CHOIRS - ANDREAS RICHTER – CULTURAL CONSULTING

Collegium Vocale Gent, founded in 1970 by Philippe Herreweghe, revolutionized baroque vocal music by embracing new performance practices. Their emphasis on authenticity and textual clarity propelled them to international acclaim, gracing stages from Europe to Asia. Since 2017, the ensemble has hosted its own summer festival, Collegium Vocale Crete Senesi, in the picturesque setting of Tuscany, Italy.

With a diverse repertoire spanning centuries, Collegium Vocale Gent has evolved into a versatile ensemble, tailoring its forces to suit each project. From intimate renditions of Renaissance music to grand symphonic performances of Romantic and contemporary works, the ensemble’s adaptability knows no bounds. Their mastery of German Baroque, particularly J.S. Bach’s vocal compositions, remains unparalleled.

Collaborating with leading historical and symphony orchestras, Collegium Vocale Gent has established itself as a dynamic force in the classical music world. Under Herreweghe’s guidance, the ensemble has amassed a prolific discography, showcasing their artistry and innovation. Supported by the Flemish Community, the city of Ghent, and Belgium’s National Lottery, Collegium Vocale Gent continues to inspire audiences worldwide with its timeless interpretations and unwavering commitment to musical excellence.

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PRESS

“Those marvellous voices.”

Tagesspiegel Berlin, 28 September 2024

“Rarely has virtuoso colouratura been heard with such naturalness and expressiveness as with the Collegium vocale from Ghent.”

Tagesspiegel Berlin, 16 September 2022

„There are ensembles and conductors who are indispensable to the performance history of a composer. In the case of the Collegium Vocale Gent conceived by Philippe Herreweghe, this is Johann Sebastian Bach, who has been elevated to the musical shield in a very small ensemble.“

bachtrack, 08 April 2022

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–Collegium Vocale Gent press picture 1

–Collegium Vocale Gent press picture 3

–Collegium Vocale Gent press picture 4

–Collegium Vocale Gent press picture 5

–Biography (PDF)

Vox Luminis was established almost 20 years ago; today, the ensemble uses its sparkling traits to enhance the world of early music! The push was made in 2004 by Lionel Meunier – bass and founding base of Vox Luminis. The objective is to gain access to the Light through the Voice. Every year, the ensemble releases on average two discs and offers its audience more than 60 concerts on Belgian, European and international stages.

They define themselves as a group of soloists with a variable combination (with a base from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague) and of a continuo, additional instrumentalists or a full orchestra, depending on the repertoire. The repertoire is essentially Italian, English and German and spans the 16th through the 18th centuries. Since its creation, the ensemble has been noted for its cohesion and it charms with the personality of every timbre and the homogeneity of the voices.

The year 2018 was marked by two awards: first, Vox Luminis won the famous BBC Music Magazine AWARD 2018 in the category “Choral Award Winner” for their recording Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott, following the disc Luther et la Musique de la Réforme. Second, KLARA named them “Ensemble of the Year”.

Today, Lionel Meunier has established himself as the internationally well-known conductor and artistic director of the Vox Luminis ensemble, which he created in 2004.

The ensemble is supported by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, the City of Namur and Namur Confluent Culture and the Art and Life Tours (a funding program for concerts in Wallonia).

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PRESS

„Individual voices had the clarity and color to pick them out of the ensemble while the blend among them was finely balanced. The thoughtfulness and musicality were most impressive.“

New York Classical Review, 28 October 2024

„… and the result is another deeply musical triumph.“

The Guardian, 30 June 2019

“Director Lionel Meunier is the real star, with a soaring vision of Purcell’s music in a class of its own.”

BBC Music Magazine

SELECTION OF PROJECTS 2025/26

25 March – 4 April 2026
Ein Deutsches BarockRequieum

Johannes Brahms had a passion for polyphony and was inspired by models from the great Lutheran tradition of the late Renaissance and the Baroque for his Deutsches Requiem. It is no surprise that some of the texts that Brahms chose had already been set by his illustrious predecessors; it simply remained to trace a path through these earlier scores, so many meditations on death, and to assemble a very different Deutsches Requiem: one animated by the emotions of the Lutheran Baroque.