The Chamber Choir

As the name suggests, the Chamber Choir at the Hildesheim Cathedral Music Group is made up of around 20 choristers who are able to prepare pieces independently, in order to then assemble them together more quickly.

In keeping with its role as a chamber choir in an episcopal church, the Choir focuses, among other things, on works by Palestrina. The 2009 choir tour took the Chamber Choir, together with the Cathedral Choir and the Choral Scola's Schola Gregoriana, to northern Italy (Pavia, Milan, Genoa).

In October 2011, the Chamber Choir and the Choral Scola's Schola Gregoriana undertook a trip that included concerts and masses and took them to Ratzeburg (Cathedral), Schwerin (St. Anna Probsteikirche [collegiate church]) and Wismar (St. Laurentius).

Also in October 2011, Renaissance pieces were added (Palestrina, Victoria). These works are available to listen to on the “Himmlisches Jerusalem – Musik aus Mittelalter, Renaissance und Romantik” [‘Heavenly Jerusalem – Music from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Romanticism’] double CD. The CD also includes the “Ave Maria” by Tomás Luis de Victoria (mp3, 1.8 MB) and performances by the Cathedral Choir (motets from the English, French and German Romantic period), the Choral Schola's Schola Gregoriana (proper from 31st Sunday of the liturgical year, following the 13th Century Hildesheim manuscript), as well as soloists from the Hildesheim Cathedral Music Group. In 2012, the Chamber Choir explored works from the Romantic period (concerts in Celle and Hildesheim), yet also performed, together with the Choral Schola's Schola Gregoriana, in the “Konzert der Stille” [‘Concert of Silence’], which included works by the contemporary composer Helge Burggrabe, as well as compositions by Duruflé and Rheinberger. In spring 2014 – in collaboration once more with the Choral Schola's Schola Gregoriana – the Choir performed a spiritual concert in Wilkenburg.

This year, the Chamber Choir can be heard at the masses taking place on All Souls’ Day (02.11) and on the 3rd Sunday of Advent (14.12). The Choir will be performing motets and liturgical music by Renaissance composers. Together with the Cathedral Choir and the Women’s Choir, the choristers will be performing the arrangement of the ‘principal masses’ at the reopening and on other occasions.

The choristers receive individual vocal coaching and are directed in small groups by Christoph Rosenbaum.

The prerequisites for becoming a member of the Chamber Choir are a flexible voice, an excellent ear, as well as the ability to work on pieces independently. If you are interested in joining the Choir, please contact the Cathedral’s Musical Director Thomas Viezens to arrange an audition.

 

Chamber Choir practice times

3rd Tuesday of the month,
7.30 - 9.30 p.m.
Plus one Saturday per quarter, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.