Chamber Choir Ireland announces new Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
- CultureHead Staff
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
British conductor and Grammy Award nominee Gabriel Crouch
has been appointed as the director of Ireland's national chamber choir.
Chamber Choir Ireland has just announced the appointment of the internationally renowned conductor Gabriel Crouch as their Artistic Director and Principal Conductor.
Based in Dublin and touring both nationally and internationally, Chamber Choir Ireland is Ireland's national chamber choir and premier professional choral ensemble. Crouch succeeds Paul Hillier, who has held the position since 2008.
A British baritone, choral conductor, Grammy-nominated record producer, and former King’s Singer, Crouch’s career to date includes over 900 performances in almost every major concert venue in the world, as well as numerous celebrated recordings on the BMG label. He is Director of Choral Activities and Professor of the Practice in Music at Princeton University in New Jersey, USA.
Crouch takes up the position from January 2026, leading the group of 16 singers for a term of four years. Commenting on the appointment, Susan Lannigan, Chair of Chamber Choir Ireland's board of directors, remarked:
“We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Gabriel Crouch as our new conductor and artistic director. Gabriel’s distinguished reputation and vast expertise will herald a new era for the organisation and will no doubt inspire the choir to achieve new artistic heights. The selection process was highly competitive, attracting top-tier candidates from around the world, underscoring the exceptional calibre of Gabriel's experience and vision for the group.”
Regarding Crouch’s appointment, Chamber Choir Ireland CEO Majella Hollywood commented:
“There is poignancy, but also a sense of great excitement with a change of guard. We take tremendous pride in Chamber Choir Ireland’s reputation for adventurous programming—particuarly in its history of commissioning Irish composers and championing their work on the international stage. As we approach our 30th year in 2026, we look forward to working with Gabriel to build on this legacy and realise his creative vision.”
Crouch has collaborated with Chamber Choir Ireland previously, conducting the Irish Premiere of Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Drone Mass at Kilkenny Arts Festival in 2024, and joining them earlier this year for Forgotten Peoples, a programme of works exploring issues of homelessness, identity, and belonging. Speaking about his appointment, Crouch remarked:
“It is a great honour to be handed the reins of one of Ireland’s national cultural treasures. My experiences as guest conductor in the last few months have opened my eyes to the extraordinary depth of artistry within the group, and I’m looking forward to working with them, and with the wider CCI team, to deliver an inspiring vision for the company’s 30th anniversary year and beyond.”
Gabriel Crouch began his musical journey at the age of eight in the Westminster Abbey choir, performing solos for a Royal Wedding and alongside notable figures like Jessye Norman and Sir Laurence Olivier. After receiving a choral scholarship at Trinity College Cambridge, he joined the prestigious a cappella group, The King's Singers, in 1996.
Relocating to the USA in 2005, he established himself as a conductor and director. His latest recording, Mass for the Endangered, composed by Sarah Kirkland Snider and released on the Nonesuch/New Amsterdam labels, has received widespread acclaim from major outlets such as The New York Times and NPR.
Chamber Choir Ireland holds a unique place in the cultural life of Ireland, engaging over a million listeners annually through broadcasts, streaming, and live performances. CCI's programming is as diverse as it is daring, and the choir's recordings are consistently met with critical acclaim, with releases on Harmonia Mundi, Orchid Classics, Naxos, and RTÉ lyric fm labels.
The choir tours extensively throughout the island of Ireland, and has toured internationally to the USA, UK, and throughout Europe. Beyond the concert stage, CCI works closely with communities across Ireland, inspiring young composers in schools, supporting amateur and community choirs nationwide, and nurturing the next generation of choral artists.
Chamber Choir Ireland receives principal funding from the Arts Council of Ireland/an Chomhairle Ealaíon, and support from Dublin City Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through its National Lottery Fund, and is a resident ensemble at the National Concert Hall of Ireland.
For more information visit: chamberchoirireland.com
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