From the Top had its beginnings in early 2012. Some of us had previously sung with another octet, and the demise of that group spurred us to form a new one, with the aim of singing the sort of music we ourselves would like to hear performed. Given the inevitably diverse range of tastes in an ensemble of eight singers, that has resulted in the wide range of styles our repertoire embodies.
Collectively, we are happy to tackle music of any level of difficulty from the a cappella (i.e. unaccompanied vocal) musical spectrum, so we have a "no boundaries" approach when selecting our material. If there is no suitable existing arrangement we can create our own, and occasionally turn our hand to original composition too.
Our first performance as a group was given to critical acclaim at St Faith's Church, Hitchin, as part of the 2012 Hitchin Music Festival. The programme - perversely entitled "Songs of Parting and Farewell" - included all six Parry Songs of Farewell (rarely all performed in one programme), as well as songs by Lennon and McCartney, 40's band-leader Ted Heath, and many others. Since then we have sung at public concerts and private functions in and around Hertfordshire and Essex. Visit our "Programmes" page (click on "Programmes" above) for details of some of those events.
Click HERE to download a 5-minute audio sample
We can be hired for wedding ceremonies and receptions, other private parties and public concerts. For information on rates and availability contact Mike Attwood on 01462 459967 or by email [email protected]