September 24, 2010
X HELSINKI BACH WEEK OCT. 29TH - NOV. 5TH 2010

Cantores Minores, the Choir of Boys and Young Men of Helsinki Cathedral, arranges the Helsinki Bach Week for the tenth time. The five-yearly repeated Bach festival was initiated in 1965 by the choir's then conductor prof. Heinz Hofmann. Among many soloists, the following performers have since been invited to the Helsinki Bach Weeks: The Weimar Music Academy Orchestra, Collegium Instrumentale Halle, the Cappella Sagittariana Dresden, the Thomanerchor Leipzig, the Rottweiler Münstersängerknaben, the Kreuzchor Dresden, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra.

In the X Helsinki Bach Week there will be many renowned finnish artists like the Tapiola Chamber Choir, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, opera singers Anna-Kristiina Kaappola, Helena Juntunen and Tuomas Pursio, hapsicordist Anna-Maaria Oramo and organists Tapio Tiitu and Kalevi Kiviniemi. Among finnish artists there will be also guests from Estonia performing music by Estonian composer Urmas Sisask and J.S. Bach: the boys' choirs from the Church of St. Michael (Tallinn) and Tarto, Collegium Consonante, countertenor/baritone Taaniel Kirikal and conductor Lehari Kaustel.

Artistic Director of the festival is Mr. Hannu Norjanen.

X Helsinki Bach Week Oct. 29th - Nov. 5th 2010
Offers for ticket combinations

December 25, 2009
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!

DO NOT FORGET OUR CHRISTMAS ORATORIO (CANTATAS 4-6)
CONCERT ON WED 6TH OF JANUARY 2010 AT THE HELSINKI CATHEDRAL.

CANTORES MINORES

September 4, 2009
CANTORES MINORES THE FINNISH BROADCASTING COMPANY’S (YLE) YOUTH CHOIR OF THE YEAR 2009-2010

Cantores Minores the Choir of Boys and Young Men of Helsinki Cathedral has been chosen to be the Youth Choir of the Year for the season 2009-2010 by the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE)

The Cantores Minores is the oldest and renownest of the Finnish boychoirs. Its first rehearsal was held in December 1952. From the beginning the goal of the founders Pastor Tarmo Nuotio and Parson Aapo Santavuori as well as the first leader, the Finnish-American Master of Music Ruth-Esther Hillilä was to continue the tradition of historical ecclestical boychoirs in Finland. The succeeding conductors have been the Austrian Peter Lacovich (1954-1962), and the two conductors from Germany, Heinz Hofmann (1962-1987) and Christian Hauschild (1987-2004) during whose period the Cantores Minores Music Institute was established. From the beginning of 2005 conductor Hannu Norjanen has been the Artistic Director as well as Rector of the Music Institute. During his conductorship the repertory has widened to consist a larger selection of both international as well as contemporary music.

At this moment there are some three hundred boys and young men, the age range of 4 to 25 years, learning and singing within the Cantores Minores. Some 3.000 choristers have sung in it during the decades. The choir presents at least two of J.S. Bach’s large choral works yearly. Cantores Minors has so far made 51 tours to different parts of the world. The latest in June 2009 extended to Finland and Sweden. The choir is maintained by a Support Association, which is financed mainly by concert income (ca 55%), chorister’s fees (ca 30%) and public financing (ca 15%).

The season 2009-2010 consists, beside the choir’s basic program, of W.A.Mozart’s Requiem on the Eve of All Saints Day, all Cantatas of J.S.Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in December and January, Gustav Mahler’s 3. Symphony with the Radio Symphony Orchestra in February, A. Lloyd-Webber’s Requiem in March and J.S.Bach’s Passion according to St.Matthew in April. The next concert tours are planned to include Middle Europe and China in 2010.

The Christmas Concert of Radio’s Youth Choir of the Year will be recorded on Monday Dec. 21st 2009 in Helsinki Cathedral and will be broadcasted at YLE Channel 1 during the Holy Days of Christmas. In the concert Cantores Minores will perform the first three Cantatas on Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Lohja City Orchestra and soloists.

By choosing the Youth Choir of the Year YLE will support the high standard of the Finnish youth choir activity. The first choir chosen as Youth Choir of the Year was the Choir of Music Classes in Lahti in 1988.

Sources of more information:
Inari Nuutero, Editor, tel. +358-9-1480 5683, +358-40-860 3870
Hannu Norjanen, Artistic Director, tel. +358-500-504 392
Jukka-Pekka Mäki-Luopa, Executive Director, tel. +358-40-837 4585

December 25, 2008
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!

