The King’s Singers have announced two upcoming changes in their lineup: Joseph Edwards will join as First Baritone in May 2026, and Peter Hicks will take on the role of First Countertenor from September 2026. The appointments follow the group’s first openly advertised audition process, introduced earlier this year after the planned departures of Christopher Bruerton and Patrick Dunachie.
Founded in 1968 by choral scholars from King’s College Cambridge, The King’s Singers have become one of the world’s best-known a cappella ensembles. Their repertoire spans Renaissance polyphony, contemporary choral writing, folk arrangements, close harmony, and selections from popular music, a profile that has contributed to their broad international audience and influence across vocal and choral music.
Joseph Edwards, incoming First Baritone
Joseph Edwards — known professionally as Joey — will be the ensemble’s sixth First Baritone since its inception, following Richard Salter, Anthony Holt, Bruce Russell, Philip Lawson, and Christopher Bruerton. He began his musical life as a chorister at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, performing at major royal ceremonies, and later studied at King’s College London and the Royal Academy of Music, where he graduated with distinction and earned the institution’s highest performance diploma (DipRAM). Edwards has performed with a number of British ensembles, including Tenebrae, Alamire, Fretwork, Academy of Ancient Music, and Sansara, and also works as a choral director and teacher.
Peter Hicks, incoming First Countertenor
Peter Hicks will become the group’s fifth full-time First Countertenor, succeeding Nigel Perrin, Jeremy Jackman, David Hurley, and Patrick Dunachie. Hicks was a chorister at St John’s College, Cambridge, studied Mathematics and Music at Durham University, and completed a Master’s degree in Solo Voice Ensemble Singing at the University of York. He currently sings as a lay clerk at Guildford Cathedral, has performed with groups such as I Fagiolini, Kantos, and De Profundis, and maintains an active career as a conductor in Surrey. He is also a Fellow of the National Youth Choir.
A significant transition
Changes in the lineup of The King’s Singers are relatively infrequent, and the arrival of Edwards and Hicks marks an important moment for the ensemble as it approaches its 60th anniversary. Both singers will spend the coming months rehearsing and travelling with the group while they prepare to take on the substantial repertoire expected of new members.
Historical significance
Founded in 1968 by six choral scholars from King’s College, Cambridge, The King’s Singers quickly established themselves as one of the leading a cappella ensembles in the world. Over the decades the group has built a distinctive identity through its combination of Renaissance and Baroque repertoire, contemporary commissions, folk and spiritual arrangements, and close-harmony works. With a catalogue of recordings on major labels and a long international touring history, the ensemble has had a lasting influence on professional and amateur vocal groups, helping to shape the sound and expectations of modern a cappella performance.
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