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Since the creation of a mixed voice choir in 1971, the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge has gained an international reputation as one of the leading university choral groups in England.

The choir is conducted by the Director of Music, who is a Fellow of the College, assisted by two undergraduate organ scholars. Though comprising largely choral exhibitioners, choral volunteers often make up numbers. Volunteer auditions are held in early October. The choir exists primarily to sing regular choral services in the College Chapel.

In addition to its primary task of leading chapel services, the Choir gives frequent concerts, both in the United Kingdom and abroad. It regularly contributes to the Choral Evensong broadcasts on BBC Radio 3.

The choir has toured to many countries, including the United States of America, Japan, China, Russia, the Middle East, and countries within Western and Eastern Europe.

In 2000 it became the first Oxbridge mixed choir to perform at the BBC Proms, singing Bach's St John Passion.

At Easter 2002 the choir took part in a sell-out tour to Spain, Belgium, the UK and the USA, performing Handel's oratorio Jephtha with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, directed by René Jacobs.

The New York Times wrote about the 'brilliant execution' and 'distinctive sense of character' of the choir's contribution. Its subsequent performance of French music in the Munich Staatsoper July Festival (conducted by Ivor Bolton) received enthusiastic reviews: the Süddeutsche Zeitung commented on the 'transparent and blended' sound of the choir, and its 'rhythmic precision and dynamic control'.

The Choir made its second appearance at the Proms in July 2003 performing Berlioz's L'Enfance du Christ with the Monteverdi Choir, directed by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and in July 2005 performed under the baton of Ivor Bolton in the Munich Staatsoper July Festival for the sixth time.

Other recent projects have included a tour to Germany, Greece, France, Belgium and Italy in December 2005, performing Handel's Messiah, directed by René Jacobs, and a subsequent recording of the work with Jacobs in early January 2006.

In July 2004 the Choir undertook a highly successful tour of Japan, performing the Mozart and Fauré Requiems, directed by Nicholas Kraemer, before travelling to Hong Kong to sing Rutter's Requiem at St. John's Cathedral.

Following the success of the choir's American tour in September 2002, the choir returned to the USA in September 2005, when it performed in New York City, Yale University, and throughout Texas and the Mid-West.

The choir regularly commissions new music and has had works written for it by Christopher Brown, Andrew Carter, Jonathan Dove, Herbert Howells, Julian Phillips, Tarik O'Regan, John Rutter and Giles Swayne.

The choir has produced many CD recordings and in 1994 began a major series of CD/television videos on the Columns Classics label, several of which continue to be broadcast internationally and are now available on DVD; the most recent project in this series is a DVD of Poulenc's Stabat Mater, made with St John's and Caius College Choirs.

Illumina, an exploration of the theme of light, was runner-up for a Gramophone Award in 2000, earning such comments as 'breath-taking panache', 'the most fervent rendering I have ever heard of Rachmaninov's Nunc Dimittis', and 'one of the most accomplished choral discs of the year'.

In April 2003 the choir released a recording of Rutter's Requiem. Produced by the composer on the Naxos label, the recording was Editor's Choice for the May 2003 edition of Gramophone, CD of the week on Classic FM, gave Naxos its first Number 1 in the classical charts, and in 2005 was nominated for a Classical BRIT Award.

The Choir's recording of John Stainer's Crucifixion was released on Naxos in May 2005.