• THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR BEGINS
  Starting June 4, the Cantores Minores will tour European capitals and other major Central European cities to celebrate its 50th Anniversary Year. (Tour leaflet as a pdf file)
  
  

  The CM Webteam will provide Tour Pages at http://www.cantoresminores.net/sites/eurotour/ with lots of pictures. The reports are unfortunately in Finnish only.

  The tour schedule: Tue 04.06. Finnjet, Baltic Sea Wed 05.06. at 08.00 pm   Berliner Dom, Berlin, Germany Thu 06.06. at 07.30 pm   Thomaskirche, Leipzig, Germany Fri 07.06. at 06.00 pm Virgin Mary, Stara Boleslav, Czech Republic Sun 09.06. at 07.00 pm St. Anton's Church, Prague, Czech Republic e.g. W. A. Mozart: The Coronation Mass Tue 11.06. at 11.00 am Schloss Hofburg, Vienna, Austria Tue 11.06. at 01.00 pm Schloss Schönbrunn, Vienna, Austria Wed 12.06. at 07.30 pm Votivkirche, Vienna, Austria e.g. W. A. Mozart: The Coronation Mass Fri 14.06. at 07.30 pm Fraumünster, Zürich, Switzerland Sat 15.06. at 06.00 pm Hoher Dom, Augsburg, Germany Sun 16.06. at 09.00 am Hoher Dom, Augsburg, Germany Messe

  
  Welcome to enjoy top-quality boychoir music from Northern Europe!

Feb. 7, 2002

• THE CM'S ANNIVERSARY YEAR BEGINS WITH ST. PAUL ORATORIO
  The 50th anniversary festivities of the Cantores Minores will start on Sunday, Feb, 10, with the performance of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's Oratorio St. Paul. Welcome to Helsinki Cathedral to enjoy the joint performance of the Cantores Minores and Laudamus Choir! The soloists are once again top-ranked as well as the orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets (20, 15/10 EUR) can be purchased at Lippupalvelu or at the entrance one hour before the concert.

Oct. 21, 2001

• RUTH-ESTHER HILLILÄ-BICKEL (1928-2001) IN MEMORIAM
  The first conductor of the Cantores Minores choir, Finnish-American Dr. Ruth-Esther Hillilä-Bickel passed away in Ohio (U.S.A.) on October 21. The fifty-year-old choir grieves the loss of its founder and greatly respects all her accomplishments in the world of youth choirs. The Cantores Minores met with Dr. Hillilä-Bickel on all its four American Concert Tours, for the last time in October 1998.

Oct. 17, 2001

• THE CANTORES MINORES IN HUNGARY (Oct. 10-14, 2001)
  The CM's second visit to Hungary became possible in October 2001 thanks to the kind invitation of the local Schola Cantorum Budapestiensis Music School. Concerts were held in the Hungarian capital Budapest and in Györ near the Austrian border. The core of the choir's repertoire was formed by Bach's motet 'Jesu, meine Freude' and Mozart's Coronation Mass which was performed both in Budapest and Györ with the Györ Philharmonic Orchestra. CM treble Roope Gröndahl appeared as a soloist in the Coronation Mass singing himself into the hearts of the Hungarian audience. The Hungarians showed big enthusiasm towards Finland and the Finnish culture, so this trip will hardly be the CM's last trip to this friendly and beautiful country.
  
  F. Liszt Academy of Music, Oct. 13, 2001

• NEW PHOTOS FROM THE CONCERT TRIP TO HUNGARY UPDATED ON OCT. 21, TAKE A LOOK!

Aug. 15, 2001

• ON THE EVE OF THE FALL CONCERT SEASON 2001
  After a successful training camp the CM boys are well prepared to start a new demanding concert season. The busy schedule includes e.g. a trip to Hungary and participation in the Magna Domina Hungariae Choir Festival in October, a performance in the televised (live) special church service on the occasion of the Independence Day of Finland on Dec. 6 and - of course - lots of touching Christmas concerts as the biggest feast of the Christian world approaches... This year Bach's joyful Christmas Oratorio (cantatas I-III) will be performed on Sunday, Dec. 16 at the Cathedral of Porvoo and on Thursday, Dec. 20 at Helsinki Cathedral. More specific information on the fall concert season is available on the page 'Concerts'. WELCOME TO ENJOY!
• Next auditions for boys aged 8-10 will take place on Monday, August 27, and on Tuesday, August 28, 2001, from 5 pm to 7 pm. For details and contact information, take a glance at the 'Join Us' page!

