Q Who is Lyyra?
Lyyra is a new six-voice women’s a cappella ensemble based in the US, created by the VOCES8 Foundation. We started the group with the intention of providing some balance to the a cappella eco-system in the US, where there are 20 full-time jobs for men in small vocal ensembles, but none for women. We want to change that.
Q What inspired you to choose the name Lyyra?
Good question! With the ensembles in our foundation, we wanted to find a way to bring Lyyra into the same fold, but also to stand alone. Lyyra relates to the classical roots of our existing ensembles and references the harp given by Apollo to Orpheus.
Q What are the guiding principles for Lyyra?
Lyyra is part of the VOCES8 Foundation, so we will aim for it to grow as a unique performance brand whilst also feeding into the shared visions and values of the other vocal ensembles. This embraces the combined goals of world-class excellence in our performances and an inclusive and open approach to music making, supporting and inspiring the next generations of musicians and sharing choral music with communities around the world.
Q What are Lyyra’s plans for this year?
Lyyra came to London in January for a week of recording with VOCES8 and the VOCES8 Foundation team and will be performing for the first time with concerts alongside VOCES8 this month in the US. The group will be joining me for its first US tour in April and performances are now being booked across the US throughout this year and into next. You’ll be able to hear the group online on all the usual streaming platforms by this March and its social media pages and website will have up-to-date information on where the group will be performing.
Q What does your dream invite for Lyyra look like?
This is a US group, but part of a UK choral foundation, so does it get any bigger than the BBC Proms? We’d love to bring our US choral heritage, combined with a very British choral foundation, into a core part of the British classical music landscape. Getting to travel widely outside of the US is something that really excites us, and we’re hoping that Lyyra will tour the UK and Europe in 2025.
Q Where do you see Lyyra in five years’ time?
Hopefully it will have a full diary that gives us the opportunity to bring our unique ensemble sound and combination of outstanding vocalists to concert halls and festivals all around the world. We want to shine as an example of what is possible when six women bring their passion for singing and choral music into a space that welcomes collaboration and aspires to the very best in musical excellence across diverse genres and we want to inspire others to take up the opportunity to follow their dreams.
IAM was in conversation with Paul Smith, Co-Founder and CEO of VOCES8 and the VOCES8 Foundation.
For more information visit www.lyyramusic.com
