‘What We Really Do’ – The Tallis Scholars celebrate 40 years with a second edition

From London, Peter Phillips, the founder and conductor of The Tallis Scholars writes “I’m pleased to announce the publication of my new book–What We Really Do, 2nd edition. As you may remember, the original version with this title was published ten years ago, to mark the 30th anniversary of The Tallis Scholars. Now it is the 40th anniversary. Much has happened in the meantime, not only to the group but to the status of Renaissance polyphony in the concert-giving world; and in this new book it has been my intention to chronicle these changes. You will find new chapters, new photographs and new insights.”

Peter Phillips has guided The Tallis Scholars through their four decades, breathing new life into Renaissance polyphony from the very early days of being inspired to establish the ensemble in 1973. In its 40th year The Tallis Scholars have garnered a formidable reputation as an internationally respected a capella ensemble which sets the standard for historically informed performance of this specialist repertoire.

The Tallis Scholars have notched up nearly 2,000 concerts internationally, including television and radio broadcasts, and 60 CDs. Through their Summer Schools and tours, they have made many friends around the world and especially in Sydney where in recent years they have conducted several Summer Schools, worked with choirs and given several concerts.

In addition to his work with The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips is a publisher and writes a regular column for The Spectator. He has recently been appointed a Reed Rubin Director of Music and Bodley Fellow at Merton College, Oxford. He also works with other other ensembles, including  Collegium Vocale of Ghent, the Netherlands Chamber Choir, the Finnish Radio Choir,  and Musix of Budapest. In 2007, he was joint director of a BBC Proms concert at the Albert Hall in London, featuring The BBC Singers and The Tallis Scholars.

With a career as rich and as varied as this, his memoirs are certain to be unique and provide entertaining reading!

Click here to order online.

Peter Phillips is interviewed by Ivan Hewitt of The Telegraph