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With its rich variety of voices and experience, the mixed choir founded in 1979 has become an integral part of Styriarte. Directed by Gerd Kenda, the ensemble’s core repertoire consists of large-scale choral works from the 19th and 20th centuries, though it has also enjoyed some truly memorable moments with Baroque and Classical oratorios.
GRAZER STIMMEN FÜR DEN GROSSEN SOUND
Repertoire
The chor pro musica graz was founded in 1979, and Gerd Kenda took over as musical director in 1985. Due to the size of the ensemble, the focus of its musical work is on vocal repertoire from the 19th and 20th centuries. However, the choir also performs choral-orchestral works from other periods, either on its own initiative or at the invitation of other organisers (Bach/St John Passion & Christmas Oratorio, Mozart/Requiem, Fauré/Requiem, Handel/Messiah, Mendelssohn/Elijah, Orff/Carmina Burana, Verdi/Requiem, Mahler/Symphony No. 2 Symphony, Zebinger/Christmas Oratorio, world premiere). In May 2003, as part of Graz 2003, the choir gave the highly successful world premiere of Arvo Pärt’s work “In Principio”. Since 2004, the choir has frequently appeared as a guest at the styriarte or the PSALM Festival.
The highlights of recent years have included the orchestra’s participation in the world premiere of Peter Jakober’s work Primen, which marked the 50th anniversary of musikprotokoll at steirischer herbst in 2017, a livestream of Haydn’s The Creation in collaboration with Recreation – Das Orchester conducted by Andreas Stoehr in March 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the four performances of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana within 28 hours, featuring more than 150 performers at Styriarte 2022 under the baton of Patrick Hahn.
In May 2025, the choir celebrated its 40th anniversary under the direction of Gerd Kenda with the a cappella concert “Auf Reisen” and a festive Advent concert featuring works by Bach, Telemann and Buxtehude in December.
As hosts and on stage
Between 1989 and 1999, the chor pro musica graz organised the internationally renowned subscription series “ORFEO – A Series of Vocal Events”. Concert tours to France, Italy, Iceland, Latvia, Poland, Sweden, the USA, Serbia, Hungary and Finland, as well as successful participation in competitions (Alghero/I, Asti/I, Grafenegg/A, Spittal/A, Zadar/HR) complement the choir’s regional concert activities.