CANTORES MINORES

October 1, 2008
2ND BALTIC AND NORDIC BOYS CHOIR FESTIVAL

April 15, 2008
50TH INTERNATIONAL CONCERT TOUR 16.-20. APRIL 2008 GERMANY

Cantores Minores Conductor Hannu Norjanen Organist Markus Malmgren

Concerts:
Thu 17.4.2008 8PM Berliner Dom, Berlin
Fri 18.4.2008 7PM Pauluskirche Hannover
Sat 19.4.2008 6PM St. Ansgarii-Kirche, Bremen
Sun 20.4.2008 3PM Finnische Seemannskirche, Hamburg

December 24, 2007
TO ALL OUR FRIENDS WE WISH
A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND
A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Cantores Minores
The Choir of Boys and Young Men of Helsinki Cathedral

October 25, 2007
CANTORES MINORES CHOIR CONCERT TOUR TO ST. PETERSBURG: 9TH-11TH, NOVEMBER 2007.

In November 2007, Cantores Minores, the Choir of Boys and Young Men of Helsinki Cathedral, makes their second visit to St. Petersburg. This, the choir's 48th foreign concert tour, is part of both the St. Petersburg Helsinki days and the celebration of 90 years of Finnish independence. In St. Petersburg the choir will perform, among others, with the world-famous Glinka boys' choir in the splendid Cappella concert hall on Fri 9.11.2007 and in St. Mary's church on Sat 10.11.2007.

September 25, 2006
CANTORES MINORES CONCERT TOUR OF AMERICA

The Choir of Boys and Young Men of Helsinki Cathedral, Cantores Minores, is making its 47th foreign concert tour from the 12th to the 29th of October, 2006 to the East coast of the United States and Canada. It is also their fifth tour of America. They will perform, inter alia, in Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston and Ottawa. In their twelve concerts Cantores Minores will perform, among others, songs from the Piae Cantiones collection, Finnish choral music (including Sibelius, Madetoja, Rautavaara, Linkola, Mäntyjärvi) and European choral music (including Bach, Schütz, Mendelssohn). Most of the performances are part of local concert series and, in Canada, the choir has been asked to perform at the Outaouais Sacred Music Festival in Ottawa.  In Philadelphia and New York the choir will perform with the world-famous renaissance ensemble Piffaro (Piffaro, The Renaissance Band).

The budget for the entire concert tour is about 97,000 euros, of which concert fees, public and private support cover only about 30 %.74 choristers, age range 10-26, will leave on the trip.  The choir’s conductor and artistic director is Hannu Norjanen and Markus Malmgren is its organ soloist.

The choir will perform a concert on its return on Thursday the 2nd of November, 2006 at 7pm at the Helsinki Cathedral.

More info:
Press Release
Print-quality pictures
Jukka-Pekka Mäki-Luopa, Executive Director

September 30, 2005
IX HELSINKI BACH WEEK 6.-13.11.2005

Cantores Minores, the Helsinki Cathedral Choir of Boys and Young Men, arranges a Helsinki Bach Week for the ninth time. The five-yearly repeated Bach festival was initiated in 1965 by the choir’s then conductor prof. Heinz Hofmann. Among many soloists, the following performers have since been invited to the Bach Weeks: The Weimar Music Academy Orchestra, Collegium Instrumentale Halle, the Cappella Sagittariana Dresden, The Thomanerchor Leipzig, the Rotweiler Münstersängerknaben, the Kreuzchor Dresden. This time there are no visitors from abroad, the Artistic Director Hannu Norjanen has instead engaged a number of renown Finnish specialists in baroque music.

First time for Cantores Minores to perform together with authentic instruments
Cantores Minores sings for the first time vocal works of J.S. Bach together with a baroque orchestra of authentic instruments; in the concert ‘J.S. Bach and Cantatas’ on Sunday Nov. 6th with the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra and in the last concert of the week the Mass b minor on Sunday Nov. 13th with the Sixth Floor Orchestra.

Several Cantores Minores Alumni appear at the Bach Week
Ex-choristers of Cantores Minores are strongly represented as soloists in the concerts of the Bach Week. In the concert ‘J.S. Bach and the Cantatas’ we can hear Teppo Lampela (countertenor), Juha Moisio (tenor) and Heikki Orama (bass). Iiro Rantala, jazzvirtuoso, is responsible for the sketching of the ‘J.S. Bach and Iiro Rantala’ –concert where beside himself we hear the CM Vocal Group and CM Swing, groups where all singers are either present or former choirboys. The concert ‘J.S. Bach and Concertos’ introduces Aapo Häkkinen (harpsicord) and Niklas Spångberg (bass). Former Cantores Minores boys form also the CM Ensemble singing the concert ‘J.S. Bach and Ecumenic Church’ and even Tapio Tiitu, the organist of the concert ‘J.S. Bach and Organ’ has performed with the choir so long that he can be considered belonging to it.

