British acapella group The King’s Singers say they are “deeply saddened” after a concert at a US college was allegedly cancelled due to “concerns related to the sexuality” of its members.
The vocal group said it was the first concert cancellation in its 55-year history, apart from bad weather, the global pandemic or war.
In a statement on Instagram The King’s Singers said they had previously performed at Pensacola Christian College, in Florida, with the knowledge that it was a “fundamentalist” institution.
“We were deeply saddened that our concert at Pensacola Christian College was cancelled at two hours’ notice on Saturday February 11th,” the statement read.
“The school gave its reasons for cancellation as ‘concerns’ expressed about the ‘lifestyle’ of members of our group.
“It has become clear to us, from a flood of correspondence from students and members of the public, that these concerns related to the sexuality of members of our group.”
The statement added: “We have performed at Pensacola Christian College before and we entered into the engagement in the knowledge that this is a fundamentalist Christian institution.
“Our belief is that music can build a common language that allows people with different views and perspectives to come together.
“This is the first time that anything other than bad weather, the pandemic or war has caused a concert cancellation in our 55-year history.
“We are disappointed not to have been able to share our music and our mission of finding harmony with over 4000 students of the college and the wider Pensacola community.”
The group added it hoped that further conversation would encourage “a greater sense of love, acceptance and inclusion”.
The King’s Singers was formed by six choral scholars in 1968, and are named after King’s College in Cambridge.
The group has won two Grammy awards, an Emmy, and were inducted as inaugural members of Gramophone magazine’s Hall Of Fame.
They are currently undergoing a North American tour, which will continue this week with several concerts in Canada.