Under the direction of David Temple, Crouch End Festival Chorus is now one of the world’s leading symphonic choirs.  

David co-founded the choir in 1984 and since then his eclectic tastes have shaped the enormously varied work of the choir, making Crouch End Festival Chorus unique in the choral world. 

His recording of Bach's St John Passion (in English) with Crouch End Festival Chorus for Chandos Records has been received with glowing reviews. Also on Chandos Records, David prepared the chorus for the recordings of Parry's Judith, and of Prometheus Unbound which has been shortlisted for the Gramophone awards.  

For Signum Records, David recorded Brittens' St Nicolas & A Ceremony of Carols. Most recent recordings on Chandos Records are a collection of choral works by the siblings Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn.  David's recording of Elgar's The Kingdom with Crouch End Festival Chorus is due for release in 2025. 

David has collaborated closely for many years with Ray Davies of The Kinks for recordings and performances. In 2010 David appeared with Ray and the choir on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, and toured the USA and Denmark to promote the Kinks Choral Collection. 

David’s highlights with Crouch End Festival Chorus include Mahler’s Eighth Symphony to a sell-out Royal Festival Hall and John Adams’ Harmonium at the Barbican in the presence of the composer.

His non-classical recording work includes music for the BBC’s Doctor Who and Good Omens at Air Studios and soundtracks for several films including Rocketman, A Cure for Wellness and Loving Vincent at Abbey Road.

At the 2008 Electric Proms at the Roundhouse in London, David and the choir performed with Oasis. Subsequently he directed the choir on Noel Gallagher’s first solo album as well as conducting the choir on UK & Ireland tours in 2012, 2015 and 2016.

David has also prepared the choir for concerts with Ennio Morricone, Andrea Bocelli, Hans Zimmer, Sir Karl Jenkins, James Newton Howard and MUSE. 

David’s work as chorus master includes Berlioz’s Grande Messe des Morts with the BBCSO under François-Xavier Roth and most recently Verdi’s Requiem with the BBCNOW and Ryan Bancroft at the BBC Proms in 2024.

In addition to his work with Crouch End Festival Chorus, David has been Musical Director of the Hertfordshire Chorus since 2000.

His recording of Will Todd’s Ode to a Nightingale and James McCarthy’s Codebreaker with the chorus and the BBC Concert Orchestra was released on Signum Records, receiving excellent reviews.  His latest recording with Hertfordshire Chorus is Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man.

David’s most notable commission with Hertfordshire Chorus is Will Todd’s Mass in Blue, which has received well over 600 performances all over the world. His most recent commission is Shruthi Rajasekar’s Sarojini which premiered in October 2022.

David Temple was awarded the MBE for services to music in the 2018 New Year’s Honours.