The Bach Week includes also an original presentation of contemporary music
Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra and Tapiola Chamber Choir conducted by Juha Kangas give the original presentation of the Mass for choir and strings by the Latvian composer Peteris Vasks in the concert ‘J.S. Bach and Contemporary Music’. Also his composition Cantabile can be heard in the same concert as well as J.S. Bach’s Orchestra Suite II a minor (string version).

More info:
Hannu Norjanen, Artistic Director
GSM 0500-504 392 hannu.norjanen@cantoresminores.net
Jukka-Pekka Mäki-Luopa
GSM 949-837 4585 info@cantoresminores.net
Printable pictures www.cantoresminores.net/kuvat

March 10, 2005
HANNU NORJANEN MAKES HIS DEBUTE AS CONDUCTOR OF THE CANTORES MINORES CHOIR

Conductor Hannu Norjanen conducts the Cantores Minores Boyschoir first time in a concert during the Holy Week. The work will be the Passion according to St. John by J.S. Bach and it will be performed in co-operation with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra

- on Wednesday March 23th 2005 at 7 pm in the Church of the Cross in Lahti and
- on Good Friday March 25th 2005 at 6 pm in Helsinki Cathedral

As soloists Tom Nyman will sing as the Evangelist, Ilkka Vihavainen as Jesus, with Piia Komsi, soprano, Annely Peebo, alto, Jussi Myllys, tenor, Heikki Kilpeläinen, bass and Teppo Lampela, baryton.

Tickets: Wed. March 23. 18/14,50/6 euros Fri. March 25. 25, 17/10 euros (numbered rows) available in advance at Lippupalvelu and at concert site an hour before the performance.

Hannu Norjanen is a Cantores Minores Alumnus from 1974-80 when he sang under the conductorship of Prof. Heinz Hofmann. Bach’s St. John’s Passion is known to him since childhood. With the gradual change of the voice he had the opportunity to sing all parts of the choir score. Norjanen was elected to be the Artistic Director of the Cantores Minores among 19 international candidates. His coductorship and rector’s post at the Cantores Minores Music Institute began at the beginning of this year 2005.

November 9, 2004
THE RETIRING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CANTORES MINORES BOYCHOIR, PROFESSOR CHRISTIAN HAUSCHILD CONCLUDES HIS CONDUCTORSHIP WITH PERFORMANCES OF MASTERPIECES BY BRAHMS AND BACH

JOHANNES BRAHMS: EIN DEUTSCHES REQUIEM
Fri November 19, 2004 at 7 pm in Helsinki Cathedral

Prof. Hauschild has chosen the German Requiem by Brahms to be the highlight of his last term with his choir. The work will be performed on Friday, Nov. 19th at 7 pm in Helsinki Cathedral. The 90 Cantores Minores members will sing together with the Laudamus-choir consisting of 30 singers of which the ladies stem mostly from the former Heinz Hofmann's Radio Youth Choir and men are Cantores Minores alumni. The German Requiem is seldom sung by boys and young men. It has however been in the repertoire of the Cantores Minores since 1988 when Christian Hauschild chose and conducted it as Requiem for his predecessor Heinz Hofmann. After that the performance has been repeated in 1996 and 2003. It still is a rarity in boychoir repertoire.

Singers of the Finnish National Opera, Raili Viljakainen soprano and Juha Kotilainen barytone will sing the solo parts. Raili Viljakainen sang also in the first performance in March 1988. Lohja City Orchestra assists.

MORE THAN 20 CONCERTS AND OTHER PERFORMANCES AT CHRISTMASTIME
Christmas is a busy time for the Cantores Minores. This year makes no exception. There are altogether over 20 concerts and other occasions where the boys perform. There are other choir-groups besides the traditional 'A-choir' taking part in this pleasant grind; CM Vocal Group of 20 boys and young men, CM Ensemble of 12 young men, CM Swing of 10 young men. Every group has its own repertoire. There are also the 'Tiernapojat', Star Boys, two groups of 4 singers, one of boys, the other of young men, both performing an ancient ritual of the Three Kings.

One of the most important occasions will be the concert on Finland's Independence Day (Dec. 6) in the Finlandia Hall where Cantores Minores will assist at the concert of Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra by singing a four part work by Olli Kortekangas 'Meren kivet, rannan kivet' and the Finlandia-Hymn by Jean Sibelius.

