The Gaudete Singers established themselves in 1976 when eight friends began holding regular informal meetings. Initially there was no conductor, but in 1978 this responsibility was taken up by Joe Ryan, who continued to direct in competitions and concerts until 1990. Since that time, the choir has been conducted by David Milne and Gráinne Gormley and until recently, Andrew Johnstone. David Leigh, assistant organist of St Patrick's Cathedral is the current director.
Performances over the years have included Rachmaninov's Vespers, Bach's motets (with Musica Sacra), Brahms's complete motets (with the St Cecilia Singers), Schicksalslied (with the Dublin Symphony Orchestra) and Liebeslieder Waltzer, Walton's Belshazzar's Feast (with the Dublin University Music Society), Arvo Pärt's Passio, and two concerts of Renaissance music at the National Gallery. In November 1997, the Gaudete Singers celebrated the anniversaries of Ockeghem, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Brahms at a concert in Trinity College chapel.
The choir specialises in foreign-language performances, and has presented programmes of music in Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan (in association with the Instituto Cervantes in 1997); in Czech and Hungarian (at the 1998 Cork International Choral Festival) and in Italian (in association with the Italian Cultural Institute and the UCD Department of Italian in 1999). In a lighter vein, the Gaudete Singers have appeared as guest artists at two Roaring Twenties festivals in Killarney.
Recent performances have included a concert of American hymns and spirituals and part of Palestrina's 1581 Madrigali Spirituali in St Aidan's Cathedral, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, Belshazzar's Feast and John Adams's Harmonium with the Guinness Choir as part of their fiftieth anniversary celebrations. Also Duruflé's Requiem, The Songs of Farewell by Hubert Parry, an anniversary concert of music by Cristóbal de Morales, Mass L'Homme armé by Robert Carver, music from the Eton Choir Book, and Josquin Desprez, Missa Pange Lingua. Twentieth century music has been represented by Frank Martin – Mass for Double Choir, Poulenc – Four Motets and Messe en Sol Majeur, John Tavener – Song for Athene and God is with us, Herbert Howells – Requiem, Britten – Hymn to St Cecelia and The Ceremony of Carols and Vaughan Williams – Mass in G Minor.
On a more lighthearted note, four successful secular concerts have taken place in the beautiful setting of Airfield House. The audience and choir enjoyed a glass of wine (or two!) afterwards in the lovely gardens at Airfield.