The Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, founded in 1911 by Sir Dan Godfrey, has become established as one of the country’s leading large vocal ensembles. It gives regular concerts with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Bournemouth, Poole, London and throughout Southern England, records extensively, and has appeared at the Proms and many other Festivals. It tours abroad regularly, with recent visits to America, Italy, Israel and Paris. It won a Grammy Award in America for its recording of Belshazzar’s Feast. For its ninetieth birthday in 2001, it commissioned a major new cantata, Voices of Exile from the composer Richard Blackford, with new poems by Tony Harrison, with first performances in Poole and at the Royal Festival Hall.
