Gloriæ Dei Cantores holds a passionate dedication to illuminate truth and beauty through choral artistry, celebrating a rich tradition of Sacred choral music from Gregorian chant through the twenty-first century.
About the Choir
Gloriæ Dei Cantores has received extensive critical acclaim for its artistic elegance, performance authenticity, and compelling spirituality. Sharing its vision of inspiration and hope for over 30 years, Gloriæ Dei Cantores has toured extensively, touching the hearts of audiences in 24 countries in Europe, Asia, and North America. The choir has appeared on the concert stage and in recordings with Keith Lockhart, John Williams, Samuel Adler, Mark O’Connor, Stephen Cleobury, Vladimir Minin, and the late George Guest, Mary Berry, and Margaret Hillis, among others. Highlights of the choir’s career include three invitational tours of Russia, the opening of the 900th anniversary of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, live broadcasts with the BBC, the soundtrack of Lorenzo’s Oil, and performances in some of the finest concert halls throughout Europe. Its discography of over 50 recordings is distributed in the United States through Gloriæ Dei Cantores Recordings, Paraclete Press, Inc., and Naxos of America, Inc. The choir makes its’ home in Orleans, MA.
About the Director
Known for his musical intuition and performance authenticity, Richard K. Pugsley has been applauded for his “expert conducting” (Classics Today) with “clarity and instinct for high impact moments” (San Francisco Classical Voice), and for his ability to “reveal the details of each composition with a rare sensitivity and luminosity.” (New York Classical Review). Pugsley has conducted the internationally recognized Gloriæ Dei Cantores for over twenty years, and performed with the choir in concert halls and churches in twenty-four countries throughout Europe, Russia, and North America for over thirty years. His passion for enlivening the sacred texts of choral literature as relevant and present encounters of sung prayer spans the traditions of ancient Gregorian chant, to classic repertoire, modern works, and rarely-performed choral gems.
About the Director Emeritus
Under the inspired leadership of Elizabeth C. Patterson, Gloriæ Dei Cantores has achieved its present status as a world-class choir internationally recognized for its exceptional artistry and compelling spirituality. Known for her interpretive vision and her commitment to performance authenticity, Ms. Patterson is considered one of America’s finest choral conductors.
As the founding director in 1988, Elizabeth Patterson transformed Gloriæ Dei Cantores from a small church choir to a world-class concert choir. She established an aggressive program of study for the choir including three extended study tours in England with choral masters George Guest of St. John’s College, Cambridge, and Dr. Stephen Cleobury of King’s College, Cambridge. She has garnered respect from colleagues around the world, including Margaret Hillis, Keith Lockhart, Craig Timberlake, Dorothy Richardson, and Gerre Hancock.
The Choir’s Impact
“Beautifully finished but richly emotional” —BOSTON GLOBE
“Beautiful, affecting music” —CHICAGO TRIBUNE
“A world-class concert choir” —WASHINGTON POST
“They sing with absolute fluency and authority.” —GRAMOPHONE