July 14, 2001

• THE CM BOYS ARE ENJOYING THEIR WELL-DESERVED HOLIDAYS BEFORE THE NEW CONCERT SEASON
  The boys of the Cantores Minores have been on holiday since the end-of-the-season celebration on May 29. Looking back on the spring 2001, all participants will undoubtedly remember the International Rigas Doms Boys' Choir Festival arranged in the Latvian capital Riga in April. The festival offered a superb chance to get to know and listen to other top-class boys' choirs such as Dresdner Kreuzchor (Germany), Les Petits Chanteurs de Versailles (France), Newark Boys Chorus (USA), Nizhniy Novgorod Boys Choir (Russia) and the Boys Choir of the Riga Cathedral (Latvia). Concerts took place all over Latvia, everywhere the Latvian audience showed its great enthusiasm for choral music.

  The choir will gather together again at a summer training camp in Karjaa on August 4 with the aim of rehearsing Mozart's Coronation Mass to be performed in Hungary next October.

• The CM Parents' Committee will manage a summer cafˇ at the Crypt of Helsinki Cathedral on July 30 - Aug. 5. Welcome to enjoy refreshments and delicious pastries in a cozy atmosphere!
• Concert of the Cantores Minores Ensemble:
  "Old and New Ecumenical Music, Summery Landscapes and Magic of Kalevala"
  On Thursday, August 9 at 9 pm at the Suomenlinna Church, Helsinki
  Tickets (FIM 90,-) are sold at the church entrance and in Lippupalvelu's offices. WELCOME!
• THE CANTORES MINORES WISHES ITS AUDIENCE AND SUPPORTERS AN ENJOYABLE SUMMERTIME!

Jan. 23, 2001

• THE SPRING CONCERT SEASON 2001
  The CM boys' busy spring concert schedule again includes many highlights! After two years' interval we are happy to offer our listeners e.g. performances of J.S. Bach's ST. JOHN PASSION at Lohja's Pyhän Laurin kirkko on Palm Sunday, April 8, 2001 at 6 pm and at Helsinki Cathedral on Good Friday, April 13, 2001 at 6 pm. During the spring the Cantores Minores also gives concerts outside Helsinki, for example at Kemiö, Salo and Vihti. On April 23-29 the choir participates in the "Rigas Doms" Boys' Choir Festival in Riga, Latvia. For further information, please take a look at the Calendar of Events. WELCOME TO ENJOY FINNISH BOYCHOIR MUSIC!

The CM Vocal Group with the Singing Santa Claus in Oyama on Dec. 9, 2000

• THE CANTORES MINORES TOURED JAPAN SUCCESSFULLY ON DEC. 5-17, 2000
  The CM's Christmas Tour to Japan proved a great success. The arrangements of the trip had been carefully planned down to the smallest detail: the schedule was tight but feasible, we were accomodated at finest hotels, the concerts took place in big concert halls etc. The Japanese audience was really excited about our Christmas music. The live performance at NHK's Studio Park Show on Dec. 14 gathered 12 million TV viewers! To view photos from the tour, go to the official Japan Tour Site (available only in Finnish).

• IIIrd JAPAN TOUR STARTS OFF
  Today the CM Choir departs for Japan for its third concert tour in the Far East. The list of concert venues can be found at the Concert Page.
  The concert at Tokyo's Sumida Triphony Hall (Dec. 7) will be broadcast by NHK in December (exact time yet to be released). On Dec. 14 at 2 pm the choir will perform in the NHK Studio Park LIVE Show. The boys' adventures can be followed at the special Tour Site at www.geocities.com/cmjapan/ (unfortunately the site is published in Finnish only). The CM boys can be reached during the tour by e-mail: cmjapan@yahoo.com.

