The Ensemble

For more than 25 years, the Leipzig-based Calmus Ensemble has been dedicated to crafting concert programs and CD productions that tell compelling stories. They seamlessly blend classical repertoire with fresh discoveries, bring world premieres to life, and move audiences with their expressive performances. Recognized as one of Germany’s most successful vocal ensembles, Calmus presents a wide stylistic and genre diversity that has taken them to concert halls across Germany, Europe, and regularly to the United States.

A defining feature of the ensemble is its distinctive sound culture, a consistent thread through all lineup changes over the past quarter-century: rich tonal colors, homogeneity, meticulous attention to detail, and a text-driven interpretation of music.

Their repertoire is virtually limitless. Rooted in the Thomanerchor tradition of their founding members, the ensemble regularly performs works by Leipzig composers alongside vocal music from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Romantic eras. Equally important is their commitment to contemporary music: Calmus has commissioned and premiered numerous new works by composers such as Paul Moravec, Mathew Rosenblum, Steffen Schleiermacher, Wolfram Buchenberg, Bill Dobbins, Mia Makaroff, Gordon Kampe, and most recently in 2024 Bernd Franke ("face to face") and Harald Banter ("Elemente des Seins").

Pop, folk, and jazz arrangements further enrich their repertoire, supported by numerous published sheet music editions. Collaborations with distinguished ensembles such as Sjaella and Singer Pur, amarcord, lautten compagney BERLIN, the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, the hr-Bigband, and Capella de la Torre add further depth and variety.

Recent highlights include performances at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Konserthuset Stockholm, and the ARD Mediathek, as well as working alongside Sir John Rutter and leading workshops for 1,500 singers at the Chortag in Mainz Cathedral.

With their latest release, Liebesleid, the quintet has produced 28 recordings and garnered numerous international awards, including the OPUS KLASSIK 2019 for Best Choral Recording. Calmus also dedicates significant effort to nurturing young talent through workshops and jury work, both in Leipzig and internationally, including patronage of the Rundfunkjugendchor Wernigerode, the HfM Saar Summer School, and the International Masterclass for Choral Conducting at the Bayerische Musikakademie Marktoberdorf, as well as frequent engagements in the USA.

Innovation, dedication, and friendship are the values that Calmus projects outwardly and that bind the ensemble together from within.

Lineup:
Elisabeth Mücksch – soprano
Johanna Veit – alto
Friedrich Bracks – tenor
Jonathan Müller Saretz – baritone
Michael B. Gernert – bass