The Oxford Gargoyles
Encyclopedia
The Oxford Gargoyles is a mixed-voice jazz
a cappella
group from Oxford University, England
. The group's repertoire is rooted in the jazz songbook but also extends to pop, soul, Latin and gospel numbers. The group was founded in 1998 and has been instrumental in the rise of collegiate a cappella
in the United Kingdom
. The Gargoyles were involved in organising the BICCAs (British Inter-Collegiate Championship of A Cappella), as well as participating in the Western European category of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
since its inception in 2006. In 2007, the Gargoyles won the Western European semifinal of the ICCAs and competed in the world final, held in the Alice Tully Hall
(part of the Lincoln Center in New York City
). In 2010, the Gargoyles were the winners of The Voice Festival UK
.
The Gargoyles perform at a variety of events in and around Oxford, such as college balls, charity events and private functions, as well as putting on their own concerts. They have also performed in London
at such venues as the Ministry of Defence
, the Natural History Museum
and the Savoy Hotel
, as well as opening for internationally renowned a cappella group The Swingle Singers
at the Purcell Room
in 2008 and at the Kings Place
in 2010.
They have toured to the United States several times, appearing at Disneyland in Los Angeles
and on The Today Show. They have performed at the Edinburgh Fringe
every year since 2006, to acclaim from publications including The Herald and ThreeWeeks
. Their 2008 Edinburgh show was awarded the status of an official sell out show..
The Oxford Gargoyles have produced 8 albums, most recently 2009's All Right With Me . In April 2008 the group was featured on the BBC Radio 3
programme The Choir.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group from Oxford University, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The group's repertoire is rooted in the jazz songbook but also extends to pop, soul, Latin and gospel numbers. The group was founded in 1998 and has been instrumental in the rise of collegiate a cappella
Collegiate a cappella
Collegiate a cappella ensembles are student-run and -directed singing groups that perform entirely without instruments. Such groups can be found at many colleges and universities in the United States, and increasingly worldwide....
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Gargoyles were involved in organising the BICCAs (British Inter-Collegiate Championship of A Cappella), as well as participating in the Western European category of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
since its inception in 2006. In 2007, the Gargoyles won the Western European semifinal of the ICCAs and competed in the world final, held in the Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
(part of the Lincoln Center in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
). In 2010, the Gargoyles were the winners of The Voice Festival UK
The Voice Festival UK
The Voice Festival UK is the only UK-wide festival which celebrates the art of unaccompanied singing.The Festival's central purpose is to increase the awareness and popularity of the a cappella art form in the UK, and to support the development of the existing UK a cappella scene, by recruiting...
.
The Gargoyles perform at a variety of events in and around Oxford, such as college balls, charity events and private functions, as well as putting on their own concerts. They have also performed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at such venues as the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
and the Savoy Hotel
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London. Built by impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the hotel opened on 6 August 1889. It was the first in the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants owned by...
, as well as opening for internationally renowned a cappella group The Swingle Singers
The Swingle Singers
The Swingle Singers are a mostly a cappella vocal group formed in 1962 in Paris, France by Ward Swingle with Anne Germain, Jeanette Baucomont, Jean Cussac and others. Christiane Legrand, the sister of composer Michel Legrand, was the group's lead soprano through 1972. Until 2011 the group...
at the Purcell Room
Purcell Room
The Purcell Room is a concert and performance venue which forms part of the Southbank Centre, one of central London's leading cultural complexes. It is named after the 17th century English composer Henry Purcell and has 370 seats....
in 2008 and at the Kings Place
Kings Place
Kings Place is a building in London’s Kings Cross area, providing music and visual arts venues combined with seven floors of office space, a home for The Guardian newspaper since December 2008 and the headquarters of Network Rail...
in 2010.
They have toured to the United States several times, appearing at Disneyland in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and on The Today Show. They have performed at the Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
every year since 2006, to acclaim from publications including The Herald and ThreeWeeks
ThreeWeeks
ThreeWeeks is a newspaper that covers the Brighton and Edinburgh Festivals in May and August respectively.It has covered the Edinburgh Festival since 1996 and the Brighton Festival since 2006.- Education Programme :...
. Their 2008 Edinburgh show was awarded the status of an official sell out show..
The Oxford Gargoyles have produced 8 albums, most recently 2009's All Right With Me . In April 2008 the group was featured on the BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
programme The Choir.
External links
- The Oxford Gargoyles
- Official page on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....