APOLLO5 appoints Thomas Mottershead as new tenor

APOLLO5 appoints Thomas Mottershead as new tenor

We are thrilled to announce that APOLLO5 has appointed a new tenor — please join us in giving a warm welcome to Thomas Mottershead!

Originally from Colchester, Thomas brings a wealth of experience, having sung with a variety of ensembles and choirs including the Llandaff and Gloucester Cathedral Choirs, as well as the BBC National Chorus of Wales. You may also recognise him from his 2022 appearance on The Voice UK, where he performed as part of a classical/musical theatre crossover duo, wowed the coaches with four chair turns and joined Team Sir Tom Jones!

Beyond his singing, Thomas is an accomplished conductor. He currently serves as Music Director for The Malmesbury Singers, The Athenaeum Singers (Warminster) and Cheltenham Choral Society. He is also Artistic Director of the Prometheus Consort.

Here are a few words from Thomas: “I am thrilled to be joining APOLLO5 as their newest member during their 15th anniversary year. APOLLO5 has always performed with such exceptional musicianship and to be a part of such a creative and inspiring group is a real privilege. I can’t wait to begin!”

Thomas officially joins APOLLO5 at the start of July, with his debut performance at Milton Abbey in Dorset on 30th July. We’ll then be heading out on our European tour in August and beyond. We can’t wait for you to meet — and hear — him!

‘Anam’ Album Launch Concert

Join us as we launch their new studio album 'Anam' on 23rd January 2025 at 7pm for a concert at our home, St Anne & St Agnes Church. We are commemorating our upcoming 15th-anniversary milestone with ‘Anam: Music to move the soul’. Tickets £15.

New Tenor!

We are delighted to announce that we have appointed Joseph Taylor as our new tenor!

Apollo5 Tenor Joseph Taylor

Joseph is from Bradford, West Yorkshire, and recently graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. His professional endeavours have seen him perform with distinction across the UK and Europe, performing regularly with world-renowned ensembles including The Monteverdi Choir, Collegium Vocale Gent, The Gabrielli Consort, St Martin’s Voices, Kantos Chamber Choir, Chorus of the Age Enlightenment, and many more.  

In Joseph’s own words, “I’ve always been inspired by the way APOLLO5 performs, educates, and creates music. Becoming a part of such a tight-knit group feels like a dream come true, and I can’t wait to get started!”

Joseph joins APOLLO5 from the start of the 2024/25 season and will make his first appearance in concert with us in late-August.

Latest Album | Haven

Haven, the sixth solo studio album from Apollo5, explores the music and poetry of troubled, displaced and persecuted authors, from the Tudor musician William Byrd – who secretly continued a commitment to Catholicism at the height of the Protestant Reformation – to Romantic poets, twentieth-century songwriters and contemporary Ukrainian composers currently writing in exile.

Annual Review 2021-22

We Are Delighted To Present the VOCES8 Foundation Annual Review For The 2021-22 Season.

Just published our Annual Review for 2021-22. See all the wonderful educational, singing and recording projects we have been engaged in. You can also read our new Sponsorship Catalogue for 2023/24 if you would like to help us achieve even more in this year…

APOLLO5 & the Hallow App

Apollo5 has partnered with meditation and prayer app Hallow to record a set of seven new a cappella songs that explore the themes of death and resurrection. Listen to the beautiful setting of ‘God So Loved the World’ by John Stainer, ‘Sicut Cervus’ by Palestrina, a chant by Hildegard Von Bingen, and many more! Find out more about the App and how to download it by clicking the button below.

Apollo5: Ubi Caritas by Ola Gjeilo

Set to music by contemporary Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, this eighth-century text is one of the antiphons used for the washing of feet on Maundy Thursday. The recording is taken from recent album Invocations, for which each member of Apollo5 picked a song (or two) to encapsulate their individual ‘life soundtracks’. 'Ubi Caritas' is tenor Oli Martin-Smith’s choice, which for him summons deep feelings of nostalgia. To listen to Invocations on your preferred streaming platform, head here: https://orcd.co/vpab1pv To buy a ticket for LIVE From London: Easter 2023, head here: https://livefromlondon.org

New Album, Invocations

Apollo5 Invocations

Apollo5’s studio album, Invocations, was born out of the group’s desire to share fragments of their life stories with audiences, and to encourage listeners to discover their ‘life music’ too. Alongside long-term collaborator Fraser Wilson, Apollo5’s singers individually hand-picked songs and texts that have emotionally resonated with them over the course of their lives; the songs selected were then reworked by Fraser into brand new versions. This colourful melange of melody is Apollo5’s most personal project yet, accentuating the power of music as a soundtrack to a life. 

Invocations was released on 10 March 2023 on VOCES8 Records.

New Single - What a Wonderful World

Our new album 'Invocations' drops on March 10th across all streaming platforms (and you'll be able to own that luscious artwork by Keliris Music as a CD too!). We couldn't be more excited to share with you our most personal project to date. You can pre-save the album via the link below, and please do also check out our new single, 'What A Wonderful World', which is the last recording to feature our long-standing bass Greg Link on solo duties.

Listen/download/pre order here

ANÚNA Documentary

'Behind The Closed Eye' Documentary Featuring Apollo5

On Monday, February 13th at 6pm GMT the documentary 'Behind The Closed Eye' will be released to view.

Filmed across Ireland and featuring stunning landscapes and music, the feature-length film 'Behind the Closed Eye' follows the creation of the eponymous album by ANÚNA and The Ulster Orchestra and features live performances by ANÚNA (Ireland), Cantus (USA) and Apollo5 (UK).

The documentary also features an interview with Apollo5's Artistic Director, Clare Stewart.
 

New Single Ubi Caritas

Apollo5 Ubi Caritas

Ubi Caritas is the new single from Apollo5, taken from their forthcoming album Invocations. Set to music by contemporary Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, this eighth-century text is one of the antiphons used for the washing of feet on Maundy Thursday. For Invocations, each member of Apollo5 picked a song (or two) to encapsulate their individual ‘life soundtracks’. Ubi Caritas is tenor Oli Martin-Smith’s choice, which for him summons deep feelings of nostalgia.

 

Ubi Caritas will be released on 6 January 2023 on VOCES8 Records. Invocations will be released on 10 March 2023 on VOCES8 Records.

New Single

Set sail this Christmas with Apollo5 as they serenade you with their new festive single, The Lighthouse Keeper. In a brand new arrangement by Paul Smith of Sam Smith’s soothing seasonal song, Apollo5 tenor Oli Martin-Smith beckons the listener home with a light melody, open arms and Christmas cheer, cushioned by mellow, warm harmonies. The Lighthouse Keeper captures the magic of Christmas, its capacity to bring loved ones together and the radiance of expectation, comfort and hope.

Released 2nd December 2022