The Vocal Ensemble “Anima” was organised in October 1992 St. Petersburg. All its members are the graduates from the St. Petersburg Conservatoire named after Rimsky-Korsakov N.A., graduating it in different years. From the very first days after its debut the Ensemble has extensively performed both in Russia and abroad, visiting Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Austria, Spain and France. The press on the Ensemble performances is numerous and favourable, the Group has been called an admirable ensemble of the world class.
The Ensemble’s creative credo implies a wide variety of genres of choir music: from Gregorian Chorales to modern pieces. The prime criterium when choosing a composition of a certain epoch to be performed by by the Group is its artistic value rather than its novelty or complexity. The Ensemble performs fragments from Tchaikovsky’s and Rakhmaninov’s Divine Liturgy and Vespers, spiritual works of P. Tchesnokov, original arrangements of popular Russian folk songs. Originally composed for a mixed choir these works are presented in a quite different and original way arranged for male voices only by the Ensemble Leader Victor Smirnov with the emphasis on the Ensemble tessitura ability. E.Nikolaev with his unique contra-tenor voice adds to this effect allowing the Ensemble to sing original works composed for a mixed choir like „Natasha“ by G. Sviridov, Choir cycles of F. Pulenc „Praises to st. Anthony of Padua“ and „Prayers of st. Francis of Assisi“ that are famous for its fine sense of style.
The choir of Aachen Cathedral is the oldest boys’ choir in Germany and traces its roots back to the palatine school of Emperor Charlemagne. Now, over 1200 years later, the musical configuration of the liturgy in Aachen Cathedral, the former palatine chapel, still is the center of its activities. The elementary school for boys and girls of the chapter of Aachen Cathedral constitutes the basis for the acquisition of new members for the choir. The choir arranges approximately 50 services in Aachen Cathedral and is also guest performing in many other churches of the Aachen bishopric and neighboring dioceses.
The choir travelled to Italy, South Korea, Spain, the Balkans, South Africa and Malta in recent years. The participation of the choir of Aachen Cathedral in the ceremony for the ‘Charlemagne Prize Extraordinary’ granted to Pope John Paul II. in Rome in 2004 certainly serves as a special highlight in its existence. The choir cultivates friendships and exchanges with renowned boy’s and youth’s choirs beyond European borders. The choir of Aachen Cathedral, together with the youth’ choir ‘Svonky’ Prague, was awarded with the Culture Prize of Aachen, the Emperor Charles IV. Medallion, in 2013.
Der Aachener Bachverein ist der Oratorienchor der Evangelischen Kirchengemeinde Aachen. Gegründet 1913 zählt er mit seinen über 120 Mitgliedern aller Altersgruppen und Konfessionen zu den traditionsreichsten Kulturträgern der Region. Die Aufführung der Vokalwerke Johann Sebastian Bachs bildet einen Schwerpunkt des Aachener Bachvereins; gleichermaßen fühlt er sich dem gesamten oratorischen Repertoire vom Frühbarock bis zur Gegenwart verpflichtet, sodass er sich zuletzt mit großem Erfolg auch den Oratorien Golgotha von Frank Martin, Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln von Franz Schmidt oder The Dream of Gerontius von Edward Elgar gewidmet hat.
The Girls’ Choir of Aachen Cathedral was founded in 2011 with an impressive church service. The girls’ choirs of the cathedrals of Paderborn, Münster, Mainz and Cologned joined this event as visitors, and have since continued to support Aachen Chathedral’s Girls’ Choir.
In the short period of its existence the choir has already built quite a reputation and it closely cooperates with the Domsingschule of Aachen, a private catholic primary school affiliated with Aachen Cathedral. Some sixty girls, aged ten or older, are part of the Girls’ Choir, which regularly contributes to services and other events in Aachen Cathedral. The Choir is an independent ensemble of Aachen Cathedral. Its stylistic repertoire is very diverse and grows continuously. Marco Fühner has become its choirmaster in June 2013.
The Female Choir of Kiev Glier Institute of Music was created in 1985 and leaded by Galyna Gorbatenko, made of students of the choir conducting department, which means that singers are future choir masters. The singers of the choir are also the former graduated students and young teachers who pass their experience to the young singing beginners.
The choir owns different styles and directions in choir music, performing the music of Renascence, Classical, Romantic, also arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs music and contemporary music, specially by contemporary Ukrainian composers. Starting 1995 at the most important international competitions the choir gets 1-st prizes: Marktoberdorf, Tolosa, Debrecen-Grand Prix. And participated many of festivals. The choir took part and was an honorary guest in the First Nordic International Festival of women’s choirs in 2000 – Reykjavik, Iceland. In 2010 the choir celebrated its 25anniversary with the new program in the National Philharmonic House for the musical community of Kiev city.
Vocal Ensemble Kerkrade is a secular women’s choir with 18 enthusiastic members. Directed by Louise Deal the ensemble stives for perfection in vocal technique and choral sound. The ensemble sings an extensive repertoire ranging from religous to secular and from classical to popular music. Vocal Ensemble Kerkrade was founded in 1976 and Louise Deal has been its Musical Director since 2005. Whether singing music from the Renaissance or contemporary compositions, the ensemble stives to convey atmosphere and style of the music with an emphasis on textual interpretation, dynamics and musical expression.
