About the Choir
The Liverpool Renaissance Singers is an Early Music choir of about 24 accomplished amateur singers formed in 1965 as the Renaissance Music Group. We perform music of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras, usually unaccompanied. The choir's voices include the usual soprano, alto, tenor and bass ranges.
We are a friendly and welcoming choir, with members of all ages and backgrounds creating beautiful music together. Our Musical Director Liam Owens has led the choir since the mid-2024 / 2025 season.
Our main repertoire is Renaissance music, occasionally ranging into the Medieval and early Baroque eras. We mostly sing un-accompanied, though sometimes we invite other instrumentalists and soloists to perform with us.
The choir regularly performs in Liverpool, across Merseyside (including Wirral) and North Wales. We usually give around 6-8 recitals per year, with our three main recitals at Christmas, Easter and in the early summer.
We currently rehearse at Liverpool Parish Church (Our Lady and St Nicholas) in Liverpool city centre on Wednesday evenings. New members are welcome at any point in the year. If you have any questions about the choir please look at our FAQs or learn more about us.
The choir was originally formed in 1965 as the Renaissance Music Group under the direction of Morris Davies who remained Director until his retirement in the 2015/2016 season. Deborah Catterall was our Musical Director from the 2015/2016 season to 2023/2024 season.
The choir enjoyed a long association with the School of Music at the University of Liverpool for many years. If you are interested in finding out more about the history of the choir, please enquire via our contact page.
Liverpool Renaissance Singers are registered with Charity Commission of England and Wales, Charity number 1189084. Our objects are “to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects”
The choir is a member of Making Music.
Joining the choir
For more details on being a choir member, please read our FAQs
If you are interested in joining the choir, please email the choir at renaissancesingersliverpool@gmail.com
If you would like to support the choir, please donate
Our Musical Director
Musical Director: Liam Owens
(from 2024/2025 season)
Liam has over 15 years’ experience of directing choirs, and has a particular interest in Early music. He took on the role of Musical Director of the Liverpool Renaissance Singers in January 2025. Prior to becoming Musical Director, he sang with the choir for a number of years in the Bass section.
Liam’s first experience of the Renaissance repertoire was singing works by Tallis and Victoria in the school Chamber Choir; he was captivated by the beauty of the writing, the depth of the emotion and the power of the voice, and the music has remained a part of his life ever since. After studying music in Liverpool, Liam spent 15 years as the Musical Director of the Oriel Singers, where the repertoire was varied but always included plenty of Byrd and Victoria…
Liam has a reputation for creating thoughtful programmes of music that are both satisfying and challenging. He has a passion for Renaissance music and choral singing, even admitting a preference to the more melancholic aspects of Renaissance repertoire (‘the more miserable the better’).
Liam is a well-organised and pragmatic Musical Director, running efficient rehearsals with humour and tact. He recognises that for amateur music-makers, rehearsals and performances need to be fulfilling and enjoyable.
Liam says, “The first few months with this brilliant group of passionate and committed singers has been an absolute privilege and I’m really looking forward to us exploring more of this fabulous repertoire together over the coming years. We’ve got some really exciting programmes planned which I hope will enthuse singers and audiences alike.”
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