Pre-Chills, After-Thrills, Snow Spills!

Are you in the holiday spirit yet? It took us a while this year, as our minds were occupied with anniversary reflections and finding a new alto. To get into the Christmas mood, we rehearsed for our concerts surrounded by fairy lights, candles, and punch. It worked!

Our Christmas program is ready and couldn’t be more tranquil. This year, the concerts center on Maria, a refugee who gave birth to the Son of God under adverse circumstances. Between our Elisabeth and Friedrich stands a pregnant Maria too, who will soon leave Calmus to welcome her child back home. Our hearts are heavy with both joy and sadness.

Weihnacht a cappella: A Spotless Rose

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CD Release: “Liebesleid”

The Choir Day in Mainz with John Rutter and 1500 participants, online lectures at the HfM Saar Summer School, colossal anniversary preparations and many, many concerts – none of this is stopping us from releasing a new CD at the same time!

We are overjoyed to be presenting you this exceptionally beautiful CD:

Liebesleid Cover

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25 years of Calmus Ensemble

Anyone who knows us personally may be aware that we love to celebrate birthdays extensively. Everyone is always given a surprise happy birthday garland and cake. This year we have had to be pretty restrained because the presents got out of hand last year. But this year there is an important birthday that requires no restraint.

Calmus turns 25!

That calls for a big celebration! And since this is not an insignificant number, we are really going all out for this anniversary! You already know the rough dates. And since our last newsletter, it should be clear to you that this time it is not just a single day, but a whole weekend of celebrations! Today we finally give you the details of our festivities.

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Bach, Bach, Bach and Bach again!

2024 – we are now in the third month of this special anniversary year for us – high time to send you an update! 8 gigs, 2 workshops, 1 film shoot and 1/2 CD recording. All this is already behind us this year.

With the Calmus Ensemble's origins in the St. Thomas Boys Choir, it's almost fateful that the next few months will be all about Johann Sebastian Bach!

In four special concerts, we will be interpreting some of his best-known and newly published works, even beyond the borders of Germany.

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Streaming concert Christmas Lights today at 7:00 PM CET on YouTube!

The time has come: our online CD release concert on YouTube is just around the corner!

Today, on December 23rd at 7:00 PM CET, we will sing for you and you can simply relax at home, continue wrapping gifts, decorate the tree to festive music, or watch us sing up close.

If you want to know what to expect, take a look at the trailer.

And here is the link to the streaming concert, which you can start at 7:00 PM CET. We will make the stream available to you up to and including 2024-01-06.

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Christmas greetings

What a blessing that Christmas anticipation doesn't cause any pain! Otherwise we would have had to be taken to hospital long ago. And it won't be any different for you any time soon!

Advent Calendar

Some of you may have already noticed! This year, we have a Calmus Advent calendar for you. Starting today, we will release a piece of our new CD "Christmas Lights" on YouTube every day until Christmas. You can peek behind the first door here:

Madrigal for Christmas

CD Release Concert

But what would a CD release be without an official release concert? On December 6, we will be coming to the Pauluskirche in Halle/Saale for the first time with our own “Weihnacht a cappella” event entitled "Christmas Lights".

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Lots of presents!

The new season has begun and Christmas presents are already coming down the chimney!

Probably the greatest gift we have received is Christie Starrett! She lives in the USA and is now our manager for North America. Christie Starrett is an independent arts manager with a portfolio of performing arts organizations, leading vocal groups and choral organizations. Professional associations range from IMG Artists, The Philadelphia and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras, the American Boychoir and Trinity Irish Dance Company. Illustrious clients over the years include Joshua Bell, the Emerson String Quartet, Steve Reich, The King’s Singers, Tenebrae Choir, Thomanerchor of Leipzig and more. We first met Christie in person on our US and Canada tour last April. She attended our concert in Norfolk, Virginia, and we immediately clicked!

Christie Starrett und das Calmus Ensemble

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Sunny wishes

The birds are chirping, the lakes are crowded, and people are strolling the streets in T-shirts and sunglasses. We, too, are singing a lot, brimming with ideas and news, and besides shorts and skirts, we have something much more stylish to show!

Elisabeth and Maria have recently become proud owners of new tailor-made dresses from Maxi Lasheras, who operates the Marillon Leipzig couture studio not far from our rehearsal space. Friedrich, Jonathan, and Michael are equally delighted with their specially made matching accessories in blue and gold.

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It's the most wonderful time...

The first snow has fallen in Leipzig, Christmas markets arealready bustling with activity, and snuggly wrapped in warm socks and scarves, we are filling our rehearsal room with the most beautiful Advent and Christmas songs. What more could you want? Concerts, of course!

In the last few months we have already sung twelve concerts with the new line-up and we are very happy about the successful start and the best audience imaginable!

And we have plenty lined up for you! Below are some highlights. Those who make it to the end of the news will be rewarded with a small Advent treat.

We are continuing our tradition of hosting our own ‘Weihnacht a cappella’ concerts. These will take place on

December 20, 2022, 7:30 p.m. at the Ev. Reformierte Kirche zu Leipzig

and on

December 21, 2022, 8:00 p.m. at Laeiszhalle Hamburg.

If you want tickets, you will have to be quick! Presale is already underway and our distribution manager Michael has his hands full. Here you can get tickets for Leipzig and here for Laeiszhalle Hamburg.

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Curtain up!

Over half a year ago we announced to you our extensive generational change. We posted three positions and received over 50 applications. The selection process was intensive and time-consuming - but it was worth it!

We are pleased to introduce the new Calmus line-up:

tl_files/calmus/bilder/News/Calmus@AnneHornemann-2536.jpg

Maria and Friedrich are joined by Elisabeth Mücksch (soprano), Jonathan Saretz (baritone) and Michael B. Gernert (bass). This cast will form the new Calmus Ensemble from September 2022.

It is a great undertaking to continue Calmus with three new faces on the same musical level and with the same esprit - a challenge that we have all already accepted. Anja, Ludwig and Manuel are already filling the roles of mentors and patrons in a wide variety of areas.

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