The choir was founded by Mrs Éva
Kollár in 1972 as The Monteverdi Chamber Choir. During its
26 years of existence, the choir was successful at music festivals
and choir competitions in Hungary (Pécs, Budapest, Debrecen)
as well as abroad (Austria, Belgium, England, France, Germany,
Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Ukraine). It was awarded 1st prize in
Spittal/Drau, two first prizes and the Grand Prix in Arezzo and 2nd
prize in Llangollen and Gorizia.
In 1997 the Monteverdi Choir has given a successful concert in
Vicenza and a nice jubilee concert in Tours in the frame of the
International Choir Competition at the occasion of St. Martin's 1600
anniversary. In this year the choir also has participated the
Marseilles International Choir Festival and was the winner of four
first prizes and the Grand-Prix of the International Choir
Competition in Sligo (Ireland).
In 1997 the Monteverdi Choir given several concerts, like Nelson
Mass by Joseph Haydn, Ein Deutsches Requiem by Johannnes Brahms,
Psalmus Hungaricus by Zoltán Kodály and Carmina Burana
by Carl Orff.
The repertoire of Monteverdi Choir consists of a cappella pieces
of the European Renaissance as well as the oratorique and a cappella
music of Baroque, Classical and Romantic composers. Several
contemporary Hungarian composers have dedicated pieces to the choir
for world premiere, /Farkas, Daróci Bárdos, Zsolt
Gárdonyi, Kocsár, Mohay, Sulyok, Szõnyi/.
Performances of the choir are available on several CD-s, LP-s and in
the form of radio and television recordings.
In addition to radio, television and LP recordings, the ensemble
participated in festivals and choir competitions. Besides its
performances in Hungary, the Budapest Monteverdi Choir had concerts
in a number of European countries in the last 23 years. Baroque,
Viennese classical music and the oratoric literature of Romanticism
and the presentation of contemporary works play an important role in
its repertoire along with the art of the European Renaissance, "a
cappella". The world premiere of the works of several Hungarian
composers is associated with the name of the Budapest Monteverdi
Choir.
On the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Claudio Monteverdi's
stay in Hungary, the company headed by Ms. Éva Kollár
as chorus master organised the successful 1st International Festival
of Monteverdi Choirs in August of 1996 with the participation of 5
European and 2 Hungarian choirs. This event dealt with the music of
Claudio Monteverdi and its influence on European culture.
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Achievments and activities of the Budapest Monteverdi Choir
1976 Chamber Choir Festival in Pécs
1978 Bartók Béla International Choir Competition in
Debrecen - special award of the jury
1978 Chamber Choir Festival in Pécs
1979 Spittal (Austria) - International Choir Competition, 2nd and
3rd Prize
1980 Bartók Béla International Choir Competition in
Debrecen - 2nd Prize, Folklore Prize
1980 Chamber Choir Festival in Pécs
1980 Concert Tour in Germany and Austria (Grebenstein, Kassel,
Vienna)
1981 International Festival in Poitiers (France)
1982 Chamber Choir Festival in Pécs
1982 Bartók Béla International Choir Competition in
Debrecen - 3rd Prize, Chorus Master Prize
1983 Concert Tour in Belgium, organised by Jeunesse Musicale
(Brussels, Namur, Liéges)