• NEW CHRISTMAS CD RELEASED!
  The Cantores Minores has released a new Christmas CD which is available at concerts or can be ordered via Internet in the CM Shop or by e-mail pasi.mustonen@welho.com. The price of the recording is FIM 100. Take a look at the contents of the CD!
• WE HAVE MOVED!
  As of Dec. 1, 2000, The Cantores Minores Home Page can be found at www.cantoresminores.net.

• ON THE EVE OF A NEW CONCERT SEASON
  After a well-deserved holiday the CM boys started preparations for the new fall concert season at their annual training camp at Karjaa on August 7-11. The upcoming season will again be full of challenges including e.g. the VIIIth BACH WEEK (Nov. 5-12) with Bach's Mass in b minor and Codex Calixtinus Mass being a part of Helsinki 2000 European Cultural Capital Festival, the CM's third and this far largest TOUR TO JAPAN (Dec. 5-17) and, of course, the annual performance of Bach's CHRISTMAS ORATORIO just before Christmas. For details, please take a look at the Concert Calendar. Welcome to enjoy our music during the new season!

• A BRIEF SUMMER TOUR IN SWEDEN AND WESTERN FINLAND
  In early June the CM boys made a short concert trip to Sweden's Stockholm and Uppsala as well as to Kokemäki in Western Finland. The choir had the honor to perform in the old cathedral of Uppsala and was invited to stay overnight at the families of the local Uppsala Cathedral Boys' Choir. In Stockholm the concert was held at the Finnish Church just beside the Royal Palace. At the little town of Kokemäki the CM was an eagerly expected guest: the reception was warm and the church packed. Our most sincere thanks to all concert organizers!

• CONCERTS AND PERFORMANCES IN 1999
  The Concert Calendar 1999 (Choir A) with a summary can be found here.
• THE CANTORES MINORES ON THEIR FIRST TRIP TO RUSSIA
  The CM boys visited Russia for the first time in the choir's history last December (Dec. 5-8). The trip, even though a short one, certainly proved quite an experience for all participants. The long journey to Moscow by train, the enormous size of the Russian capital as well as people's poverty will not be forgotten for some time... Musically the visit was worth all trouble; the performance of J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio in Moscow's famous Tchaikovsky Hall was successful. The CM Vocal Group also had the honor to sing at the Independence Day Reception held at the Finnish Embassy on the Independence Day of Finland, December 6.
  The Cantores Minores Choir wishes to thank the Moscow Symphony Orchestra for great hospitality and for the arrangements of the visit.

• LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SPRING CONCERT SEASON 2000
  The upcoming spring concert season will include e.g. three performances of Bach's St. Matthew Passion with another Finnish boys' choir, Chorus Cathedralis Iuniorum from Turku, at Easter as well as a concert trip to Dresden, Germany, in late March. A cappella music will be performed in concerts in Kallio Church on March 19 and in the Mother's Day concert in Helsinki Cathedral on May 14, to name just a few major occasions. For more detailed information, please take a look at the spring season's Concert Schedule.
• A NEW CHRISTMAS CD TO BE RELEASED LATER THIS YEAR
  The CM boys have recently recorded a new CD full of beautiful Christmas melodies from different corners of the world (mainly from Europe). This recording called "Christmas Round the World" will be released next fall. Order your copy NOW in advance by sending e-mail to pasi.mustonen@welho.com and get a 10% discount! You can also order by sending a postcard to Mr. Pasi Mustonen, Untamontie 13 A 9, FIN-00610 Helsinki, Finland. The full price of the recording will be 20 US Dollars. Take a look at our terms of delivery at the CM Shop!

• THE CANTORES MINORES TOURED FINLAND IN JUNE AND THE CM MALE VOICES VISITED LAPLAND WITH THE CM QUARTET AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST
  The Cantores Minores made a concert tour in Finland on June 9-20 and gained success e.g. in the TAMPERE IN CHORUS Choral Festival. We thank the audience and all the concert organizers! On Aug. 4-8 the CM's male voices visited Pelkosenniemi's Pyhätunturi Fjell together with the CM Quartet (founded in 1996). The concerts held in the beautiful nature of Lapland were successful as was the whole trip. Warm thanks to Tornio's Selestina Choir and the Young Finlandia Symphony Orchestra for the fruitful cooperation.

[LATEST NEWS]