About Us
The Sixteen at St James’s in partnership with the Genesis Foundation
The Sixteen, St James’s Church, Piccadilly and the Genesis Foundation have embarked on an historic new partnership, with the choir taking up residency in the iconic church built in 1684 by Sir Christopher Wren. This collaboration affirms the longstanding relationship between The Sixteen and St James’s, shaped through performances and creative projects over recent years.
In establishing a new partnership, we continue our commitment to artistic excellence that is open and accessible to all, nurturing the next generation of young musicians, commissioning new music and presenting impactful performances within the historic church – conceived with choral music at its heart.
Starting from June 2026, the partnership will present:
• The opening performance of our annual Choral Pilgrimage
• Four choral evensongs across the calendar year, from ensembles across The Sixteen’s community, including The Sixteen, Genesis Sixteen and Genesis Sixteen Alumni ensembles
• New choral music commissions performed by The Sixteen and Genesis Sixteen
• A continued home for our annual choral festival, Sounds Sublime
• An annual performance of Handel’s Messiah from December 2027
• A programme of learning and participation activity within the parish of St James’s
‘Never before has The Sixteen had a London home and where better than a church which, over the years, has come to be known as “the artist’s church”. All I have ever wanted to do was to introduce our music to as many people as possible of all ages, all cultures, faiths and backgrounds.
Along with the Genesis Foundation, our combined ethos is a simple statement of commitment to excellence in music, access and inclusion. This triumvirate partnership allows us to engage and inspire new and existing audiences, as well as bring young people together to experience the wonderful world of choral music where harmony in all its forms abounds.’ Harry Christophers
The Sixteen first collaborated with St James’s in finding a home for its annual Sounds Sublime Choral Festival. Since our first collaboration in 2019 there have been numerous successful projects, from performances of new Genesis Foundation-commissioned works by Lucy Walker, Millicent B James and Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade, to a music video as part of St James’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden, and a BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong broadcast featuring the voices of Genesis Sixteen.
During the course of the partnership, St James’s Piccadilly will undergo restoration as part of ‘The Wren Project’, a once-in-a-generation project to renew the organ and musical life of the church. The building will be closed for two years starting in 2027, with the partnership between us continuing at St Pancras Church, Euston Road in the interim.
Previous events at St James's
Will Todd's 'Imagine The World To Be Different', commissioned by St James’s Piccadilly for the St James's Song Book, associated with its presence at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024.
Sounds Sublime Choral Festival, 2025
Voices of Angels: Three new Genesis Foundation commissions by Lucy Walker, Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade and Millicent B James, 2025 (credit Alistair Veryard)
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