Calmus Ensemble
Biography Calmus Ensemble
Calmus Ensemble
Homogeneity, precision, lightness and wit - these are the hallmarks of the Calmus Ensemble and make the quintet one of Germany's most successful vocal groups. The wide range of tonal colors, the joy of music-making that the musicians convey on stage, their sound culture and their varied and imaginative programs never fail to inspire. As a result, the five musicians from Leipzig have won a whole series of international prizes and competitions - most recently the OPUS Klassik 2019 "Best Choral Work Recording". With 50 to 60 concerts a year, Calmus is always a welcome guest throughout Europe and up to three times a year in the USA.
The repertoire range of Calmus is almost unlimited: influenced by the tradition of the Thomaner and other great German boys' choirs, the singers are naturally at home in the vocal music of the Renaissance, Baroque and Romantic periods, but music of our own time is also of great concern to them. They have commissioned and premiered numerous compositions over the years, including works by Paul Moravec (Pulitzer Price Winner), Mathew Rosenblum, Bernd Franke, Steffen Schleiermacher, Wolfram Buchenberg, Bill Dobbins, Mia Makaroff, Dan Dediu, and Harald Banter. They also enjoy singing and arranging pop, folk and jazz, as evidenced by numerous sheet music publications.
Partnerships with colleagues such as the MDR Symphony Orchestra (Weill, Seven Deadly Sins), the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, the Hamburg Ratsmusik, the Bigband of the Hessischer Rundfunk, the Capella de la torre, amarcord (Disputation) or Elke Heidenreich (Nachtgedanken) further enrich Calmus' repertoire and already two projects connect Calmus with the Lautten Compagney Berlin ("BachArkaden" / "Mitten im Leben").
Calmus dedicates a part of his time to the promotion of young musicians: teaching, workshops and jury activities are part of their daily routine, at home in Leipzig and on the road, e.g. as artist in residence at the STIMMEN Festival Lörrach or at the Bachwoche Stuttgart, very often also in the USA. No wonder that Calmus has more and more fans all over the world.