1983 International Choir Festival of Marseilles (France)
1984 1st International Chamber Choir Festival of Pécs -
"Ancient Music Prize"
1984 Concert Tour in Germany
1985 International Choir Competition of Arezzo - two 1st Prizes,
Grand Prize of the Town of
Arezzo and 1st Prize for Chorus Masters
1986 2nd International Chamber Choir Festival - score reading
competition, 1st Prize
1987 Concert Tour in the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Roden,
Gronningen)
1987 Concerts in France (Paris, Autun)
1987 Concerts in Italy (Vicenza, Bassano del Grappa)
1988 Concert Tour in Italy (Rome, Sardegna, Nuoro)
1989 Dutch Ancient Music Festival - Utrecht
1989 Concerts in Germany (Köln, Bamberg)
1989 Concerts in Italy (Schio, Vicenza)
1990 International Choir Competition of Linz - 3rd Prize
1990 International Choir Competition in Liangollen (England -
Wales) - 2nd Prize
1990 Concerts in Italy (Pergine)
1991 Tour in Italy (Rome, Sardegna, Nuoro)
1991 Spittal (Austria) - International Choir Competition, 1st and
3rd Prize
1992 Concerts in Italy (Fano, Rovigo)
1992 Concert Tour in Switzerland (Bienne, Délémont,
Chaux de Fonds)
1995 Belgium - Brussels, Gent Roeselare, Bruges
1995 Academy of Music in Budapest: Hungarian Choir Day, 25th
Anniversary Concert of KÓTA
1996 Hungarian Radio: two exclusive public live concerts (January
13th and September 21st)
1996 Romantic Concert; Mozart: Requiem
1996 Mundus Cantat - International Chamber Choir Festival of
Pécs: score reading competition, 1st
Prize, GRAND PRIZE of the Festival
1996 Esztergom-Budapest - International Festival of Monteverdi
Choirs
1996 CD recording from psalms and motets of Claudio Monteverdi
1996 Monteverdi and Bach "Magnificat" concert
1997 Premiere concert in Tour on the 1600th anniversary of the
birth of St. Martin (broadcast by
Radio France)
1997 Concert Tour in Italy and France (Vicenza, Marseilles,
Avignon, Arles, St. Gilles, Siotat)
1997 J. Brahms: German Requiem, concert in Budapest with the
participation of the Orchestra of
the University of Marburg
1997 Sligo (Ireland) International Choir Competition - four 2nd
Prizes and the GRAND PRIZE
1998 Premiere of Michael Haydn's St. Francis Mass, J. S. Bach
concert: 106th Cantata, Mass in A-Major
1998 Concert in the Teatro Olimpico of Vicenza, International
Polyphony Choir Meeting in Pescara
1998 Germany - Schwarzwald Concert Tour(Schopfheim, Villingen, Rottweil, Singen)
1998. Concert: J.S.Bach: 191.cantata /Budapest/
1999. J.S.Bach: St. John's Passion /ZA/
1999. Concert tour: Italy /Aquileia, Vicenza/
1999. Magnificat; - Pergolesi: Stabat mater /ZA/
2000. Cl. Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine
2000. Utrecht - Early Music Festival - concert. Cl. Monteverdi's psalms
2000. Concert tour in Germany: 5 concerts; Mozart: Requiem Grebensteinben and Budapest.
2000. Closing concert of the event 'The centuries of Hungarian horal Music'at Music Academyn
2001. Concert: . Kálvin t. Ref. Church Pieces ofy H. Schütz, F. Mendelssohn, M. Reger
Concert: Erdődy KmZkr. Szervita t. J. Haydn: Chrost's Seven words, Orbán Gy. Stabat mater (1st perf.)
2001. Concert Szt. Gellért Church: Pieces of Cl. Monteverdi, List F., Kocsár M., Vajda J., Orbán Gy.
2001. Performing choir at the International Competition of Young Conductors - Music Academy
2001. 2nd International Monteverdi Festival (organiser) - Esztergom - Budapest, Gyöngyösi L.(1st perf.)
