KAMMERCHOR SAARBRÜCKEN

Founded in 1990 by its conductor Georg Grün, the KammerChor Saarbrücken advanced to one of the leading German chamber choirs within a very short time and enjoys an excellent international reputation. This is evidenced by countless appearances at festivals at home and in many European countries, the USA and Russia. Its CD recordings have received critical acclaim and the numerous radio recordings along with the many first prizes the choir has won at international choral competitions further confirm their reputation. The repertoire covers a wide range: The choir performs works by the most significant composers of the middle ages, renaissance and ancient classical vocal polyphony. However, the choir is also active in the area of historical performance practice of the 17th and 18th century. Here, it works together with leading ensembles for ancient music.

The choir has received particular attention internationally for its interpretation of romantic and contemporary works. It is increasingly gaining a reputation in the field of experimental and avant-garde choral music as is shown in the engagements and first performances of choir works which were expressly written by the composers for the Saarbrücken Chamber Choir. With concerts and radio productions, the choir has a regular co-operation with Saarländischer Rundfunk, the local broadcasting company. The ensemble is a regular guest in Saarländischer Rundfunk's festival "Music in the 20th Century", it has participated in Euro Radio concerts and has published many CDs with Saarländischer Rundfunk.

The choir's concerts are regularly recorded and broadcast by Saarländischer Rundfunk. Repeated invitations have been received by the choir both inland, throughout Germany, such as to the International Bach Days in Würzburg, the Frankfurt Cathedral Concerts, the Lorch Monastery Concerts, the European Church Music in Schwäbisch Gmünd, the European Festival for Music in Stuttgart, the Bach-Tage in Thuringia, Festival Musica Sacra in Marktoberdorf, the EXPO 2000, Days of Contemporary Choral Music in Aschaffenburg, the Organ Nights at St. Sebald, the Days of Contemporary Choral Music in Erfurt, the Burgfest in Lörrach, the Rheingau Music Festival, the Moselle Festival and to the Festival Hall in Baden-Baden. Abroad, the choir was guest in a broadcasting production of the classical broadcasting station WFMT, it appeared at the International Choral Festival in Missoula, the Festival TRANSFIGURATION in Yaroslawl, Russia, at the St. Petersburg Choir Festival. In Europe, it performed at the festival "Ars Musica" (Brussels), the Dutch Broadcasting Station (Amsterdam), in France at the festivals "Voix de Fête" (Rouen), "Florilège Vocal de Tours", "Rendez-vous musicale" (Forbach), festival at La ChaiseDieu, in Italy several times at the festivals "Fondazione Voci d'Europa" and "Concordia Vocis" (Sardinia), "Musica Sacra" (Bolzano and Merano), the festival for contemporary music "Trieste Prima" (Triest) and at the "Künstlerhaus Boswil" in Switzerland. In 1995 and 1998, the ensemble worked together with the conductor Frieder Bernius within the framework of own masterclasses for conductors. In 1997, ensemble and conductor won the Saarland state award for the advancement of arts.

In the twenty-five years in which the Saarbrücken Chamber Choir has been in existence, it has already won numerous first and second prizes at international choir competitions such as, among others, at Riva del Garda (1992), Budapest (1993), Maasmechelen (1993), at the IV German Choir Competition in Fulda (1994), the International Choir Competition in Spittal, Austria (1994), at the IV International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany (1995), Arezzo, Italy (1996). In 1998, the KammerChor won the fifth German Choir Competition in the royal league, the "open category". In November 2002, the ensemble won the International Choral Competition in Tolosa, Spain, in all categories, and, therefore, also the Grand Prix. In 2003, the choir won the first and second round of the EBU competition "Let the people sing", whose final concert from the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London was broadcast live to many countries in the world. In 2013, the choir won the International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf. In January 2007, the world first recording of J.M. Haydn's Requiem in B-flat was awarded with the MIDEM CLASSICAL AWARD 2007 in Cannes. For further information please refer to Discography.  

Georg Grün, conductor

Georg Grün's work as a conductor is manifold: from 2000 until 2012, he held achair as a professor for choral conducting at the Conservatory for Music in Mannheim where he conducted the conservatory's ensembles.

In 2012, Georg Grün changed to the Hochschule für Musik Saar as a professor for choralconducting. Since its foundation in 1990, he has worked on choral literature of all periods with his KammerChor Saarbrücken. He also sings the Baritone in the Daarler Vocal Consort. Since 2014, he has been conducting the "Chorgemeinschaft an der Saar". Numerous masterclasses offer the opportunity of getting to know the pedagogical and musical work of Georg Grün. He has been invited as a juror at almost each and every important international choir competition and as guest conductor with many renowned choirs and orchestras.

KAMMERCHOR SAARBRÜCKEN