopher McElroy. He has made numerous broadcasts and recordings, including three discs of the music of Lefébure Wély (featured in BBC Radio 2’s The Organist Entertains), the complete organ works of the Welsh composer William Mathias and the World Premiere recording of Sir John Tavener’s Requiem (on EMI with the RLPO and Choir conducted by Vasily Petrenko). Reviews include – ‘it is Richard Lea’s superb playing that steals the show’ (Organists’ Review)’, ‘really first rate playing’, ‘masterful’ (Gramophone), ‘Here is music and playing that will lift your spirits (American Organist), ‘the performances are brilliant…and genuinely moving’ (International Record Review), ‘exemplary performances – 5 stars’