The last peaks in Christian Hauschild's era will be the three concerts of J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio in Sipoo Church (Dec. 18), in Lohja Church (Dec. 19) and Helsinki Cathedral (Dec. 21). Soloists Piia Komsi soprano, Lilli Paasikivi mezzosoprano, Tom Nyman tenor and Juha Kotilainen barytone and Lohja City Orchestra assisting.

Cantores Minores active year will end with a performance at the University Hospital in Meilahti in the morning of Christmas Eve and the Traditional Christmas Concert on 1st Christmas Day (Dec. 25 at 5 pm) in Helsinki Cathedral.

After this concert Professor Christian Hauschild leaves his office of 17 years as Cantores Minores conductor and hands it over to his successor Hannu Norjanen.

May 7, 2004
CANTORES MINORES MALE CHOIR TOURS ENGLAND

The CM Male choir leaves for England on May 19, 2004, for its 3rd concert tour abroad. The tour includes concerts in London, Cambridge and St. Neots with the following schedule:

Wed 19.5. at 5.00 pm Performance, Residence of the Ambassador of Finland, London
Thu 20.5. at 1.15 pm Lunch Recital, Trinity Hall College Chappel, Cambridge
Thu 20.5. at 8.00 pm Communion Service, Wesley Methodist Church, Cambridge
Fri 21.5. at 7.30 pm Concert, St. Neots Parish Church
Sat 22.5. at 6.00 pm Concert, Finnish Church, London (33 Albion Street, Rotherhithe)

Taking part on the tour are 32 former Cantores Minores Boys' Choir singers representing all six decades of the choir's history. The CM Male Choir is directed by Ari Häyrinen, also an ex-CM boy, and the organ soloist is Mr. Tapio Tiitu. The choir's repertoire includes Central European and Finnish male choir music e.g. from F. Schubert, J. Sibelius, T. Kuula ja E. Rautavaara.

Previously the CM Male Choir has toured Estonia in 1996 and Germany in 2000.

December 25, 2003
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

November 12, 2003
THE CANTORES MINORES BOYSCHOIR VISITS ST. PETERSBURG IN DECEMBER 2003

Cantores Minores, the choir of boys and young men of Helsinki Cathedral has been invited in December this year to sing in St. Petersburg, actually celebrating its 300th Anniversary. The invitation came from the Consulate General of Finland in St. Pertersburg, the Radio and TV Children’s Choir of St. Petersburg and the Finnish-Ingrian Society.

The Celebration Concert of Finland’s Independence Day is to be held at the Smolna Cathedral on Friday December 5., 2003 at 6.30 pm. Additionally the choir will sing at the Independence Day Service on Dec. 6. at St. Mary Church where a concert also takes place at 4 pm the same day. The choir will also sing at the reception at the Consulate General. This is the choir’s 42. tour abroad and the second visit in Russia. The previous tour was made in 1999 to Moscow where the choir had a concert together with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra.

The Cantores Minores is conducted by professor Christian Hauschild. The 19-year old headprefect of the choir Dani Juris plays the piano solo parts. The travel choir consists of 62 boys aged 9 to 21. The musical selection ranges from the Middle Ages to modernest times including e.g.compositions by Heinrich Schütz, Anton Bruckner, Jean Sibelius, Einojuhani Rautavaara and Pekka Kostiainen.

In addition to the choir’s perpetual Patron, President Tarja Halonen, this tour is also patronized by Kauko Jämsén, Consul General of Finland in St. Petersbug.

October 27, 2003
A BOOK, "CANTORES MINORES, HELSINGIN TUOMIOKIRKON POIKAKUORON VIISI ENSIMMÄISTÄ VUOSIKYMMENTÄ 1952-2002" HAS APPEARED IN FINNISH.

The History “Cantores Minores, the first fifty years of the Helsinki Cathedral Boyschoir1952-2002” was finally published – after six year’s labor – at a festive occasion in the Crypt of Helsinki Cathedral on Oct. 26, 2003. It is written by the choir’s curator since over 30 years, Pirkko-Leena Otonkoski Phil. Lic. and made up by Olavi Lindblad, choirboy in 1965 and active in it ever since, besides being a TV- director.

