The Choir of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1983 and has been directed by Rolf Beck from its conception. It comprises qualified singers from the various German speaking countries.
The choir's repertoire includes both secular and sacred "a capella" works from the Renaissance to the present day as well as the great works for choir and orchestra which it performs regularly with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra each concert season.
The choir’s primary role has always been its regular participation in the Bamberg Symphony’s subscription concerts. In addition to this the ensemble, which has gained a high reputation beyond the borders of Bamberg and Germany, also tours throughout Germany and internationally. The choir regularly performs at major European festivals such as the Festival de Strasbourg, the Brucknerfest Linz, the International Prague Spring Festival and the Lucerne Festival. International tours have also included visits to Israel, Japan, and South America.
In recent seasons, the choir has performed major works with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra including Verdi's Requiem, Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Brahms’ German Requiem, Schubert's Mass in E-flat Major, Bach’s Mass in B-minor, and Mendelssohn’s “Elijah”.
Opening the new 2009/2010 season, Jonathan Nott will lead both the orchestra and choir in a special concert featuring Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 which celebrates the reopening of Bamberg’s modernized and enhanced concert hall. The same work will also mark the end of the season with performances in Bamberg and the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. The choir will also be directed by Rolf Beck in two of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra’s subscription concerts featuring Mendelssohn’s “Paulus”, Bach’s Magnificat BWV 243, and Mozart’s Mass in c-minor K 427.
The collaboration between the Choir and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra has produced a number of recordings and the latest CD, featuring Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (“Resurrection”), will be released in Autumn 2009. The upcoming performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 will also be recorded for future release. Both recordings are co-productions of the Swiss Label Tudor and the Bavarian Radio.
Admission to the choir is through an audition which tests both vocal and musical abilities. For concerts the choir members prepare each programme independently and come together for final rehearsals directly before projects.
Contact the Choir of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra:
Christoph Böhmke
Tel.: +49 (0) 451-38957-22
Mobile: +49 (0) 170-8611250
boehmke(at)chor-der-bamberger-symphoniker.de
Project Preview
These are the 2009/10 season projects featuring the Choir of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Unless otherwise noted, all projects are together with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra.
September 2009
Gustav Mahler:
Symphony No. 3
- Concert in Bamberg on the occasion of the reopening of the concert hall
- Jonathan Nott, conductor
December 2009
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy:
St Paul – Oratorio
- Concerts in Bamberg
- Herbert Blomstedt, conductor
April 2010
Johann Sebastian Bach:
Magnificat BWV 243
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mass in c-minor KV 427
- Concerts in Bamberg
- Rolf Beck, conductor
May 2010
Gustav Mahler:
Symphony No. 3
- Concerts in Bamberg
- and Baden-Baden
- Jonathan Nott, conductor