Daniel Hyde to Direct King’s College Choir

I am slow to note this.  But Daniel Hyde has been chosen to direct the Choir of King’s College Cambridge beginning in October 2019.  Dr. Stephen Cleobury had previously announced his retirement at the end of the 2018-2019 academic year.

Here is the announcement from King’s.

Here is the announcement from St. Thomas, New York where he currently presides.

And here is a slightly provocative article from the Telegraph.  It seems changes may be coming in the King’s College sound:

Mr. Hyde also confessed that when he was an undergraduate at Cambridge he thought the choir of King’s College was labouring under its huge reputation, leading to its performances being stifled, in marked contrast to the choir of nearby St John’s College.

“It wasn’t just the buildings,” he told the paper. “I think there was a freedom of expression at St. John’s because there wasn’t the pressure of expectation. So I tried to soak both those things up, and wherever I’ve gone since I’ve tried to mix that detail and accuracy of King’s with that more open-throated, expressive, musically phrased singing of John’s.”

Hyde’s most prestigious post up to now has been at Magdalen College Oxford.  I frequently attended Evensong there during Michaelmas Term 2011 during the years he directed.  My memory is fuzzy, but I remember the choir being very good.  (Knowing me, I probably would remember if it was not good.)  And one of the strengths of Magdalen’s Choir for many years has been the utilization of the voices of trebles.  I look forward to seeing how Hyde does that at King’s.