Tenso Europe Chamber Choir is an initiative of Tenso Network Europe and conductor Kaspars Putniņš of the Latvijas Radio Koris.  The choir brings together Europe’s most talented young professional singers for a summer project of coaching and performances. After the huge success of the European Youth Orchestra, this will be the first pan-European professional choir to come into existence. In 2013 we organized a pilot project, resulting in a concert series in Sigulda (LV), R­īga (LV) and Tallinn (EE). The choir will be officially launched in 2014 in Rīga (Cultural Capital City 2014).

Looking closely at inspiring examples organized by Tenso members, such as Le Jeune Choeur de Paris (FR) and Meesters & Gezellen (NL), the project is designed to get the most out of the singers in a short period of time. The repertoire is varied and brings out all facets of (classical and contemporary) choral singing. By combining forces, we hope to give the project the very best we have to offer: Latvijas Radio Koris brings its vast experience of concert performances at the highest level, and Tenso offers its large network to give the project a European scope, and the young singers a head start in their international careers.

The summer school in Riga consists of eight days of intensive coaching in ensemble singing, respecting the qualities and skills of the young singers. The emphasis of the coaching is geared towards the specific skills required for choral music making – ensemble awareness, blending, articulation, pronunciation, stage presence and other aspects – working on repertoire from different style periods.

Young singers (age 18-30) can apply by sending in an application form and recordings. From these applications, 24 to 28 singers are selected for the choir and invited to come to the summer school in Riga in August. At least ten singers will be asked to stay on for the following year, in order to establish continuity while at the same time making room for new faces and voices. Next call for singers: January 2014.

Coaches/conductors: Kaspars Putniņš (LV), Geert Berghs (NL), Zane Kreicberga (LV).

For the participants, working in Tenso Europe Chamber Choir will give an international dimension to their career perspectives, and a potential stepping stone to an career in one of Europe’s professional chamber choirs. Tenso Europe Chamber Choir will encourage mobility of young artists, stimulate multidisciplinary experiments and bring unique concerts with choral music to large audiences.