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The chamber choir Canticum Novum was founded at the beginning of 2000 by Michael Schmutte, in particular to maintain the high art of a-cappella. Every year three to four programs rehearsed. Focus of the musical work is the sacred choral music from the Renaissance to the present.
A striking indicator of the choir is the implementation of the findings on the historical performance practice in the preparation of older works. The chamber choir collaborates with renowned vocal soloists and instrumental ensembles of the early music scene, such as the Norddeutsches Barockorchester and Barockorchester L’Arco Hannover.
Canticum Novum, which currently has around thirty members, has succeeded, thanks to fast demanding concerts designed, to gain an excellent reputation in the rich music choral music scene of Münster.
After the complete performance of the celebrated J.S. Bach's Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248 at the beginning of 2004, followed invitations for further concerts with oratorios. In summer 2004 Canticum Novum gave a much-acclaimed concert at Großen Haus of the Städtischen Bühnen Münster, in the predominantly sounded contemporary choral music, including the Münster premiere of Cantata Misericordium by Benjamin Britten. In the same year Canticum Novum won at the Béla Bartók Choir Competition in Debrecen, Hungary, the most important competition of contemporary choral music in Europe, the 3rd place in the category "Chamber Choir".
With George Frideric Handel's Messiah, Canticum Novum celebrated in January 2005 his 5th birthday, and gave further concerts. The highlight of 2005 was the performance of the Marienvesper by Claudio Monteverdi at the Cathedral of Münster under the 1200-year anniversary of the diocese.
2006 was the Bach year for Canticum Novum. Performance of Johannes-Passion BWV 245 in March was followed in October, with all six motets - a first for Munster. In September of this year Canticum Novum 'was awarded with the 1st prize for excellency at the Deutsch-Niederländischen Kirchenmusikpreis in Kloster Frenswegen.
In January 2007, Christmas concert under the title "O magnum mysterium" Canticum Novum gave the German premiere of Magnificat by Urmas Sisask. This was under the musical program for the accompanying "documenta 12" in Kassel. Other highlights of the concert season in 2007 were the performances of Thomas Tallis' 40-stimmiger Motette Spem in Alium and György Ligeti's Lux aeterna in the same autumn concert in Nordhorn.
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