History


2020

In January, Carmina Mundi is invited to give a concert (“Promise of the Light”) to conclude the 23rd Conductors’ Forum in Dietkirchen/Limburg.

Due to the Corona virus, Carmina Mundi’s plans for 2020 with the Chorbiennale, several concerts and a concert tour to Rumania have to be cancelled or postponed. In order to continue practising whenever possible, the choir experiments singing outside, in enormous halls or via digital formats.

A digital Advent calendar comprising 24 works from previous Christmas concerts is released in December on social media.

2019

In May, Carmina Mundi gives the concert “Northern Lights” in Jülich with works from Scandinavian and Baltic composers.

At the 6th Chorbiennale in Aachen, Carmina Mundi sings in a concert together with the “Festino” choir from St. Petersburg on midsummer night.

As usual, Carmina Mundi takes part in the Night of Open Churches in October and concludes the year with two Christmas concerts in Aachen and Eschweiler.

2018

In June, Carmina Mundi premieres the Romanian Canonul Floriilor by the Aachen composer Mircea Diaconescu in the Aachen Church of St. Dimitrios.

In July, Carmina Mundi gives two concerts under the title Couleur du son in the Belgian monastery Garnstock and in the Citykirche in Aachen.

In addition, Carmina Mundi participates on 26 September at the concert Zwischen Erde und Stern in the Aachen Cathedral, together with the Aachener Kammerchor, the Madrigalchor Aachen and the Jungen Chor Aachen.

Carmina Mundi concludes the year with a reception at the Night of Open Churches and two Christmas concerts in Aachen and Eschweiler.

2017

Carmina Mundi sings at the fifth international choir festival Chorbiennale in Aachen which has the theme “Bridges”. Together with the French choir Mikrokosmos a concert with the title “Advance Democracy” is given.

In November, Carmina Mundi participates together with Heribert Leuchter, Jupp Ebert and Lutz Felbick in creating the event Dom im Licht with more than 4000 visitors.

Right before Christmas the choir visits its friends in Reims, giving two Christmas concerts there and a further two in Aachen. 

2016

In April, Carmina Mundi participates in a solidarity campaign for refugees in Aachen and sings in a refugee home as well. On the following day Carmina Mundi also sings in the Citykirche at a matinée of the founding choirs of the Chorbiennale, where a collection of donations for refugee aid took place.

In June, Carmina Mundi performs at the guitar festival “Spectra” in Aachen. A week later a concert follows in the ballroom of the Alte Kurhaus.

2015

Carmina Mundi opens the 4th International Chorbiennale in Aachen at a concert together with its guest choir, the Women’s Choir of the Glier Institute for Music Kiev (Ukraine).

In the Coronation Hall of the Aachen city hall, Carmina Mundi sings at the opening of the exhibition “Erfasst, verfolgt, vernichtet”, relating to the Nazi-era.

2014

Carmina Mundi and others, premier the work “Der lange Atem” of Heribert Leuchter, a local saxophonist and composer from Aachen, in the Aachen Cathedral.

The choir travels to Sweden and takes part in a major festival in Umeå, one of the two European Capitals of Culture of this year.

In Reims, Carmina Mundi gives a concert in the cathedral together with the local choir Ars Vocalis.

A Christmas CD is produced.

2013

In May, following the ceremony of the Charlemagne Prize award, Carmina Mundi opens the public concert on Aachen’s Katschhof with a broad mix of songs from many European cultures.

In March 2013 Carmina Mundi celebrates its 30th anniversary with a festive concert in the ballroom of Aachen’s Altes Kurhaus presenting a cross-section of its repertoire spanning three decades. Numerous former members rejoin the choir for the encores and later for a toast to the choir’s success story.

2012

In early December Carmina Mundi is invited to Reims, France, by Reims’ twin town committee to attend a joint concert of choirs from all the twin towns of Reims, i.e. from Salzburg, Florence, Canterbury and Reims itself. In addition to this joint concert on the Saturday evening in the conservatory of the city of Reims, Carmina Mundi sings another concert on Sunday in the church of the suburb Cormontreuil.