2002. M. Haydn: Missa Sancti Franciscii - Music Avademy, Budapest
2002. Italy - Como: R. Keiser: Markus Passion
2002. Italy - Camerino International Choir Competition 1st and 2nd prizes.
2002. 30 Jubilee concert: J.S.Bach: Mass in B minor - Matthias Church
2003. Como - Markus Passion -
2004. Kiev - Festival of Church Music;
2004. Schwarzwald - Donaueschingen Hungarian Days;
2004. Rotterdam - Hongarijeeansee - Hungarian Session- Fekete Gyula: Elegia
2005. 2nd International Monteverdi Festival (organiser) - Esztergom - Bp. - Special guest: Prof. Simon Carrington
2006. Salzburger Dom - Kodály: Missa brevis
2006. Piliscsaba Days of Church Music
2006. Flower and butterfly - Huszár-Vojnovich Villa
2006. Concert with the Singapur Choir Ban Sheng Toh
- koncertút
2006. Concert with the Renaissance Choir (GB)
2006. Prague - International Competition P. Eben - SEveral 1st Prizes + Grand Prix
2007. Performing choir at the International Competition of Young Conductors - Music Academys
2007. Jihlava - International Choir Festival
2007. 35th jubilee concert MTA Buda Castle G.F. Handel: Dettinger Te Deum
2007. Concert with the Komló Teacher's Choir, Mánfa
2007. Jubilee concert. II. J. Haydn és W.A. Mozart Requiem kc. a Szent Imre Church
2007. Kodály Marathon, és Kodály jub concerts at Music Academy
2008. Legnano (Olaszo.) Festivak - concert tour
2008. Verdi Requiem - with Cantate Choir - at Music Academy - cond. José Cura
2008. Concert with the Komló Teacher's Choir - Haydn: Missa St. Nicolai - cond. Czifra J. Regnum M t.
2008. J. Haydn: Missa Sancti Nicolai - Skót Misszió 2009. Trentino - Concert tourt
2009. F. Mendelssohn_Bartholdy: Elias - Hofheim, Frankfurt - cond.. Hans-Georg Dechange
2009. Trentino - "Settimana Corale 2009" - concert tour
2009. J. Haydn: Die Schöpfung - with the Hofheim Choir, St. Stephen's Basilika's Choir. Cond. Hans-Georg Dechange
2009. J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor - 2 concerts at the Music Academy Cond. José Cura
2010. CARUS CD recording: Musica Sacra Hungarica - Bp. Unitarian Church. - dó-lá Stúdió
2010. Csömör - Festival of Church Music
Exclusive programmes and guest appearance on 8 LPs; numerous radio
and television recordings.
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The following pieces were first performed by the Budapest Monteverdi Choir:
Borsody László: Kéktollú
éjszaka /Kiss A./ 1978.
Daróci Bárdos Tamás: Járd ki
lábam népdalszvit 1977.
Daróci Bárdos Tamás: A málnás
erdején népdalszvit 1982.
Dobos Kálmán: Missa brevis 1998.
Doráti Antal: Ubi caritas 1994.
Farkas Ferenc: Danse macabre /Weöres S./ 1995.
Farkas Ferenc: Májusi sütkérezés
/Csoóri S./ 1995.
Farkas Ferenc: Köszöntő /Csoóri S./ 1995.
Farkas Ferenc: Fóti dal /Vörösmarty M./ 1995.
Farkas Ferenc: Je suis l'archange de Dieu francia Noël 1996.
Fehér György Miklós: Ave Maria 1994.
Gárdonyi Zsolt: Valse triste /Weöres S./ 1979.
Gárdonyi Zsolt: Adeste fideles 1984.
Gyöngyösi Levente: Kyrie és Agnus Dei 1996.
/from the mass written in honour of Cl. Monteverdi/
Hollós Máté: Rózsakoszorú 1984.
Horváth Barnabás: Libakerti Albert Sóhaja
/Tóth Á./ 1997.
Kocsár Miklós: Hegyet hágék,
lőtőt lépék /collected by Erdélyi
Zs./ 1995.
Sulyok Imre: Három bibliai kép 1991.
/Coena magna, Sedatio maris, Expulsio/
Szőnyi Erzsébet: 43. Petrarca szonett 1982.
Szőnyi Erzsébet: Frühzeitiger Frühling /J.
W. Von Goethe/ 1986.
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