He is an English tenor, composer and choral director nicknamed Bill who was a chorister at Ely Cathedral when young and went on to take music studies on a choral scholarship at Selwyn College in Cambridge University.
He taught music for a while and then became a member of the King’s Singers in 1978 when he replaced Alastair Thompson. He remained with them until 1985 and did several recordings including being a part of the Frog Chorus on Paul McCartney’s “We All Stand Together” when he left to become an arranger and composer under the name Grayston Ives.
He is also an adjudicator at choral workshops and in 1988 he traveled to Africa as an examiner for the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music. He has done arrangements for artists including the King’s Singers and has had many commissions, including one to write a new Te Deum for the Enthronement of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
He became Choirmaster of Magdalen College, Oxford followed by their Director of Music and remained there until 2009. During his time there he directed the choir in the recording of the album Merrie Noyse which was nominated for a Grammy Award. He also directed the choir for Edde Cor Meum by Paul McCartney which won a 2007 BRIT Award. Also with the Magdalen Choir he recorded his own liturgical works as well as Durufle’s Requiem.
His work as a composer has seen him write many works of secular and sacred music for choir. They include “Canterbury Te Deum” commissioned for the enthronement of George Care as the Archbiship of Canterbury, “The Gift of Grace” commissioned for the National Commemoration Service for the Abolition of Slavery in 2007 and three new arrangements of compositions by Parry by Westminster Abbey.
He was made an Emeritus Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford and in 2008 was awarded a fellowship of the Royal School of Church Music and later that year he a Lambeth DMus.
Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus recordings
We All Stand Together (Paul McCartney)
He’s the “short one” in the King’s Singers on Randy Newman’s “Short People”…
Sources:
- http://www.graystonives.com/
- http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/member-of-staff/bill-ives/
- www.kingssingers.com/aboutus/history.htm
- www.kingssingers.com/bill_ives.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grayston_Ives
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/1222133-Bill-Ives
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/grayston-ives-mn0001281612
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-ives-mn0001282245