CAPPELLA AMSTERDAM

Cappella Amsterdam

Cappella Amsterdam is a versatile chamber choir that focuses on both early (Renaissance, early Baroque) and contemporary music. “'I think that it's most beautiful when you hear that people are singing,' says [conductor] Daniel Reuss. 'I don't want an abstract sound, like you hear sometimes with English choirs, but a ...
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Members

Daniel Reuss   dirigent

Mentioned in the biography of

1989   Adrián Rodríguez van der Spoel
1990   Daniel Reuss
1999   Ebony Band
2004   Peter Dijkstra (3)
2013   Daniel Reuss
2013   Van Baerle Trio
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Biography Cappella Amsterdam

Cappella Amsterdam is a versatile chamber choir that focuses on both early (Renaissance, early Baroque) and contemporary music. “'I think that it's most beautiful when you hear that people are singing,' says [conductor] Daniel Reuss. 'I don't want an abstract sound, like you hear sometimes with English choirs, but a living sound.'” (De Volkskrant, April 2007) The structure of the choir is flexible to accommodate the needs of the composition. The choir devotes special attention to Dutch composers: Sweelinck and Lassus are often programmed along with contemporary works, many written specially for the ensemble, by such composers as Ton de Leeuw, Robert Heppener, Peter Schat, Jan van Vlijmen and Hans Koolmees. The choir also shows its versatility in its frequent collaborative efforts with various (international) ensembles, among which the Asko and Schönberg Ensembles, the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Ensemble Intercontemporain, musikFabrik, Akademie für alte Musik, The Hague Philharmonic, The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the SWR Vokalensemble and the RIAS Kammerchor. Cappella Amsterdam collaborates in opera productions and is a welcomed guest at (inter)national festivals.

1970

The conductor Jan Boeke forms the Amsterdams Kerkmuziekgezelschap [Amsterdam Church Music Society], a semi-professional chamber choir that sings primarily Lutheran church music up to and including Bach. Its name is soon changed to Cappella Amsterdam.

1990

Boeke hands over the choir's artistic direction to Daniel Reuss, who had been singing in the choir since 1983. Reuss and the choir work at increasing professionalism and broadening their repertoire.

1998

The recording of Tan Dun's 'Marco Polo' receives an Edison Klassiek award in the theatre music category.

2003

The choir performs with the dance company of Krisztina de Châtel in 'Obscura', with music by Hans Koolmees.

2004

The choir performs Jean-Philippe Rameau's 'Les Indes galantes' with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, conducted by Frans Brüggen. At the Holland Festival, it presents the premiere of the opera 'Wet Snow' by Jan van de Putte.

2005

Premiere of the opera 'Thyeste' by Jan van Vlijmen with the Asko Ensemble, conducted by Stephan Asbury.

2008

Cappella Amsterdam performs with De Nederlandse Opera in Marco Polo. Pierre Audi directs both the concert and stage performances. The choir works with the musikFabrik ensemble on a recording of works by György Ligeti and Robert Heppener. The CD is awarded the Diapason d'or.

2009

Stravinsky's 'Les noces' in the version completed by Theo Verbey is premiered, as is the 'Mattheus Passie' by Boudewijn Tarenskeen directed by Paul Koek. The 'Lux Aeterna' CD is included on the German “Bestenliste” of the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik and is nominated for an Edison award in the contemporary music category. Together with the Netherlands Chamber Choir, Cappella Amsterdam founds the Stichting Tenso Nederland, the Dutch branch of the European network of chamber choirs. Cappella Amsterdam is awarded the VSCD Klassieke Muziekprijs for small ensemble.

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