RIAS Kammerchor

The RIAS Kammerchor enjoys an unmatched artistic profile. The core of its repertoire, which extends all the way from Gregorian chant to contemporary music, can be found in the Baroque era as well as in modern classics and new works. In 2010 Gramophone named it one of the world’s ten best choral ensembles.

Through the application of historical performance practice in its early music recordings and concerts, RIAS Kammerchor has set international standards. And it continues to be regarded as a leader as it further deepens its emphasis on this period through exploration of music by the Bach family and an intensive collaboration with René Jacobs.

At the same time, the ensemble is passionately committed to music of the modern era. It has given the world and German premieres of compositions by, among others, Schoenberg, Krenek, Henze, Schnebel, Kagel, Reimann, Pärt, Tan Dun and Erkki-Sven Tüür. This season it will introduce two commissioned works: Benjamin Schweitzer’s Vergehn wie Rauch and Tigran Mansurian’s Requiem.

Founded in 1948 by RIAS (Radio in the American Sector), the RIAS Kammerchor achieved international renown beyond Berlin under its directors Karl Ristenpart, Herbert Froitzheim and Günther Arndt. The choir’s compelling transparency of sound and stylistic assurance were developed under such principal conductors as Uwe Gronostay (1972–86), Marcus Creed (1987-2001) and Daniel Reuss (2003–06). Principal conductor since 2007, Hans-Christoph Rademann has placed renewed emphasis on broadening the choir’s repertoire and sharpening its stylistic focus.

Concert tours this season will take the choir as German cultural ambassadors to South Korea, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria and Spain.

Under exclusive contract to the label harmonia mundi france, RIAS Kammerchor’s recordings have been the recipients of numerous international prizes and become benchmarks. Its most recent release is Johann Christian Bach’s Missa da Requiem.

RIAS Kammerchor is an ensemble of Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre Gmbh (roc Berlin). Shareholders are Deutschlandradio, the Federal Republic of Germany, the State of Berlin and Radio Berlin-Brandenburg.

2010/2011 Please use no older version of this biography. Any modification has to be approved by a r t e s y s t e m.