Skylark Vocal Ensemble

Skylark, one of the world's leading vocal ensembles, blends some of America’s most virtuosic voices into an emotionally impactful and cohesive whole. Through innovative, imaginative, and interdisciplinary programming, Skylark aims to redefine the choral experience for artists and audiences alike. From its “homebase” in Eastern Massachusetts to premiere venues like the Met Cloisters, Spivey Hall, and the Morgan Library, Skylark is setting a global standard in the choral arts.

Artistic Director Matthew Guard’s well-researched and creative programs have been described as “engrossing” (WQXR New York) and “original, stimulating, and beautiful” (BBC Radio 3). Skylark’s performances have been called “gripping” by The Times of London and “thrilling” by Gramophone Magazine. With “some of Boston’s best singers” (Boston Globe), the ensemble creates a sound that “can sway you softly into calm and then all but throw you across the room with sheer harmonic force” (Thought Catalog).

The ensemble has received four GRAMMY® nominations for outstanding recordings and achieved multiple Billboard Traditional Classical Chart entries with recent albums. Skylark’s GRAMMY®-nominated 2024 album, Clear Voices in the Dark, is the first American recording of Francis Poulenc’s Figure Humaine, paired with songs from the American Civil War Era. The album has been hailed as “inspired” (Gramophone), “otherworldly” (WCRB Boston), “a huge success” (BBC), and “spectacular” (Textura). Skylark's groundbreaking “story score” concept, which integrates narrative with choral music, has transformed the choral experience. Notably, Once Upon a Time earned a GRAMMY® nomination, and Skylark’s commissioned version of A Christmas Carol (with text abridged by Artistic Director Matthew Guard and music by composer Benedict Sheehan) was performed by the BBC Singers and broadcast internationally. This year, Skylark will present A Christmas Carol at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City, featuring actress Christine Baranski as the narrator, with the original Charles Dickens handwritten manuscript on display.

Skylark's collaborations further exemplify its commitment to innovation. The ensemble has partnered with renowned jazz pianist Dan Tepfer (on Words My Mother Left Me), celebrated chef Daniel Boulud (on the launch of La Vie En Rose), and bestselling author Dan Brown (Sub Rosa, exploring hidden symbols in music).

To learn more please visit Skylark's website at skylarkensemble.org

Photograph Skylark by Michael Justin