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Consensus Vocalis is firmly rooted in the Eastern part of the country, based in Enschede and the only professional vocal ensemble along the entire eastern border. Consensus Vocalis was founded as a choir in the mid-1980's, with the aim of performing the large-scale works of J.S. Bach. These performances were given in conjunction with the likes of the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam, Concerto d'Amsterdam, Musica Amphion, Holland Baroque Society and Netherlands Symphony Orchestra.
The choir has also collaborated with the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra in a number of performances and CD recordings, with conductors including Jaap van Zweden, Jan Willem de Vriend, David Porcelijn and Klaas Stok. Consensus Vocalis was involved in the joint ballet production Air Ways in late 2012, with the ballet company Club Guy and Roni and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra.
The choir took part in the Nederlandse Reisopera (NRO) production of Henry Purcell’s opera the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra in 2014. This collaboration with NRO continued in the 2014-2015 season in the operas Orpheus and Euridice by Gluck and Billy Budd by Benjamin Britten.
In November 2014, Consensus Vocalis worked with the Metropole Orchestra, conducted by Jules Buckley, for the first time.The choir was also involved in the prestigious New Year’s Day concert given by the Netherlands Wind Ensemble in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, on January 1, 2015.
Together with the other professional (music) companies, the choir is of great importance to the cultural infrastructure (Nederlandse Reisopera, Phion, Theater Sonnevanck) in the eastern part of the country. It is also a valued partner of Stichting BachTwente, the Noord-Nederlands Orkest, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Musica Amphion, Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Metropole Orkest, Silbersee, Stift Festival, Internationale Koorbiënnale Haarlem, Muze van Zuid and ArtEZ Conservatorium Zwolle, among others. In recent years the choir has worked with conductors such as Jules Buckley, Benjamin Goodson, Antony Hermus, Julia Jones, Antonello Manacorda, Benjamin Lévy, Daniel Reuss, Ilyich Rivas, Ed Spanjaard, Klaas Stok, Jan Willem de Vriend and Jaap van Zweden.
The choir has a broad repertoire, varying from J.S. Bach and L.v. Beethoven to contemporary composers such as Arvo Pärt, Vasks, Gustavs, Welmers, Bank, van Rossem, Jeths, Torstensson and Rijpstra. From a cappella, opera and chamber music to Baroque, new compositions, music theatre, youth performances and the great symphonic works. (including Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, L.v. Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, W.A. Mozart's Requiem).
Due to a careful selection of singers, Consensus Vocalis has a completely unique sound that is recognizable in everything: clear, expressive, intense and full of dedication. The ensemble guarantees great stylistic flexibility and a high quality choral sound, and manages to work with the best professional choral singers from home and abroad after strict selection.
Consensus Vocalis sang the premieres of Licht en Donker by Jan Welmers, Via Crucis by Andries van Rossem, Aube by Daan Manneke with organist Leo van Doeselaar, Requiem by Willem Jeths in an arrangement for cello octet, choir and percussion and two vocal soloists, and in 2019 recorded a CD with works by Peteris Vasks with Daniel Rowland and Maja Bogdanovic in the presence of the composer (release 2020). For the online edition Live from Haarlem of the International Choral Biennale Haarlem, Consensus Vocalis recorded works by the young composer Frieda Gustavs, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Hendrik Andriessen, Gustav Mahler and Charles Ives in 2021. These recordings were streamed via the successful video channel of the British ensemble Voces8. In the festival Muze van Zuid, Consensus Vocalis is Choir in Residence in September 2021.
The reviews about the choir are laudatory: ‘Amazingly beautiful’ (muziek-recensie.nl), ‘Outstanding in character and colour’ ( **** NRC), ‘Of exceptional level’ (Theaterkrant). “The chorus Consensus Vocalis sings Verdi’s delightful choral scenes freshly, sharply on the beat and eloquently.” ( **** La Traviata – NRC)
Artistic Directors:
Klaas Stok (June 2003-July 2018)
Béni Csillag (since May 2019) |
