Arnold Schoenberg Choir

Arnold Schoenberg Choir
Name	Arnold Schoenberg Choir
Origin	Vienna, Austria
Founded	1972
Founder	Arnold Schoenberg (name inspiration)
Genre	Choral music, Classical music, Contemporary classical music
Members	professional mixed chorus
Chief conductor	Erwin Ortner
Headquarters	Vienna

Arnold Schoenberg Choir is a professional mixed chorus based in Vienna known for performances spanning Renaissance music, Baroque music, Classical music, Romantic music, and Contemporary classical music. Under the artistic leadership of Erwin Ortner the ensemble has developed an international profile through collaborations with ensembles, orchestras, and conductors from Europe and beyond. The choir frequently appears at major festivals, concert halls, and opera houses, engaging with a repertoire that ranges from early polyphony to works by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern.

History

Founded in the early 1970s in Vienna during a period of renewed interest in historically informed performance and contemporary composition, the choir grew amid a cultural milieu shaped by institutions such as the Vienna State Opera, Musikverein, and Volksoper Wien. Early collaborations included projects with the Wiener Symphoniker and chamber ensembles performing works by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The ensemble's identity was shaped by connections to the Second Viennese School—Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Anton Webern—and to contemporary composers such as Gustav Mahler interpreters and living figures like Hans Werner Henze and György Ligeti. Tours and residencies linked the choir to cultural centers including Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, and festivals such as the Salzburg Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Artistic Direction and Repertoire

Under the long-term direction of Erwin Ortner, the choir developed a dual focus on early music—performing works by Josquin des Prez, Heinrich Schütz, and Claudio Monteverdi—and on avant-garde repertoire by Arnold Schoenberg-era composers and contemporary figures like Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Luciano Berio. Collaborations with conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, and Nikolaus Harnoncourt expanded the choir’s stylistic range. The ensemble frequently programs choral-orchestral staples by Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, and Giuseppe Verdi alongside premieres of works by Beat Furrer, Philippe Manoury, and Thomas Larcher.

Notable Performances and Tours

The choir has appeared at landmark venues and festivals including the Salzburg Festival, Wiener Festwochen, Bayreuth Festival (guest appearances), Lucerne Festival, and the BBC Proms. Notable collaborations include performances with the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra under conductors such as Herbert von Karajan (archival projects), Claudio Abbado, and Pierre Boulez. International tours have taken the ensemble to New York City, Tokyo, Moscow Conservatory Hall, and Sydney Opera House, and they have participated in cultural exchange events with institutions like the European Cultural Centre and national broadcasters including ORF and the BBC.

Recordings and Media

The choir’s discography encompasses recordings for labels associated with Deutsche Grammophon, Teldec, ECM Records, and Harmonia Mundi, featuring works by Arnold Schoenberg and composers of the Second Viennese School as well as liturgical repertory and contemporary commissions. Media projects include radio broadcasts for ORF, Radio France, and the BBC Radio 3 network, and television productions with cultural channels such as Arte. Noteworthy recordings pair the choir with orchestras like the Vienna Symphony and soloists such as Fritz Wunderlich (historical), Dmitri Hvorostovsky (guest), and contemporary interpreters like Barbara Bonney.

Awards and Recognition

The ensemble has received prizes and nominations from institutions including the Grammy Awards (in choral categories and classical collaborations), the Gramophone Awards, and national honors from the Republic of Austria. Critical acclaim in publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian (London), Die Presse, and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung has documented signature performances and recordings. The choir’s artistic projects have been supported by entities like the Austrian Cultural Forum and the European Commission’s cultural programs.

Membership and Organization

Structured as a professional ensemble based in Vienna, the choir maintains a roster of full-time singers and session personnel drawn from conservatories such as the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Mozarteum University Salzburg, and international schools including the Juilliard School. Administrative and production partnerships involve organizations like the Wiener Konzerthaus Management GmbH and national arts funders. Educational outreach and masterclasses have linked the choir to academies and festivals including the Graz Konzertverein and summer programs run in cooperation with the International Society for Contemporary Music.

Category:Chamber choirs Category:Austrian musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1972