London Symphony Chorus gets a pitch-perfect rebrand inspired by sound waves and pop art

First established in 1966, the London Symphony Chorus has grown from a complement to the London Symphony Orchestra into the vibrant, 160-strong group of choral singers, conductors and musicians that it is today. And with the Chorus looking for a brand that reflected its future-facing vision whilst also acknowledging its history, Two Stories had its work cut out when it came to creating a new identity.

After working closely with London Symphony Chorus, Two Stories struck upon the idea of focusing on the emotional responses provoked by a chorus. This genius decision allowed the creative team to play with themes and ideas that run right the way through the history of the London Symphony Chorus and express the organisation's passion and diversity.

To see this concept in action, audiences need to look no further than the logo mark. This collection of overlapping squiggly circles is based on the four vocal ranges of a chorus, namely: soprano, alto, tenor and bass.

To realise this concept, Two Stories took a recording of a chorus, ran it through data visualisation software, and experimented with the different ways sound waves can be represented. These were then layered together to highlight how London Symphony Chorus is made up of many people from all walks of life coming together.

Bekkie Hull, co-founder and creative director at Two Stories, said: "Through our distinctive brand process, we began with extensive research and workshops with key stakeholders, including London Symphony Chorus's council members and its 160 vocal singers, to inform the brand's purpose and tone of voice."

"This inspired how we visually showcased the brand," she adds, "focusing on its heritage, the emotional connection between people and sound, and the coming together of choral singers from diverse backgrounds to create one community and one unified voice, to design the London Symphony Chorus logo, brand device and colour palette.

"As a result, we have delivered a recognisable brand that echoes and brings to life the London Symphony Chorus's heritage and values, elevates and reflects its position in the industry alongside its peers and opens the organisation up to a wider, more diverse audience."

Accompanying the satisfyingly sonic design mark, Two Stories used colour pairings that also mirror the four choral parts. Inspired by the pop art movement, which was in full swing when the London Symphony Chorus was created, these joyous and playful colours strike a fine balance of being pleasing and engaging to the public whilst also appearing prestigious and world-class.

Meanwhile, a new typeface manages to achieve two things at once by capturing the heritage of the chorus and the individual characters of its members. This is done by using a high contrast font with different variations of weight that each appears unique but with a sense of refinement.

Topping off the rebrand is a clever piece of word design that sees the words' Symphony', and 'Chorus' join together in a way that highlights the connection between sound and people. As for the word 'London', that remains independent of emphasising how the chorus has global connections thanks to its continual touring.

"The creativity, energy and commitment Two Stories has put into this project are evident in the remarkable new brand and website they have created for London Symphony Chorus," says Nathan Homan, marketing and communications lead at the London Symphony Chorus.

"The new brand blends the chorus's classical beginnings with its new modern, forward-looking approach, while its integral message is rooted in the coming together of a diverse range of singers to create one community and one voice."

Owen Hanmer, chair of the London Symphony Chorus, adds: "We have been so impressed with all Two Stories has done for the London Symphony Chorus. From the new brand creation to the high standard of design and construction of our new website, through to the advice, service and consultancy provided throughout the process, we feel extremely grateful and lucky to have worked with Two Stories on this very important project for the London Symphony Chorus."

The London Symphony Chorus's new website is now live, and the branding features on the Chorus's social channels and owned media.