German
Version
The
Wiesbadener Knabenchor (Wiesbaden Boys Choir) was founded in 1960 by minister Dr. Hugo Herrfurth at the "Ringkirche" in Wiesbaden.
From 1964 to 1989 the choir was under the direction of Dr. Konrad-Juergen
Kleinicke, who could lead the choir to big successes during his 25 years
of activity. From 1990 to 1997 Klaus Ullrich led the Wiesbadener
Knabenchor on a high level. He was followed by the young uprising
conductor Nicol Matt, who successfully led the choir until 2001. Since 2001 Roman B. Twardy
is responsible for the artistic direction of the choir.
The boys choir today covers nearly 80 boy and male voices in the age
of 7 to 28 years. By choir and orchestral concerts as well as
concert tours this vocal ensemble created itself a name in the Rhine Main
region, in Germany and also on an international scope.
Regularly the choir takes part in services in several churches of
Wiesbaden, above all in the "Marktkirche". It organizes larger
and smaller concerts, a cappella or with orchestra, from the unaccompanied
folk song to the oratorios of Johann Sebastian Bach. Baroque music forms
an emphasis of the repertoire, in addition, a special weight is also taken
by contemporary choir music.
Concert tours in recent years brought the choir into many countries of
Europe and - on invitation of the Goethe Institute - to Malaysia and
Australia. The Wiesbadener Knabenchor maintains close contacts to boys and
youth choirs from Germany and from foreign countries. These are continued
in mutual choir exchange, concert projects as well as in guest concerts in
Wiesbaden.
Several broadcast and television shots as well as recordings on CD
underline the artistic meaning of the Wiesbadener Knabenchor. Beside
recordings with Christmas carols and live recordings, a CD recording with
works of Rosenmueller, a Baroque composer, gained special interest among
experts.
The boys choir is invited to concert projects by internationally
well-known artists and ensembles, e.g. with the famous Spanish soprano
Montserat Caballé or with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Brandenburg
(Potsdam). In 1998 the Wiesbadener Knabenchor was invited to join the
federation of German concert choirs, which comprises all
important German choirs.
The Wiesbadener Knabenchor is institutionally free. Its work is financed
and organized by a carrier association of the same name. The association
is supported by private promoters, the city of Wiesbaden and the church
municipalities of Wiesbaden, in particular by the Protestant municipality
of Wiesbaden.
