Collegium Vocale Gent

Collegium Vocale Gent is a Belgian vocal ensemble founded in 1970 in Ghent by conductor Philippe Herreweghe with a focus on Renaissance music, Baroque music, Classical music, and contemporary choral repertoire. The group has collaborated with leading conductors, instrumental ensembles, and soloists across Europe and the Americas, shaping performance practice through recordings and festival appearances such as Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Aix-en-Provence Festival, Salzburg Festival, and BBC Proms. Its projects range from the complete secular and sacred works of composers to premieres by contemporary composers including Arvo Pärt, Olivier Messiaen, and Henryk Górecki.

History

The ensemble was formed in 1970 in Ghent by Philippe Herreweghe and musicians associated with the early music revival influenced by pioneers like René Jacobs, Nicolás Harnoncourt, and Gustav Leonhardt. Early activities included performances of Josquin des Prez, Orlande de Lassus, and Johann Sebastian Bach at venues such as Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, and Teatro alla Scala. Through the 1970s and 1980s it established ties with ensembles like La Chapelle Royale, Les Arts Florissants, and The Sixteen, and with festivals including Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Lucerne Festival, and Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. The 1990s saw expanded repertoire into Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn, and Johannes Brahms and collaborations with orchestras such as Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Les Talens Lyriques, and Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. The 21st century brought partnerships with contemporary music ensembles and composers including George Benjamin, Kaija Saariaho, and Jonathan Harvey, and appearances at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, and Lincoln Center.

Artistic Direction and Repertoire

Under founding conductor Philippe Herreweghe the group focused on historically informed performance of Baroque music and Renaissance polyphony, interpreting works by Heinrich Schütz, Claudio Monteverdi, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, and Antonio Vivaldi. Repertoire expanded to include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, and Hector Berlioz as well as contemporary composers Arvo Pärt, Olivier Messiaen, Morton Feldman, and Einojuhani Rautavaara. Artistic direction has invited conductors and collaborators such as Marc Minkowski, William Christie, Ton Koopman, Roger Norrington, and Sigiswald Kuijken, and soloists including Philippe Jaroussky, Derek Lee Ragin, Dorothy Dorow, and Barbara Bonney. The ensemble’s programming balances complete liturgical cycles, staged projects of Monteverdi's Vespers, mass cycles of Johann Sebastian Bach, and contemporary commissions for festivals like Festival d'Automne à Paris and Musica Nova Helsinki.

Notable Performances and Recordings

Recordings for labels such as Harmonia Mundi, Virgin Classics, Philips Records, and EMI Classics include acclaimed interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach cantatas, Monteverdi Vespers, Josquin Desprez masses, and Arvo Pärt cycles. Signature projects include the ensemble’s renditions of Bach's St Matthew Passion, Bach's Mass in B minor, Monteverdi Vespers of 1610, and recordings of Schubert Masses and Mendelssohn’s Elias. Collaborations with orchestras led to performances of Mozart Requiem with Orchestre des Champs-Élysées and staged productions at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Opéra National de Paris. The group premiered contemporary works by Arvo Pärt, Toru Takemitsu, Kaija Saariaho, Elliott Carter, and Henri Dutilleux at venues including Royal Albert Hall, Teatro Colón, and Amsterdam Concertgebouw.

Members and Collaborations

Founding singers and musicians included figures from the early music movement and later generations featured soloists and ensemble members who also sang with The Sixteen, Les Arts Florissants, La Petite Bande, Huelgas Ensemble, and Ensemble Clément Janequin. Frequent collaborators include instrumental ensembles La Petite Bande, Les Talens Lyriques, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and conductors Philippe Herreweghe, Marc Minkowski, William Christie, Ton Koopman, Gustav Leonhardt, and John Eliot Gardiner. Guest soloists and conductors have included Andreas Scholl, Nigel Rogers, Emma Kirkby, Peter Pears, Renée Fleming, Simon Rattle, Nigel Kennedy, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Jan Garbarek in crossover projects. The choir’s membership has also intersected with academic institutions like Ghent University, Royal Conservatory of Brussels, Conservatoire de Paris, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Awards and Recognition

The ensemble has received awards and nominations including Gramophone Awards, Diapason d'Or distinctions, ECHO Klassik accolades, and recognition from institutions such as Académie Charles Cros, MIDEM Classical Awards, and national honors in Belgium. Noted recordings won prizes for interpretations of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Claudio Monteverdi, and Arvo Pärt at ceremonies held by BBC Music Magazine, Record Geijutsu, and International Classical Music Awards. Institutional acknowledgments include cultural prizes from Flanders, state arts awards in Belgium, and invitations to perform at high-profile events like Papal Concerts and state ceremonies.

Category:Early music choirs Category:Belgian choirs