The Flemish Radio Choir is a professional chamber choir whose
programme includes works from the entire repertoire, with particular
attention to Flemish and contemporary music. Each season the choir also
commissions works from a number of Flemish composers. Since the
2005-2006 season, the Flemish Radio Choir once again makes its home in
the Flagey building (Brussels, Belgium).
The Flemish Radio Choir was founded in 1937 by what was then the
NIR/INR (the Belgian national broadcasting corporation). Since 1998,
the year when it became independent from the network, the choir has
grown from a studio ensemble into a concert ensemble. The 24
professional singers are under the baton of chief conductor Bo Holten.
Other leading international conductors also appear at the helm of the
Flemish Radio Choir: eminent guest conductors such as Kaspars Putnins,
László Heltay, Paul Hillier and Hervé Niquet enjoy working with the
choir.
Always in search of unique locations for its various regular
performances, the Flemish Radio Choir appears on stages throughout
Flanders. Over the years the choir has been able to work out a regular
collaboration with partners all over Flanders:, including Antwerp
(AMUZ), Bruges (Hospital Museum), Leuven (Cultural Centre), Hasselt
(Cultural Centre), Brussels (Flagey), Mol (Cultural Centre for the
abbey concerts series) and Lier (Cultural Centre). In addition, the
choir has a close collaboration wit a number of instrumental ensembles
like Brussels Philharmonic – the orchestra of Flanders, Il Fondamento,
I Solisti del Vento and Prometheus Ensemble.
The Flemish Radio Choir has maintained its unique status as a radio
choir. Its close ties with public broadcasting can be seen through
numerous studio productions and participation in events organised by
radio and television. Moreover, virtually every concert is taped by
Klara (Flemish classical music radio), thus allowing the choir to build
up a unique collection of recordings that include work by Flemish
composers.
Since the 2004-2005 season, the Flemish Radio Choir has been bringing
out a collection of CDs with the Glossa label made up of the major
repertoire for chamber choir. The first three recordings, ‘Missa
brevis’ of Zoltán Kodály conducted by Johan Duijck, ‘Divine Liturgy of
St. John Chrysostom’ by Sergei Rachmaninov conducted by Kaspars Putnins
and ‘Bach: Motetten’ conducted by Bo Holten were received with
enthusiasm by critics abroad. A unique partnership with Klara focuses
on exploring Flemish music by recording a series of monographs of
Flemish composers.
The Flemish Radio Choir is an institution of the Flemish Community and is supported by the National Lottery.
CD-REVIEWS
‘Chrysostomos Liturgie’ conducted by Kaspars Putnins:
Luister
Het Vlaams Radio Koor is (…) bezig aan een gestage opmars in de wereld
van de professionele kamerkoren. De ultieme perfectie die het koor in
zijn lange bestaan vaak nét niet bereikte komt nu in zicht; het
ensemble kan zich meten met de beste. (…) Het (werk) wordt tegenwoordig
zelden opgenomen, reden te meer om blij te zijn met deze voorbeeldige
uitvoering op sacd. (F.H., Luister – 01/2007)
‘Bach Motetten’ conducted by Bo Holten:
Politiken
Both choir and Holten seem exceedingly inspired and it is a pleasure to
listen to their marvellously homogeneous and colourful sound. ... For
70 minutes you can enjoy The Flemish Radio Choir’s and Holten’s great
artistic excellence, and their obvious joy in musicmaking which almost
beams out of the loudspeakers. (Thomas Stolting, Politiken – 17/02/2008)
The Independent
Sung three voices per part, with judicious use of solo voices in the
florid sections and a modest continuo of organ and violone, the Flemish
Radio Choir’s brisk Bach Motets is a welcome addition to the catalogue.
(Anna Picard – 27/01/2008)