“Sturm & Drang” is the new artistic hallmark of the CPE.Bach.Chor.Hamburg, a major Hamburg concert choir that has stood for artistic excellence for almost 30 years. Under the new artistic direction of conductor Hansjörg Albrecht, the ensemble – known for its openness to experimentation – is dedicated to an exceptionally broad repertoire spanning from the 18th to the 21st century. Like the Wiener Singverein, it sees itself as a bridge between semi-professional singers and outstanding soloists and orchestras.
Together with the newly established CPE.Bach.Akademie.Hamburg, under the patronage of Ton Koopman, and the International Bach Festival Hamburg, the ensemble – also active as a cultural ambassador for Hamburg – shapes the city’s musical life through more than 50 events each year, more than any other independent ensemble in Hamburg.
Invitations to the philharmonic halls of Berlin and Munich, performances in the Baltic states, Poland, and France, as well as collaborations with renowned orchestras such as Le Concert des Nations, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Concerto Köln, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, NDR-Barock, and Lautten Compagney Berlin testify to the ensemble’s exceptional artistic quality. The choir has also worked with distinguished conductors including Kent Nagano, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Klaus Mäkelä, Jordi Savall, Iván Fischer, Sir Simon Rattle, and Sylvain Cambreling, as well as acclaimed artists such as Simone Kermes, Ragna Schirmer, Rudolf Buchbinder, Michael Volle, and Christian Gerhaher. Collaborations with contemporary composers including Johanna Doderer, Enjott Schneider, and Fredrik Schwenk are also an important part of the ensemble’s profile.
Regular collaborations with the Symphoniker Hamburg, the Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Dresdner Kapellsolisten further enrich the portfolio of this highly sought-after concert choir. In 2025, together with Symphoniker Hamburg, the choir performed the German premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s “Dream Requiem” at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie. Under the direction of Hansjörg Albrecht, the ensemble also appeared with the Händelfestspielorchester Halle at the Anima Mundi Festival in Pisa, with the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana at the Musica Sacra Festival in Monreale, and with the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra at the Elbphilharmonie.
Auf dem FotoPhotoSwanhild Kruckelmann