Brandenburg State Youth Choir – Voice of a Young Choral Generation from the Land of Lakes and Forests

A select choir that brings together young talent from Brandenburg and creates vocal music of the highest quality across all eras

Since 1992, the Brandenburg State Youth Choir has united talented teenagers and young adults from all regions of the state into a sonically diverse and stylistically versatile ensemble. As a project choir of the Brandenburg State Music Council, the choir works on demanding choral literature ranging from the Renaissance to the present day, often performing a cappella and occasionally in collaboration with instrumental ensembles during several intensive working phases each year. This musical career of young voices is supported through professional vocal training, artistic development, and regular concert performances both domestically and internationally. Support from the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the state of Brandenburg ensures sustainable promotion and enables artistic ambitions at both state and federal levels.

Origin, Mission, and Artistic Identity

Founded in 1992 as the State Youth Choir of Brandenburg, the ensemble has since pursued the mission of fostering talent in choral music. The choir was established under the auspices of the State Music Council to bring together highly motivated singers, enhance their stage presence, and provide them with a qualified entry into the professional or semi-professional music world. Selection occurs through auditions; approximately 30 members collaborate annually in about five rehearsal and concert phases. This structure—intensive rehearsal phases followed by concert tours—promotes musical precision, ensemble culture, and repertoire competence. In its programming, the choir combines sacred and secular literature, German-language traditions, and international choral aesthetics.

Artistic Direction and Vocal Training: Signature and Craft

Since 2017, Claudia Jennings has shaped the stylistic direction and sound signature of the Brandenburg State Youth Choir as its artistic director. Under her leadership, interpretative clarity coalesces with a fresh, youth-oriented approach to both historical and contemporary choral music. Continuous vocal training by Isabel Felgenhauer grounds singing technique: breath management, register balance, intonation, and a rich legato are cultivated through individual and group work. This results in an ensemble sound that combines transparency and brilliance, essential for polyphonic settings of the Renaissance as well as for romantic sound architectures or modern clusters and extended vocal techniques.

Working Phases, Repertoire, and Production Profile

The approximately five working phases each year form the heartbeat of the ensemble. Each phase follows a clear dramaturgical thread: rehearsing, sound homogenization, stylistic refinement, and finally, public performance. The repertoire ranges from Monteverdi, Bach, and Mendelssohn to contemporary compositions. A cappella literature is at the center; choral-symphonic projects and collaborations with guest lecturers complement the artistic spectrum. A special milestone in production was a concert and CD production with Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg in 2009 on the occasion of composer Gunther Erdmann's 70th birthday – an example of the choir's commitment to quality and documentary visibility.

International Concert Tours and Milestones

The artistic development is reflected in an impressive concert chronicle. In 1998, the choir won first prize at an international competition in Prague—a early testament to the quality of the ensemble. In the 2000s and 2010s, tours followed to Chile, South Africa, Lithuania, Vietnam, and multiple European metropolises, underscoring the stylistic flexibility and cultural mediation role of the ensemble. A particularly noteworthy highlight was the tour kickoff in Nicaragua in September 2015, where the choir captivated a large audience with sacred and secular vocal music. In the state of Brandenburg, the ensemble regularly makes its mark, such as at the launch of the "KUNST zur ZEIT" series in the courtyard of the state parliament on July 1, 2021—a performance that impressively confirmed the choir's artistic presence in the public sphere.

Current Projects 2024–2025: Collaborations and Programmatic Profiles

Recent seasons document the versatility of the program work. In 2024, the choir participated in the "Singklassentreffen" of the initiative "Klasse: Musik für Brandenburg," presenting joint titles as well as individual program points—a vibrant example of cultural education and youth promotion in a sparsely populated state. In 2025, the focus was on "Vox in Lumine," a dramaturgically coherent concert program that highlighted the diversity of the human voice. In Potsdam, "Vox in Lumine" was performed in collaboration with the Junge Kantorei Hermannswerder; regional concert calendars and associations showcased the project, demonstrating the national visibility of the choir. These projects illustrate how the Brandenburg State Youth Choir translates artistic themes—light, voice, resonance—into compelling sound dramaturgy with curatorial intelligence.

Aesthetics, Sound, and Interpretation: Contexts for Music Lovers

The choir maintains a sound ideal that seeks balance between vocal culture and text intelligibility. In polyphonic music of the Renaissance, the ensemble works with a slim, overtone-rich timbre and finely tuned phrasing; with Mendelssohn or Brahms, it emphasizes dynamic terracing and harmonic warmth. In contemporary vocal music, the group impresses with rhythmic precision, secure intonation in complex harmonies, and a bold articulation of tonal colors—especially in cluster-like chord fields or floating pianissimo passages. This stylistic expertise, combined with clear ensemble discipline, shapes the authority of the choir within the landscape of German youth choirs.

Pedagogical Mission, Experience, and Career Paths

As a select choir, the Brandenburg State Youth Choir creates experiential spaces where young singers learn stage presence, performance practice, and musical teamwork. Rehearsal methodology and coaching equip members with essential skills: sight-reading, intonation management, vocal register guidance, ear training, and stylistically appropriate phrasing. Numerous alumni use this training as a springboard—whether in university programs (music, music education, church music), in jazz and pop choirs, or as multipliers in music schools and associations. Thus, the choir influences the broader Brandenburg cultural landscape and strengthens its musical infrastructure.

Support, Network, and Cultural Embedding in the State of Brandenburg

The choir is supported by the Brandenburg State Music Council, which as an umbrella organization provides cultural-political legitimacy and organizational infrastructure. Support from the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the state of Brandenburg ensures long-term planning, quality development, and the implementation of working phases as well as foreign trips. By performing at state-wide cultural formats and in collaboration with educational partners, the choir acts as an ambassador of a vibrant choral scene and as a bridge between youth promotion, excellence, and cultural participation. In this way, it significantly contributes to the cultural identity of the region.

Public and Specialized Press Resonance

The documented concert tours and prominent performances—from the Bundestag to state formats and international stages—demonstrate the professional recognition received. Media coverage commended foreign projects such as the Nicaragua tour; state political institutions emphasized the artistic quality and breadth of the repertoire at events. Concert announcements through supra-regional associations and foundations indicate that the choir is recognized within networks of the German choral scene. This intersection of regional roots and supra-regional visibility is a key feature of its authority.

Conclusion: Why the Brandenburg State Youth Choir Fascinates

The Brandenburg State Youth Choir combines artistic excellence with educational mission: it shapes young voices, makes demanding choral music directly accessible, and confidently carries Brandenburg culture into the world. For those who love the tonal diversity of choral music—from transparent madrigals to expressive contemporary literature—this is an experience of the energy of a young generation, convincing with musical depth and brilliant ensemble sound. Recommendation for music lovers: hear the choir live—and discover how inspiring a cappella culture from Brandenburg sounds.

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