Since the 1950s the Swedish Radio Choir has been one of the world’s finest a cappella ensembles. It is also unique in its mastery of the entire choral repertoire in all its breadth and depth, from Bach and Palestrina, through the Romantics like Schumann and Brahms, to Strauss, Ligeti and other contemporary composers.
The choir was founded in 1925, but it was only in 1952 that the newly appointed Musical Director Eric Ericson set about moulding it into the flexible choral instrument that it still remains today. Ericson made the choir into an instrument capable of performing advanced choral repertoire that had been gathering dust until then — works by such composers as Richard Strauss and Max Reger as well as music of own day. Arthur Honegger came to Sweden and heard his own choral music sung for the first time the way he had imagined it. On returning home he began spreading the word about this choir that could sing practically anything.
The Eric Ericson sound became a legend. Many composers found in the Swedish Radio Choir the instrument they needed to give vent to their music. The circle around Ericson and his choir numbered composers such as Ingvar Lidholm, Sven-Erik Bäck and Lars Edlund, and they were soon joined by György Ligeti and Krzysztof Penderecki. The works they wrote specifically for Ericson’s choir count among the classics of the choral repertoire both in Sweden and internationally.
Eric Ericson finally resigned as Musical Director after more than thirty years’ service, but he has been welcomed back many times as guest conductor and was appointed Conductor Emeritus in March 2007.
Each new Music Director since Ericson has impressed his individual stamp on the choir and brought it new colours and skills. Anders Öhrwall shared his specialist understanding of the music of the Baroque. Gustaf Sjökvist premièred works by Sven-David Sandström, Tomas Jennefelt and Hans Gefors. Tõnu Kaljuste brought new repertoire from Eastern Europe including such composers as Arvo Pärt and Alfred Schnittke, while Stefan Parkman presented a series comprising all of Bach’s major works. Today the choir is led by musical director Peter Dijkstra, winner of Eric Ericson Award a.o.t.
Ever since its first sensational tours to Berlin, Venice and elsewhere in the 1960s, the Swedish Radio Choir has carried on a rich and varied programme of international activities. It is regularly invited to participate in international festivals and concerts. Its work with Riccardo Muti and Claudio Abbado in the 1980s resulted in a series of acclaimed concerts and recordings.
In 2008 the choir was touring in Italy and Netherlands and Nordic Countries, took part in a festival in Rotterdam and The Hague, joined forces with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and Valerij Gergiev and other important ensembles and conductors. This years programme will include tours in Italy, Belgium and Germany with maestro Claudio Abbado and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra among others.
The choir is well represented on CD with performances of both a cappella and symphonic works. The Swedish Radio Choir’s vision is to deploy its exceptional sonic range to place its own special imprint on the a cappella and the symphonic choral repertoires. It is an ensemble in which each individual voice finds its place in a unified artistic expression.
In September 2007 the Dutch conductor Peter Dijkstra was appointed Music Director for the Swedish Radio Choir.
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For more information, please contact:
Chorus Personnel Manager, Marita Öberg
+46-(0)8-784 5155, marita.oberg@sr.se
or
Sales Manager, Karin Adolfsson-Goldman
+46-(0)8-784 5112, karin.adolfsson-goldman@sr.se
