Birmingham University Singers give world premiere of music by Shruthi Rajasekar
Birmingham University Singers were pleased to perform new music as part of the 2026 CrossCurrents festival in their recent concert.
Complementing works from a variety of living composers such as Jonathan Dove, Eriks Esenvalds, and Karin Rehnqvist, the choir presented the world premiere of ‘Roots at Work’ by award-winning composer Shruthi Rajasekar.
Shruthi Rajasekar is an American composer of South Asian descent. Described as a composer “who will enrich your life” (The Guardian), Rajasekar’s musical output reflects her diasporic South Asian identity along with Western classical musics. Her work has been recorded by the BBC Singers, National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, and she is currently in receipt of the ACF McKnight Composer Fellowship with the American Composers Forum.
Commissioned by Mariana Rosas and the Principal Conductor of Birmingham University Singers, Bob Chilcott, the choir were thrilled to be working with Rajasekar on the performance of this new work. The piece itself sets a striking haiku by Minnesota-based writer Zach Staads, uniquely placed in January 2026 at the time of composition alongside contemporary events in that state.
BUS is a mixed chamber choir of up to 45 auditioned singers directed by Bob Chilcott. Since its inception, the choir has gained a national reputation as one of the finest university choirs in the UK.
In recent years BUS has sung in Tewkesbury Abbey, Worcester, Gloucester, Oxford Cathedral’s, Clare College (Cambridge), the Royal Albert Hall, and Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod. Over the years BUS have had the opportunity to work with professional vocal ensembles, such as The Sixteen, Binchois Consort, Tenebrae, and Voces8. The choir has also developed a noted international reputation, having given concerts in Germany, Czech Republic, and Poland.
BUS has appeared under the baton of many distinguished guest conductors including Simon Carrington, Simon Halsey, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, and Sakari Oramo. Recent collaborations have included performances with Jeffrey Douma and Yale Glee Club, Nigel Short and Tenebrae, and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.