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‘The Norwegian Boys’ Choir on Tour in Berlin

The Nidaros Cathedral Boys’ Choir brings 900 years of Norwegian sacred music to Germany

November 23rd, 2016
Chiara Ceccato, News from Berlin
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‘The Nidaros Cathedral Boys’ Choir from Trondheim, the third biggest city in Norway, has planned a Christmas tour in Germany. On 27th November the choir is singing in the Berliner Dom, and on 29th at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The events are supported by the Norwegian embassy in Berlin, and promote the export of a significant part of Norwegian tradition and culture.

‘The Norwegian Nidaros Cathedral Boys’ Choir is one of the most important choirs in Europe. It dates back over 900 years: founded in the 9th century, when Norwegian and English stonemasons built the Christ Church in Trondheim, which was the beginning of the Nidarosdom. It was there that stonemasons’ sons were taught the Gregorian chant, which is still sung by the choir today. It is in the historical Trondheim Cathedral School that the choir rehearses, and many of their concerts are still hosted in the Nidaros Cathedral.

The choir is currently made up of 50 boys, between the ages of 9 and 15, and 25 men, who are usually former youth singers that maintain their connection to the choir.

The current director is Bjørn Moe: he began singing as a soprano when he was eight, and progressed to become first a tenor and then a bass. He has amassed a wealth of experience, and obtained, among other honors, the King's Medal of Merit, a Norwegian award recognizing achievements in the fields of art, science, business, and public service.

The choir repertoire seeks to find a balance between traditional Gregorian chants, liturgy and more contemporary sacred music. The program of the German tour is varied and includes Norwegian composers such as Nielsen and Grieg, German composers such as Bruckner, Merkel, Rheinberger and Wermann, and also international figures such as Gardiner and Holst.

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News from Berlin