Grayston Ives

Grayston "Bill" Ives (b. 1948) is a British composer, singer and choral director.

Ives was a chorister at Ely Cathedral and later studied music at Cambridge University where he held a choral scholarship. After teaching music for a period, he became a member of the King's Singers, from 1978 to 1985 [1]. His voice can be heard on a number of recordings from that period, including Paul McCartney's Frog Chorus. Ives composes as Grayston, but prefers to be known as Bill, a nickname he acquired at school as a result of a role-playing game with his brother.

Bill Ives is currently Organist, Informator Choristarum and Fellow and Tutor in Music at Magdalen College, Oxford. In this role he is responsible for the daily musical life of the college chapel. He has also directed the choir in a number of recent successful recordings on the Harmonia Mundi label, including 'With a Merrie Noyse', made with the viol consort Fretwork, and featuring the works of the English composer, Orlando Gibbons, for which the choir was nominated for a Grammy award. His most recent recording has been of a selection of his own liturgical works, 'Listen Sweet Dove'.

Ives' work as a composer consists mainly of music, both sacred and secular, for choir, much of it written for the liturgy at Magdalen College, Oxford. His 'Canterbury Te Deum (1991) for SATB and Brass Quintet was commissioned for the enthronenment of George Carey as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Choral works
Canticles and Service Music
Canterbury Te Deum
Missa Brevis
The Edington Service
The Exon Service
The Magdalen Service (ATB)
The Salisbury Service
The Warwick Service
Jubliate
Preces and Responses (SATB and ATB)
Anthems (SATB)
A Song of Christ's Glory
A Song of Divine Love
Lord, is it I?
Nos autem gloriari
O Sacrum Convivium
Sicut lilium
Sweet was the song
The Canticle of Brother Sun
There is a land of pure delight
This is the record of John
Ubi caritas
Three Latin Motets for Men's Voices
Ave verum
Ego sum panis vivus
In pace
Arrangements
I've got you under my skin
Name that tune
Rise up, shepherd
Three Spirituals
Amazing Grace
Deep River
Were you there?
Three folksongs
Buy broom besoms
The lark in the clear air
The tailor and the mouse