We are delighted to announce the inaugural cohort of our Emerging Ensembles Programme: The Hepburn Four & The New Eden Consort. A huge congratulations to these rising stars. You can listen to the announcement live on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune here!
Led artistically by The Gesualdo Six and delivered in partnership with the National Centre for Early Music, this two year programme aims to nurture outstanding early-career ensembles and support the next stage of their professional development, through mentoring, coaching, artistic development and professional opportunities.
This project will be supported by The Gesualdo Six’s charity. Find out more about how you can get involved and support the Emerging Ensembles Scheme here.
The Hepburn Four
The Hepburn Four was formed in September 2024 while its members were choral scholars in St Salvator’s Chapel Choir at the University of St Andrews. The group is formed of soprano Emily Kemp, alto Harriet Carlill, tenor Seb Roberts and bass Guy Minch, four experienced choral singers who individually have sung with renowned ensembles such as the Voces8 Scholars, Genesis Sixteen, Dunedin Consort, the choir of Wells Cathedral and The Other Guys.
Following a series of successful concerts in St Andrews and the surrounding area, the group was invited to perform at the opening of both the Glasgow Barons and Brechin Early Music festivals in the summer of 2025. Their performance in Glasgow received a 5-star review in The Scotsman, praising the group’s ‘fluid gracefulness and remarkable sense of balance and ensemble’. The group is now embarking on a program of performances across the UK, bringing a diverse selection of music including madrigals, folk songs, and a world premiere of a new mass setting by tenor Seb Roberts.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside and learn from the Gesualdo Six as we continue to grow and develop as an ensemble!”
Find out more about The Hepburn Four on their website here.
The New Eden Consort
The New Eden Consort is a four-part vocal ensemble based in London. Its members; Grace, Niamh, Charlie and Dom are all graduates of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where they sang twice weekly in the Conservatoire’s Chapel Choir at the Old Royal Naval College. The group was originally formed after performing the solo ensemble in Nicholas Maw’s ‘One Foot in Eden’, an experience that revealed a natural musical chemistry and ultimately inspired the group’s name. This foundation shaped their musical identity, informing their blend, balance and combining their collective experience in choral singing.
The New Eden Consort sing sacred and secular repertoire spanning the Renaissance to the modern day – and everything in between. Their programming reflects a broad musical variety, encompassing early polyphony, classical and romantic part-songs, musical theatre and contemporary works by living composers. This breadth demonstrates the ensemble’s versatility and commitment to expressive text led performance.
The group enjoys a varied calendar throughout the year performing regular concerts across the
UK, including venues such as The Queen’s House Greenwich, St James’ Church Piccadilly and Middlesbrough Cathedral. Highlights include reaching the final of the Philip Carne Chamber Music competition, Christmas performances at Ralph Lauren, a recital series for the York Trust in Norfolk and at the Kensington Olympia Festival of Music and the Arts (KOFMA).
Alongside their live work, the ensemble places a strong focus on accessibility. They are committed to making classical vocal music accessible to wider audiences, especially in areas of the UK where there are limited opportunities to listen to and learn about classical music. By strengthening their digital presence, they aim to reach communities beyond conventional concert venues and share their work more broadly.
“The New Eden Consort are delighted to begin this new chapter alongside The Gesualdo Six. They look forward to developing their artistry under the guidance of G6, while also building their experience in project planning, education work, and audience engagement.“
Find out more about The New Eden Consort on their website here.