The world-acclaimed male a cappella group, The King’s Singers, performed to sold-out audiences Wednesday and Thursday in the de Jong Concert Hall.

The King’s Singers collaborated Wednesday with BYU Singers for three songs and also performed a dynamic set on their own, with pieces ranging from Middle Age madrigals to contemporary jazz and pop songs.

They performed Thursday with the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra and Concert Choir, performing a variety of American songs.

A highlight of Wednesday’s concert was The King’s Singers and BYU Singers’ performance of “The Stolen Child.” This haunting Eric Whitacre piece was commissioned by the King’s Singers in 2008 and has only been performed for select audiences.

The song recounts an Irish legend warning children to fall asleep quickly at night, or else fairies will take them to fairyland and never let them return home again.

The King’s Singers also showed their flexibility with comic pieces complete with actions, vocal percussion and a bit of dancing. They also explained the meaning and history behind most of the pieces, making the songs accessible and enjoyable for any audience.

Erin Thomas, a recent BYU graduate, enjoyed this aspect of The King’s Singers’ performance.

“They’re very personal and very diverse and they have a great sense of humor,” she said. “They don’t take themselves too seriously.”

The BYU Singers practiced for an hour Wednesday afternoon with the Grammy Award-winning British group in preparation for their concert. Many of the choral members were excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I’m really excited to work with The King’s Singers and realize our unity of sound and then blend it with theirs, because they have such a unique quality and tone to them,” said Lacey Elbert, a vocal performance major from Wisconsin. “We do too, and it’s just important that we find that center and, though we’ll be independent, we can sound like one.”

Evan Moss, another Singers member and a secondary music education major, said he hoped to learn from the King’s Singers’ technique.

“As a tenor and just generally a male singer, it’s very exciting to hear them,” Moss said. “I’ll be watching them like a hawk just to see how they do things and where they go with the music.”

Ronald Staheli, director of the BYU Singers, said they were lucky to be able to perform with such a high caliber choir.

“This is such a big deal for us and such an incredible opportunity for BYU,” Staheli said. “I’m still just a little stunned that it’s working out this way. It’s just a real thrill for us.”