Contemporary vocal compositions
Kammerchor CONSONO
Harald Jers, conductor
The Cologne chamber choir CONSONO has gained international renown through its extraordinary programmes. The choir has won prizes in many choral competitions of note. The singers of the ensemble, led by Harald Jers, impressively prove with their debut CD that their standing as top interpreters of contemporary vocal compositions is justified.
Kammerchor CONSONO
Harald Jers, conductor
William Hawley (*1950): O Maria maris stella (USA 1997)
Michael McGlynn (*1964): Incantations (IRL 1989)
Max Reger (1873 – 1916): Abendlied (D 1899)
Jaakko Mäntyjärvi (*1963): Die Stimme des Kindes (FIN 1998)
Z. Randall Stroope (*1953): The Conversion of Saul (USA 2003)
Mattias Sköld (*1976): We know not where the dragons fly (Bu Zhi Long Qu Chu) (S 2002)
Wolfram Buchenberg (*1962): Klangfelder – Raumschwingungen – Oszillationen* (D 2003)
Michael Ostrzyga (*1975): IUPPITER* (D 2007)
Trond Kverno (*1945): Ave maris stella (N 1976)
Augusta Read Thomas (*1964): The Rub of Love (USA 1995)
Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934): There is sweet music (GB 1907)
Jordan Nobles (*1969): CORIOLIS* (CDN 2006)
Gunnar Hahn (1908 – 2001): Rondo lapponico (S 1971)
Atli Heimir Sveinsson (*1938): The sick rose (IS 1978)
Moses Hogan (1957 – 2003): Elija Rock (USA 1996)
*Ersteinspielung / World Première Recording
— Detailed informations, texts, photos, etc. inside CD (booklet) —
English booklet enclosed (28 pages) / German booklet enclosed
Total recording time: 66.17 | Format: 1 Audio-CD
Recording: May 2007, Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche Bonn – Bad Godesberg;
April and September 2008, Trinitatiskirche Köln
(p) & (c) SPEKTRAL 2008 | Series SPEKTRAL MODERN
Ord. No.: SRL4-08037 | GTIN (EAN): 4260130380373
The chamber choir CONSONO was founded in 1995 as a vocal ensemble by Harald Jers. Today, it consists of about 35 young singers. The choir’s repertoire ranges from works of the Renaissance, the Baroque and Romanticism to music of the 21st century. The main focus of the young ensemble is the mastering and the stylistically sound performance of interesting and mostly unknown a-cappella œuvres by contemporary composers. Thorough voice training, and the application of recent results of the research on choral acoustics are the main formative element of the intensive and expressive sound of the choir. CONSONO has, in a fairly short time, achieved a first-rate international reputation through TV-, and radio-broadcasts and numerous successes at choral competitions. CONSONO was winner of the 1st prize of the German Choir Competition in 2006, achieved 1st position in achievement level 1 and received the Carl-Orff-Special Award at the International Chamber Choir Competition at Marktoberdorf in 2007. Furthermore, the choir received the 1st prize and several special awards at the International Belgium Choir Competition in Maasmechelen in 2007, and was awarded 1st prize at the International Choir Competition “Fleischmann Trophy“ in Cork in 2008.
Harald Jers studied orchestral and choral conducting, teacher training for music (specialising in solo-singing), sacred music and physics in Aachen, Cologne, Stockholm and Düsseldorf. His conducting expertise has been especially intensified by master classes held by Frieder Bernius, Eric Ericson, Laszlo Heltay, Wolfgang Schäfer and Helmuth Rilling (among others). As conductor, singer, organist and accompanist, he has made concert tours through Europe, China, and the United States. Harald Jers is lecturer at the Cologne University of Music, in the dioceses of Cologne and Aachen, and at several music academies. Furthermore, he is visiting lecturer at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and a member of the jury at various choral competitions. Jers teaches choral conducting, singing, voice training and acoustics. In addition to that, he holds courses in conducting in connexion with choral acoustics and voice training throughout Germany and abroad. He obtained a research assignment by the EU at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and was awarded the 1st prize of the Acoustical Society of America for important scientific and practical results of the research in the field of choral acoustics.
