[photo credit: Coleman Chamber Music Association]
On Sunday, December 14, the internationally recognized vocal ensemble The Queen’s Six will bring their unique program, “Traveling Spies: Music, Travel, and Espionage in the Renaissance,” to Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium.
Based at Windsor Castle, the ensemble’s members serve as Lay Clerks of St. George’s Chapel and live within the castle walls. Established in 2008—the 450th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth I—the group combines historical resonance with what Gramophone magazine describes as the “evident enjoyment they derive from singing together.”
The matinee performance, presented by the Coleman Chamber Music Association, explores how music functioned as cultural transmission within historically significant political contexts. The repertoire features works by William Byrd, Thomas Morley, Peter Philips, Thomas Weelkes, and others, demonstrating scholarly rigor in historical music recovery. Critics have praised the group for their “barely contained excitement” and the palpable sense that “this music is in the blood of these singers.”
The event underscores the enduring mission of the Coleman Chamber Music Association. Founded in 1904, it remains the oldest independent chamber music series in the country, dedicated to advancing the understanding of chamber music.
The Queen’s Six will run on Sunday, December 14, at 3:30 p.m. Beckman Auditorium, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 793-4191 or visit http://www.colemanchambermusic.org/event/the-queens-six/. Ticket prices: $40-$70; youth (18 and under), $25.