This chronological account consists of over 400 pages, some 150 pictures, extensive matricles and statistics plus a CD of historical recordings 1953-2002. It is available at the choir’s office for 30 e (plus postage 8 e) from Monday till Thursday 1 to 5 pm by phone: +358-(0)9-6877720, Fax +358-(0)9-98777250
e-mail cm@cantoresminores.net

September 17, 2003
THE WORLD-RENOWNED DRESDNER KREUZCHOR VISITS FINLAND IN OCTOBER

The Kreuzchor - Choir of boys and young men of the Holy Cross from Dresden - comes to Finland as guest of the Cantores Minores. Both choirs perform jointly the German Requiem (Ein deutsches Requiem) by Johannes Brahms in two concerts in the cities of Helsinki and Lahti. The Kreuzchor gives additional concerts in Helsinki, Järvenpää, Porvoo and Turku. These choirs have already sung together several times. In 1980 and again in 1985 the Kreuzchor was invited to perform as part of the Helsinki Bach-weeks organized by the Cantores Minores. They sung together at both occasions the b minor Mass by Bach, in 1985 also in Dresden. Last year Cantores Minores was invited to appear at the Dresden Music Festival where the two choirs also had a joint performance. The collaboration will continue in March next year as both choirs will sing together the St. John's Passion by Bach in Dresden.

Johannes Brahms: Requiem
Tue Oct. 21. at 7 pm in Ristinkirkko (the Church of the Holy Cross) Lahti
We Oct 22. at 7 pm in Johanneksen kirkko (St. John's Church) Helsinki
Camilla Nylund soprano, Jorma Hynninen barytone
Lohja Symphony, conducted by prof. Christian Hauschild
Tickets 20/10 e (Lahti) and 30, 17/10 e (Helsinki, numbered rows) available at Lippupalvelu

The Kreuzchor a cappella conducted by Kreuzcantor Roderich Kreile
Su Oct. 19. at 6 pm in Temppeliaukion kirkko (the Rock Church Helsinki) 10/5 e
Thu Oct. 23. at 7 pm in Sibelius Hall (Järvenpää-house) 10/8/5 e *)
Fri Oct. 24. at 7 pm in Porvoo Cathedral 10/5 e
Sat Oct. 25. at 7.30 pm in Turku Cathedral 10/5 e
Tickets available in advance at Lippupalvelu and at site one hour before the concert (*) Tickets only at Järvenpää-house ticket office)

April 2, 2003
CANTORES MINORES IS COOPERATING WITH LAHTI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Cantores Minores and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra are continuing concert co-operation that began last year. This time in repertoire is Johann Sebastian Bach's St. John Passion. This masterpiece is to be heard on Wednesday 16.4.2003 at 19:00 in the Church of the Cross in Lahti and on Good Friday 18.4.2003 at 18:00 in the Helsinki Cathedral. In the taxing role of the Evangelist is singing Tom Nyman and as Jesus is performing a former Cantores Minores singer Jyrki Korhonen. The other soloists are Anu Komsi (soprano arias), Annely Peebo (alto arias) and Juha Kotilainen (Pilate and bass arias).

Tickets: 22 / 17 € (16.4.) and 25 / 17 / 10 € (18.4.)
available in Lippupalvelu tel. 0600-01-800 (1 €/min+local call charge) and one hour before the concert at the entrance to the church.

Sept. 10, 2002
SUCCESSFUL REUNION OF FORMER CM SINGERS FROM ALL DECADES

The former CM singers get-together was arranged on September 7 to celebrate the choir's 50th Anniversary. The atmosphere turned out to be warm and pleasent both at the Senate Square where the 'choir' performed a few songs to the enthusiastic crowd and in a reception held in Meritulli afterwards. The happening got much publicity as both major TV channels had sent their crews to shoot the event.

Warmest thanks to all participants in the reunion!

Senate Square, Helsinki 7 September, 2002

June 26, 2002
THE SUCCESSFUL 50TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT TOUR

The Cantores Minores boys returned home on June 16 after a successful concert tour in Central Europe. In less than two weeks the choir conquered a remarkable number of important cities of music, such as Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Zürich. Undisputable highlights of the tour were the performances of W.A. Mozart's Coronation Mass in Prague and especially in Vienna where the concert was conducted by Viennese Mr. Peter Lacovich, one of the first conductors of the Cantores Minores Choir in 1954-59 and 1960-61. Thomas Klestil, the President of Austria, received the choir at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna on June 11, 2002.

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna 11 June, 2002

A special "Eurotour 2002" site was published on the Internet during the concert tour. The reports are in Finnish only, but in the 'galleries' you can find a lot of pictures from each city the choir visited. The Cantores Minores Choir expresses its gratitude to all organizers and supporters of this great 50th anniversary adventure and wishes a happy summer to everybody!

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