Conductor: Georg Grün

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Programme

Preliminary round

Nicolas Gombert (14??–1556): Je prens congie
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Darthulas Grabesgesang
Wolfgang Rihm (1952): Tristis est anima mea
Robert Schumann (1810–1856) / Clytus Gottwald (1925): Frühlingsfahrt
Edward Elgar (1857–1934): Love’s Tempest

Final round

Claude le Jeune (1528–1601): Susanne un jour
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Vineta
Francis Poulenc (1899–1963): Un soir de neige
Levente Gyöngyösi (1975): Te lucis ante terminum
Vytautas Barkauskas (1962): Stabat mater

CV

The Mannheim Chamber Choir was re-established in 2000 when Georg Grün was appointed Professor of choral conducting at the State Conservatory of Music and Arts in Mannheim. The ensemble consist of 36 singers, most of which major in vocal studies. The programme consists of works from all ages, especially early music. The choir is working by the standards of so-called semi-professional chamber choirs. Even outside lecture periods, the focus is on festivals in Germany and abroad:

In May 2001, the ensemble followed an invitation of the Association of Irish Choirs and performed at the European Academy of Young Conductors in Cork, Ireland, together with conductors and singers from twelve European countries. Success continued under the direction of Prof. Georg Grün at the next European Academy of Young Conductors in Mannheim in spring 2002, and at the Europa Cantat festival in Barcelona in 2003.

The choir gained international recognition by winning the international choir competitions in Cork, Ireland in 2003 and in Maribor, Slovenia in 2004. In the summer term of 2005, the ensemble won the “Prix Gustave Charlier” for best interpretation of a contemporary piece at the international choir competition of Marktoberdorf, Germany, and visited the Pipeworks Festival in Dublin. In November 2006, the choir was on concert tour to the international choir competition in Tolosa and further cities in northern Spain. In January 2007, the ensemble performed the Christmas Oratorio (IV-VI) by J.S. Bach in Neustadt/Weinstraße as a historically informed performance conducted by Davide Lorenzato, member of the choir and candidate for the graduate recital in the conducting class of Prof Georg Grün. In 2008, the ensemble performed again at the early music days in Saarland with works by Heinrich Schütz. In 2009, the choir was invited to the international choir competition in Maasmechelen, Belgium.

In September 2011, the choir won a third prize at the international choir competition of Arezzo, Italy. In the winter term of 2011/12, the ensemble performed at the prize winner's gala of the University of Music and Performing arts of Mannheim. For 2012, the choir plans to participate at the international choir competitions of Mosbach, Germany, and Gorizia, Italy.

A speciality of the choir is its multi-national cast; not least because of its international successes, it attracts foreign students to study in Mannheim. In the winter term of 2011/12, for example, the singers of Mannheim Chamber choir include – apart from German singers – students from South Korea, Russia, Spain, Slovenia, France, Italy, and Luxemburg.

http://www.muho-mannheim.de/wirueberuns/Chor_EN.htm