There is no more revealing a medium in music than the human voice. Coming from deep inside the body, carried on the breath, acquiring resonance in the head, shaped and channelled through the same mouth and lips through which we speak and with which we kiss – this sound, not filtered through wood, metal or gut, cannot be separated from the human being that made it. By the time it leaves the body, it is intrinsically, inextricably personal.

Since its debut in 2002, Exaudi has emerged as one of Britain’s leading contemporary music ensembles. Founded by James Weeks (director) and Juliet Fraser (soprano), Exaudi is based in London and draws its singers from among the UK’s brightest vocal talents. The ensemble typically works as a consort rather than a choir – usually one voice to a part, ranging from three to eighteen voices – and draws inspiration for its sound from that of early music ensembles, a strong but focused tone that is ideal for the performance of harmonically intricate contemporary music. Many Exaudi programmes combine the new with the old, and the ensemble is equally in demand for its performances of music of the High Renaissance and early Baroque. Exaudi’s special affinity is for the radical edges of contemporary music, at home equally with maximal complexity, microtonality and experimental aesthetics. The newest new music is at the heart of its repertoire, and it has given national and world premières of Sciarrino, Rihm, Finnissy, Fox, Posadas, Eötvös, Gervasoni, Skempton, Ayres, Pesson, Poppe, Fox and James Saunders among many others. Through its new commissioning scheme, Exaudi is particularly committed to the younger generation of composers currently in their twenties and early thirties, and is proud to champion the work of major emerging voices including Aaron Cassidy, Evan Johnson, Bryn Harrison, Amber Priestley, Matthew Shlomowitz, Joanna Bailie, James Weeks and Claudia Molitor.

'The spirit may be experimental but the execution is polished, confident, persuading you that the performers really believe in their often provocative materials.’ - Gramophone