The Gabrieli Choir is a Budapest-based amateur chamber choir that rehearses in English and Hungarian. It was re-formed in 2005 by Richard Sólyom to specialise in the performance of sacred works drawn from the music of Anglican cathedrals. Today, whilst this continues to be a part of its repertoire, it has broadened its scope to include “classical” works – sacred and secular – from all eras. The choir was previously led by its founder Richard Sólyom, and then by Alastair Cameron. In 2021, after a two-year break, the Gabrieli Choir resumed its activities with its new conductor, Márk Szabó. The choir comprises around 20 to 25 singers, representing a wide variety of musical backgrounds. Some are trained musicians or music students, while others simply enjoy learning and performing new music in a chamber choir environment in their spare time. Rehearsals are held weekly, in English and Hungarian, from 5:30pm on Sunday evenings in the heart of Budapest, at the Scottish Presbyterian Church (Szent Columba skót presbiteriánus templom, Bp., VI., Vörösmarty u. 51.)
Most of the Gabrieli’s engagements are concerts: the choir has performed to acclaim in some of the capital’s finest churches, including St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Matthias Church, St. Michael’s Church (Angolkisasszonyok) and St. Teresa’s Church (Terézváros), as well as in the Hungarian National Gallery, the Nádor Terem and the Central European University; it has twice taken part in the Művészetek Völgye (Valley of Arts) festival. Additionally, the choir occasionally sings in church services: having formed an agreeable rapport with St. Margaret’s Church, the home of Budapest’s resident Anglican community, it has sung Choral Evensong on numerous occasions (the one in Esztergom Basilica being broadcast by Hungarian Radio) and continues to provide the main musical component for the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols; it has also sung at a wedding and a funeral.