When Piers Connor Kennedy joined The King’s Singers in 2025, he joined a rich history of classically trained British vocalists. He began singing somewhat by accident, having grown up a jazz pianist and grew to obsess over composition. His deep bass vocal register helped him pay the bills as a performer and eventually landed himself a role in the revolving, yet continuous, lineup of The King’s Singers.
Back in 1968, a group of choral students wanted to continue their musical passions after graduating from King’s College London. The group gained popularity in the late ‘70s with frequent stops on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson where they featured a mix of classical arrangements, popular ‘60s folk tunes and spiritual choral pieces depending on the occasion.
They named their style “close harmony.”
“Over the years, the group has remained exactly the same lineup. You’ve got two countertenors singing falsetto, one high tenor, two baritones and the bass. We’ve had 31 members now,” member Connor Kennedy said during a recent interview with KHOL.
Their shows aim to take the audience on a musical journey, starting with renditions of Beach Boys and The Beatles (including a cheeky cover of “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”), moving onto modern folk, pop and techno and returning to their more traditional classical roots.
“You get a kind of history lesson through like a little kaleidoscopic pop and jazz story,” Kennedy said.
And while dressed in formal suits, Kennedy said they address the audience with some direct, casual attention.
“We’ll talk to the audience, have a bit of a joke,” he said..
The King’s Singers operate like a football team, with each member playing an important and distinct role. The vocalists have to train, perform and rest like any other athlete hitting the pitch. They’ve performed concerts in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea as they continue to impress with their imaginative mashups and stellar musicianship.
Their latest album, “Head Space: Candlelight,” features celestial vocal harmonies and meditative, tempo-less compositions. The goal was to create calming music with ample room for reflection.
Kennedy said the six men search for “something that feels like one instrument, one voice in six parts.”
“The sort of music that suits us best has a sort of richness to the quality rather than trying to spread out into every genre,” he said.
The group’s performance at the Center for the Arts in Jackson was part of Grand Teton Music Festival’s 2026 Gateway Series, with upcoming performances from The Punch Brothers on July 27 and Give Our Regards to Broadway on Aug. 3.
More information about Grand Teton Music Festivals summer concert series at gtmf.org.
Listen above for KHOL’s full conversation with Piers Connor Kennedy from The King’s Singers.
Support for this arts and cultural coverage comes from the Wyoming Arts Council.
