London Contemporary Voices (Didier Rochard)
Didier Rochard is Co-Founder of London Contemporary Voices (LCV), one of the UK’s leading choirs and he directed the organisation during its first decade from 2010 to 2020.
Under Didier’s leadership LCV has worked with over 100 other artists, including names such as U2, Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine, Lewis Capaldi, Alt-J, Joss Stone, James Bay, Basement Jaxx, Laura Mvula, Nitin Sawhney, Public Service Broadcasting and Marcus Mumford, as well as comedians and actors including Russell Howard, Jack Black, Jack Whitehall and Andy Serkis (as Gollum!). The choir has also worked with major arts organisations including the English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, BBC Concert Orchestra, The Heritage Orchestra, Cirque Bijou and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
LCV was first founded in 2010 for a concert at Royal Albert Hall with Imogen Heap and Docklands Sinfonia. Under Didier’s leadership the choir went on to work with over 100 artists, including 21 Grammy winners and nominees, as well as performing at most major venues in London such as the O2 Arena, Barbican and Royal Albert Hall and appearing twice at the BBC Proms. The choir has appeared on two UK Top Ten albums, including Elbow’s number one record Little Fictions. LCV also features on 11 tracks on Imogen Heap’s Grammy-nominated soundtrack to Harry Potter & The Cursed Child and on Laura Mvula’s Abbey Road orchestral album Sing To The Moon, with Jules Buckley and the Metropole Orkest. LCV has appeared in international campaigns for major brands including adverts for Range Rover and Lloyds Bank (By Your Side campaign), as well as fashion shows for Burberry and Tommy Hilfiger. Other clients include Selfridges, Michael Kors, Diesel, Hunter, Topshop, Samsung and many more. LCV has appeared at numerous festivals including main stages at Bestival (and festival finale), Wilderness, British Summer Time (Hyde Park), London Pride (Trafalgar Square) and Standon Calling (festival headline with Basement Jaxx), as well as second stages at Latitude, Camp Bestival, All Points East and Reading festival (BBC Radio One stage, with live broadcast). LCV has appeared on TV shows including BBC’s Later with Jools Holland, The One Show, Comic Relief, Strictly Take Two, Live From Abbey Road with U2 and Channel 4’s The Graham Norton Show. Live radio appearances include BBC Radio 1 and 2, BBC 6 Music, Capital FM, Virgin Radio and BBC Radio London.
Didier has overseen the running of LCV since the begining, working at strategic, operational and artistic levels of the organisation, as well as managing individual projects and collaborations. As well as auditioning singers to the choir, Didier has been curator and creative director for LCV’s major shows and projects, selecting and booking guest artists, repertoire and production elements. Didier has curated, directed and promoted major concerts at venues including Southbank Centre (Queen Elizabeth Hall), Union Chapel (voted Union Chapel’s Gig Of The Year 2018), Oval Space, St John-at-Hackney and Round Chapel; 700-1000 capacity venues, often involving 150+ performers. Didier has also curated and promoted smaller gigs at 200-500 capacity venues including Bush Hall, Omeara, The Laundry and Asylum Chapel.
Didier has worked with guest artists for the above shows including Elena Tonra (Daughter), Orlando Weeks (The Maccabees), Imogen Heap, Charlotte Church, Guy Sigsworth, Eska, Aquilo, Amber Run, Another Sky, Martin Grech, Alex Vargas, Reeps One, Jesca Hoop, Shlomo, 12 Ensemble, London Cello Quartet, Maya Youssef, Deepa Nair Rasiya, Reece Lyons, Phoria, Gwilym Gold and more.
