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The Chamber Choir of the FRANZ LISZT University of Music in Weimar
is composed predominately of students in the disciplines of school music, conducting, vocal
performance, as well as students from the Bauhaus University also located in Weimar. Under
the direction of it founder, Gert Frischmuth, who was professor of Choral Conducting and
from 1988 – 1998 was the director of the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) Choir developed a
considerable national and international reputation. Since October of 1997, Professor Jürgen
Puschbeck has been the director of the Chamber Choir.
As a result of its concerts and participation in a number of festivals and
choral competitions in cities such as Marktoberdorf, Graz, Belfort, Spittal/Drau, Fulda and
Tolosa, the Chamber Choir has built an impressive national and international reputation. That
the choir has won a number of prizes and honors gives witness to its highly artistic quality.
The choir was awarded the 1st Prize in the 6th International Choir Competition in Riva del
Garda, Italy in 2000 as well as the 3rd prize of Spittal. In addition, the choir has taken
its unique sound to other European countries, Japan and America. In 1999 it had the honor of
being invited to perform in the American Choral Directors Association biennial convention.
The highpoint of this trip was performing several Bach choral-symphonic works. At the ACDA
convention, as well as in other venues, the choir has had the opportunity to work with several
of the worldÕs leading conductors such as Kurt Masur, Fabio Luisi, Max Pommer and Helmuth Rilling.
The ensemble devotes itself primarily to the care for and performance of a
cappella literature from the 16th to the 20th centuries. Even so, it places a special emphasis
on performing the works of composers from Thuringia and Saxony. In addition to its concert
activities, the Chamber Choir feels that part of its mission is to be a place of learning for
choral singers and choral directors.
It should also be noted that many of the its concerts have been recorded by
German and Austrian broadcasting companies such as Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), Hessischer
Rundfunk (HR), Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), and Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF). |