A concert tour through Brazil in October forms the climax of the choral year. After a first tour to Brazil in 2010 Carmina Mundi is re-invited by the Goethe-Institut in Curitiba for its 40th anniversary. Among the seven concerts in Brazil are two performances of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” rendered jointly with the choir Camerata Antiqua of Curitiba. A recording of these concerts is released on CD in 2013. Other concerts are held in the bird park and the national park of Foz do Iguaçu, in the Danube Swabian settlement Entre Rios (Guarapuava), in the national park Superagüi as well as in the Club Concordia in Curitiba, the latter for the celebration of the German reunion hosted by the German Consulate.

2011

Aachen’s church Citykirche St. Nikolaus is one of Carmina Mundi’s favourite concert venues. On New Year’s Eve 2010 fireworks broke through the choir windows and burnt down the baroque wooden high altar. Carmina Mundi contributes to the restauration by giving a charity concert on 21.12.2011 in the reopened church nave.

October and December see two concerts by Carmina Mundi at St. Donatus (Aachen Brand): a charity concert for the benefit of Lebenshilfe Aachen e.V. for the mentally and physically handicapped together with the ensemble Canto Rinato, and a joint Christmas concert with the Aachener Doppelquartett Pro Musica.

As one of the initiating choirs Carmina Mundi performs during the 2nd International Chorbiennale in June and July by participating in Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” and in a joint concert with the Swedish choir “Allmänna Sången” in the Coronation Hall of Aachen’s city hall.

In May Carmina Mundi provides the musical backdrop to a supporting event of the Charlemagne Prize held at the Aachener Bank with Günter Verheugen, former Vice-President of the European Commission, as main speaker.

2010

In October Carmina Mundi tours Brazil with financial support from the Goethe-Institut and Auswärtiges Amt. Six concerts as well as workshops in Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba und Iguaçu are scheduled.

As award winner of the previous competition (2006) Carmina Mundi partakes in a special concert during the German Federal Choir Competition in Dortmund in May.

2009

In December President of Germany Horst Köhler speaks at the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Aachen’s Charlemange Prize. Carmina Mundi ist invited to close the ceremony with the national anthem.

At the end of November, Carmina Mundi provides the musical backdrop for the opening of the congress of the German Society of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Nervous Diseases (DGPPN) in Berlin with over 8.500 participants.

In November Carmina Mundi sings a Concert for the 100th anniversary of the church Gnadenkirche in Duisburg.

In September Carmina Mundi celebrates its “25+1” anniversary with a big concert in the Aula Carolina. On this occasion the latest CD “Favourite Choir Songs No. 1” is presented.

In August Carmina Mundi sings in the High Mass celebrating the 350th anniversary of the cathedral’s set of bells.

June sees the premiere of the festival “Chorbiennale“, co-initiated by Carmina Mundi, to be held every two years. Carmina Mundi performs at the opening night together with the renowned chamber choir Oreya (Zhytomyr, Ukraine).

Additionally Carmina Mundi participates in the performance of Leonard Bernstein’s 3rd symphony “Kaddish” together with six other choirs and the Aachen Symphony Orchestra.

2008

Arranged by the German Federal Music Council Carmina Mundi sings at the gala concert of the “Festivokal” festival in Bad Nauheim (Wetterauer Musik SommerAkademie).

Three of Aachen’s top choirs, the Aachener Kammerchor, Carmina Mundi and Madrigalchor Aachen give concerts in Maastricht (NL) and Aachen with solo parts of each choir and an extensive joint programme.

Carmina Mundi participates in the concert for the benefit of Misereor (a charity organisation for development cooperation) on their 50th anniversary.

Exchange with Ars Antiqua, Aschaffenburg, with concerts in Aachen and Aschaffenburg. (Ars Antiqua won 2nd prize at the German Federal Choir Competition of 2006.).

2007

Concert in Den Haag for Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Horst Köhler, President of Germany, on the occasion of Köhler’s state visit to The Netherlands.

Live television appearance during the ceremony for the presentation of the German Environmental Award.

Participation in the 2nd European chamber choir festival of Albania upon recommendation by and sponsored by the German Federal Music Council.

Participation in the Festival “Eupen Music Marathon”.

2006

Carmina Mundi wins 1st prize in the German Federal Choir Competition in Kiel in the category “Mixed choirs with a minimum of 37 participants”. Carmina Mundi also recieves a special prize for the best interpretation of a German folk song.

Concert for the inauguration of Germany’s first funeral church.

Concert tour to Reims, France, Aachen’s twin town.

