The Vocalconsort Berlin was formed in 2003 by arts and cultural managers Volkert Uhde and
Markus Schuck, and in the same year successfully debuted Monteverdi’s “L’Orfeo” at the
Innsbruck Festival of Early Music under the direction of René Jacobs.
The Berlin-based ensemble specializes in music of the early and high baroque, but
frequently presents romantic and contemporary works as well.
The variability and flexibility of this group allows the ensemble to perform equally well as a
solo quartet or a large chamber choir with multiple solo parts, thereby making the choir
perfect for concert performances as well as staged productions such as opera.
The Vocalconsort’s homogeneous and dynamic sound has led the group to work together
with well-known directors such as Marcus Creed, Pablo Heras-Casado, René Jacobs, Daniel
Reuss, Olof Bomon and Ottavio Dantone and excellent ensembles such as the
Kammerorchester Basel, the Akademie für alte Musik, Accademia Bizantina, the Sharoun
Ensemble and Ensemble musikFabrik. On stage, Vocalconsort Berlin has cooperated with
internationally successful directors and choreographers such as Sasha Waltz, Hans-Werner
Kroesinger, Barrie Kosky and Luc Perceval.
The Vocalconsort Berlin has given guest performances at such events as the Berlin-based
“zeitfenster–biennale alter musik” festival, the “Zermatt Festival” and the Berlin Staatsoper’s
Cadenza baroque festival, as well as in the renowned concert halls of Antwerp and Gent,
Ferrara, Amsterdam, Brussels, Tel Aviv, Barcelona, London, Paris, Vienna, the Salzburg
Festival, the Handel Festival Halle, the Cité de la Musique Paris, the Rheingau Music
Festival, and the Musikfest Bremen.
In 2005, the opera “Dido & Aeneas” by Henry Purcell premiered in Luxembourg starring
Sasha Waltz as choreographer. The production has enjoyed international success with over
50 performances on three continents.
Since 2006 the Vocalconsort Berlin has served as the house ensemble to Sasha
Waltz & Guests, the Ensemble Kaleidoskop and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin at the
RADIALSYSTEM V venue.
In 2007, the opera “Medea” by Pascal Dusapin premiered in Luxembourg starring Sasha
Waltz as choreographer, with performances taking the Vocalconsort to the Netherlands and
France, and even to Australia.
In 2008, the Vocalconsort Berlin received the “German Record Critic’s Award” for its debut
double CD “Hugo Distler – Geistliche Chormusik op. 12, Weihnachtsgeschichte op. 10”
(“Hugo Distler – Sacred Choral Music opus 12, Christmas Story opus 10”).
In 2009, the Vocalconsort Berlin participated in “DIALOGE 09”, a project designed by Sasha
Waltz to mark the reopening of the Neues Museum Berlin.
The CD “ODE for the birthday of QUEEN ANNE” with the famous “Dixit Dominus” HWV 232,
which was recorded together with Andreas Scholl and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
under Marcus Creed, was released by “harmonia mundi france”.
In 2011, “harmonia mundi france” also released a highly acclaimed recording of Bach’s
motets, which was also conducted by Marcus Creed.
In May 2011, the Vocalconsort participated in the world premiere of “Matsukaze”, an opera
by Toshio Hosakawa. A Sasha Waltz production conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado, further
performances have since taken place in Warsaw, Luxembourg, and at the Staatsoper im
Schillertheater in Berlin.
Also in May 2011, the Vocalconsort participated in the successful scenic adaptation of “Die
Jahreszeiten” by Haydn at the O.T. Theater in Rotterdam, which was directed by Miriam
Koen and Gerrit Timmers.
The Vocalconsort Berlin is represented by Uhde & Harckensee MusikManagement.
