When Henry VI founded ‘The King’s College of Our Lady and St. Nicholas’ in 1441, he mandated that his college’s choir should include 16 ‘poor and needy’ boy choristers and six ‘singing men’, who, like the boys, sang in daily services, as well as playing the organ. For most of its existence, the choir at King’s drew its singing men (‘lay clerks’) from the Cambridge community, granting lifetime appointments. Reforms at the end of the nineteenth century gradually introduced undergraduates into the choir. Today the 14 members of the alto, tenor and bass sections are choral scholars, undergraduates studying a variety of subjects in the College itself.

As part of King’s College Choir, the choral scholars sing in the chapel’s daily worship services, which remain the choir’s raison d’être, as well as maintaining a busy concert, recording and touring schedule. As Collegium Regale (Latin for ‘King’s College’), the choral scholars perform independently of the choir, singing a repertoire that encompasses 15th Century sacred music, jazz, folksongs and pop. ‘Coll Reg’ provides entertainment at dinners, conferences, and Cambridge charity events. They also give frequent concerts, especially at Easter when they split into two groups to tour the North and South of England.

Collegium Regale’s international tours have included United States, Hong Kong and Italy. Each spring, the choral scholars split into two groups of seven to tour the North and South of England.