Concert for the 85th anniversary of the church “Koepelkerk” in Maastricht, Netherlands.

Concerts on Aachen’s market place as part of the supporting programme of the World Equestrian Games.

2005

Carmina Mundi is winner of the State Choir Competition of North Rhine-Westphalia in Siegen, and consequently gets sent on to the German Federal Choir Competition 2006, Kiel.

Our new CD “a cappella extra” is internationally published.

Visit of the “Tallinna Kammerchor” (Estonia) with joint concerts in Aachen and Düren.

Participation in the “Harmonie” Choir Festival, Lindenholzhausen, Germany.

Charity concert for the benefit of Aachen’s planned concert hall “Haus der Musik”.

Concert for the 1000th anniversary of Aachen’s church St. Adalbert.

Video recording of a Christmas Song for the public television station WDR.

2004

Production of the new CD “a cappella extra”.

Participation in the choir festival of North Rhine-Westphalia in Oberhausen.

Participation in the choir festival “TonArt” in Aachen.

2003

Carmina Mundi celebrates its 20th aniversary with a concert in Aachen’s “Aula Carolina”.

Concert tour to Estonia, sponsored by the German Music Council,  joint concerts with the “Tallinna Kammerchor”.

2002

The jury classifies Carmina Mundi in the category “very high achievement” during the German Federal Choir Competition in Osnabrück.

Participation in the Rhine Music Festival in Aachen, recorded by the public radio station WDR.

2001

Visit of the Estonian chamber choir “Tallinna Kammerchor” to Aachen.

Carmina Mundi wins 1st prize in the State Choir Competition of North Rhine-Westphalia in Hamm, and consequently gets sent on to the German Federal Choir Competition 2002, Osnabrück.

2000

Production of a CD with northern and eastern European choir music: “Ex oriente lux”.

Concert tour to Estonia, sponsored by the German Music Council, joint concerts with “Tallinna Kammerchor”.

1999

Carmina Mundi wins 2nd prize in the art-song competition of the Choir competition in Spittal a. d. Drau.

Carmina Mundi wins 2nd prize in the category “Mixed choirs with compulsory piece” at the international choir competition “Harmonie-Festival” in Lindenholzhausen, Germany.

1998

Live recording of a CD of “Dixit Dominus” (Georg Friedrich Händel) and two Bach cantatas (BWV 27 and 105).

Compilation of a live CD with European choir music.

Concert tour to Burgundy, France.

Participation in the “Flanders Festival” in Tongeren, Belgium.

1997

Production of the CD “Neuen Chorliederbuchs”, op. 16 by Hugo Distler.

Only non-latin-american participant in the choir festival “cantapueblo” in Mendoza, Argentinia, recommended and sponsored by the German Music Council.

1995

Production of the CD “Chormusik im 20. Jahrhundert” with works by contemporary composers, including a debut recording of “Drei österlichen Motetten” (Werner Haentjes) – commissioned by WDR.

1994

Carmina Mundi wins 2nd prize and a classification in the highest category “excellent achievement” in the 4th German Federal Choir Competition in Fulda.

Carmina Mundi represents Germany in the “Euregio” choir festival, including concerts in Liège (Belgium), Hasselt (Netherlands) and Aachen.

The public radio station WDR records the live performance of “Messe für zwei vierstimmige Chöre” by Frank Martin.

1993

Production of the CD Mörike-Chorliederbuch (Vol. 2) for female, male and mixed choir by Hugo Distler.

Carmina Mundi wins 1st prize in the State Choir Competition of North Rhine-Westphalia in Cologne, and consequently gets sent on to the German Federal Choir Competition 1994, Fulda.

1992

Performance of “Ein Deutschen Requiem” by Johannes Brahms in collaboration with “Niederrheinisches Vocalensemble Duisburg”.

1991

Production of the CD Mörike Chorliederbuch (Vol. 1) for mixed choir by Hugo Distler.

1990

Live recording of “Matthäus-Passion” by Johann Sebastian Bach in collaboration with the orchestra “Kölner Kammermusiker”, the Aachener Kammerchor and the children’s choir of the music school of Neukirchen-Vluyn.

1989

Carmina Mundi wins 2nd prize in the State Choir Competition of North Rhine-Westphalia in Cologne.

1983

Carmina Mundi is founded by Harald Nickoll.