Vocal Ensemble Kerkrade’s musical highlights include participation in the Dutch Choir Festival in 1996, winning the Limburg Choir Festival in 1997, celebrating the 900th anniversary of Rolduc Abbey, Kerkrade (Netherlands). In 2006 Vocal Ensemble Kerkrade won the national choral-competition. The first professional CD by Vocal Ensemble Kerkrade was recorded in 2010. The double-CD called VEKsclusief was presented in 2011 to celebrate a double anniversary: Vocal Ensemble Kerkrade’s 30-year existence and its 15th anniversary as a women’s choir. Also in 2011, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Dutch National Choir Organisation, Limburg province, Vocal Ensemble Kerkrade recorded the CD Kopstukken.
The Ensemble Vocal d’Enfants du Conservatoire de Reims
In 2000, Yves Weeger created The Ensemble Vocal d’Enfants du Conservatoire de Reims. About 25-30 choristers, aged 7 to 18 years, form the group which sings very regularly as different programs as Magnificat or St. John Passion by JS Bach, Lieder by Mendelssohn, Schubert, Schumann, Beatles songs, Oscar Peterson, Leonard Bernstein, Vocal Jazz.
In addition to the three to four hours of weekly rehearsals, most of the singers practice an instrument. Some have music education included in their school time; other after school time. Many opt for singing as main musical practice. This density of activities allows the child, aged from 7 until the end of his ‚career‘, to sing about 500 different works of all styles and periods. Running through so many directories, frequently read new parts is very instructive. After these years, many choristers incorporate singing class.
L’Ensemble Vocal has performed not only in Reims and the Reims area, in Laon, Chateau-Thierry, Soissons, Versailles, Brest, but also in England – Bedford and Canterbury-, and St. Petersburg, Russia. Choristers regularly participate for children musical parts in lyrics masterpieces as Otello, Tosca, Carmen, Hänsel und Gretel, La Bohème, and in creation of contemporary operas, in Opera de Reims.
Musicanti is the Academy of Vocal Arts’ top children’s choir. Musicanti’s members all have singing lessons, they learn how to sing direct from sheet music and they follow the Academy of Vocal Arts’ special training programme. In 2008 the ACVA arranged the Queen’s Day concert in Noordeinde Palace which was broadcast on Dutch TV. In 2012 the choir was a guest at the Europäisches Jugendchor Festival in Basel, which was attended by 22,000 concert-goers. In total, 120 children and young people are active members of the Academy of Vocal Arts.
In 2013 Musicanti wun the Overall-Prize at the Kodály Festival in Komló, Hungary. The choirs sings also the classic repertoire, for instance the complete St Matthew Passion from Bach.
Studium Chorale has been active as a professional chamber choir since 2005. Its productions are conducted by its artistic director Hans Leenders as well as by specialised guest conductors. The choir was founded in 1972 and has in recent years developed into one of the leading chamber choirs in the Netherlands. The cast of Studium Chorale ranges from eight to forty singers, depending on the demands of the music. The wide-ranging repertoire encompasses five centuries of choral culture, from Renaissance polyphony to the latest commissioned work. The choir kept world premieres of compositions by Henry Delnooz, Jean Lambrechts, Ton de Leeuw, Jo van den Booren, Lowell Dijkstra, Jeanne Demessieux, Daan Manneke, Roderik de Man, Marijn Simons, Hans Leenders, Vic Nees and Andries van Rossem.
Studium Chorale regularly works with orchestras and ensembles such as Ensemble 88, Florilegium Musicum, and the philharmonie zuidnederland, as well as with numerous soloists. Recently, the ensemble was led by Ed Spanjaard, Steffen Schreyer, Erik Van Nevel, Andrew Parrott, Paul Goodwin, Johannes Leertouwer, Marcus Bosch en Reinbert de Leeuw. Studium Chorale is a regular guest at home and abroad and kept several radio and television recordings. The choir is a cultural plan 2013-2016 institution of the Province of Limburg and the Municipality of Maastricht.
The vocal group Latvian Voices was born in Germany on Christmas time in 2009. Seven young singers from Riga thrilled the audience. In the first two years of its existence the Latvian Voices refined their musical experiences in workshops and master classes with The King’s Singers (2010, 2011) and The Hilliard Ensemble (2011). Approximately three quarters of their concerts girls perform outside Latvia and has brought home quite a few noteworthy first prizes and awards from their travels – victories in competitions vokal.total (Graz, Austria), A CAPPELLA (Leipzig, Germany), World Choir Games (Cincinnati, USA), etc. Latvian Voices perform music of different historical ages and genres. Still their hearts belong to the Latvian folk song. Groups’ stage costumes are in-weaved with Sun symbols of the ancient Latvians, which are like small amulets that accompany girls all around the world.
2014 Latvian Voices is announced musical ambassador of European Capital of Culture Riga. With the singing legends from England, The King’s Singers, the Latvian Voices will be on stage to premiere a new composition by the Latvian composer Eriks Ešenvalds. Furthermore, a new album Zeit der Wunder was released under at Universal Music which Latvian Voices has recorded jointly with the German vocal band Viva Voce; producer of this new album is the well-known composer and songwriter Rolf Zuckowski (Germany).Das Vokalensemble „Latvian Voices“ entstand auf einer Konzertreise durch Deutschland zur Weihnachtszeit 2009. Zwei Jahre lang verfeinerten die sieben jungen Lettinnen ihre musikalischen Erfahrungen in Workshops und Meisterkursen bei „The King’s Singers“ (2010, 2011) und „The Hilliard Ensemble“ (2011). Die Gruppe brachte von ihren Reisen bereits mehrere bemerkenswerte erste Preise und Auszeichnungen mit nach Hause – u. a. von vokal.total (Graz, Österreich), A CAPPELLA (Leipzig) und World Choir Games (Cincinnati, USA).