History
A short portrait
Founding of the choir and its development up to now
The children's choir Canzonetta was founded in 1961 by the music teacher Hans-Eckardt Thomas as a school choir of the Suche Bator - High School in Berlin. Under his leadership the choir has developed into an efficient ensemble. Even at this time were created recordings for the records series "schola" (published by Ministry of Education – “Records for the classroom”). In the seventies begin preparations for the choir classes.
1978 the new choir director Heinz Rozek is employed by a decision of the Magistrate of Berlin. Hans-Eckardt Thomas was transferred. On the already established basis the choir in 1979 was changed into to the choir of the “Pionierpalast Berlin”, which is founded in the same year 1979. The school was given the opportunity to lead choir classes and to enforce reception conditions. The children get from 3rd class an advanced education. In this context they were given in addition to a mandatory music-hour further education in music: choral, vocal training, music lessons, music theory and ear training. The choir was set up to events in the district and the municipality. He traveled abroad in Czechoslovakia. On a small scale also were created recordings.
1988 Jochen Wittur is appointed as head of the choir by the magistrate. With the beginning of his activities, the choir has been restructured. Also several new features were created. Thus, a preschool children's choir will be scheduled. Furthermore at the school was created the opportunity of sound recordings and also the choral library is developed. In the same year, the choir contacts with Radio Berlin and the television of the former GDR. First contracts with the media company of the GDR are adopted. In collaboration with the “Pionierpalast” until 1989 numerous foreign contacts were established.
1989 the political change in Germany is a turning point for the children's choir as well. On the initiative of J. Wittur the Children's Choir Association Canzonetta is founded, which was constituted in January 1990.
Furthermore, in 1990 under his leadership and with the help of the association was developed a school project, which distributes the choir classes at an elementary school, comprehensive school and a gymnasium. Thus one could be ensured the continuity of the musical education, taking into account the Berlin school system. Thus the basics were created for the musical work on the 1st Comprehensive School, the Coppi - School and the Richard-Wagner Elementary School. The project was appreciated as exemplary by the Berlin parent committee, the Minister for Education Möllemann, the mayor Momper and numerous institutions. The Mayor Eberhardt Diepgen (CDU), supported mainly the launch of the project in 1991.
Over the years, however, the practical development of the project got less and less support and was not continued in the original idea. The musically-oriented schools led the musical work more independently and separated from the project Canzonetta 1995. This will also involve the separation of the Richard Wagner Elementary School, home of the choir.
New home was in 1995, the Theatre “Kulturhaus” in Berlin-Karlshorst. 2010, the choir moves into the Lichtenberger Sewanstraße, a cultural project in a former school building.
Musical work with children
Initially Canzonetta gave children aged 8-16 years the opportunity to deal more intensively with music. Since 1990 the offer has been considerably extended. Now children already from the age of four can start singing in the singing school and later are grouped according to age groups:
• Preschool Children's Choir (Children's Choir Small Group 1)
• Small Children's Choir (Children's Choir Small Group 2)
• Children's Choir
• Grote Choir (since 1993)
• Rhythm Orchestra "Klangholz" (since 2000)
Under the leadership of Jochen Wittur, a team of vocal leaders, voice teacher, composers and pianists take care of the continuous training of choirs. The repertoire of Canzonetta ranges from folk songs, classical choral music (Bach, Handel, Schumann, Schubert, ...) to the contemporary and modern children's and youth songs. Compositions created specifically for the choir to complete his program.
Canzonetta also took part in choral-sinfonic music, oratorios and passions for instance at the Philharmonie Berlin with the St. Matthew - Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Highlights of concerts
The Children's Choir Canzonetta gives several concerts a year. A sign of the quality and public recognition of Canzonetta are the following concerts:
• Opening of the Prussian Parliament (1993),
• upon reception of the Belgian King (1995),
• upon reception of the President of Israel(1996),
• the topping out ceremony of the Foreign Office (1998) and the nursery of the German Bundestag (1999)
• Ceremony celebrating 10 years of CDU (Christian Democratic Union) in reunified Germany (2000)
• Anniversary of the German Association for Public and Private Welfare (2005)
• Christmas reception of the Representation of Baden-Württemberg in Berlin (2009)
• Summer Festival of the German President (2010)
• Christmas concert for the German Federal Chancellor (2010)
• Concert with Andre Rieu (2010)
The children's choir nearly a decade gave small concerts on behalf of the Protocol of the mayor on a regular basis for special events in Berlin's city hall.
Canzonetta had e.g. Concerts in the French Cathedral, Berlin's Philharmonie and at the Gethsemane Church.
The children's choir won the silver medal at the 1998 International Christmas Carols - Competition in Prague.
Since 1999 Canzonetta is connected in common performances with the choir “Camerata Vocale” under the direction of Mrs. Etta Hilsberg. As a result of this collaboration in 1999 was performed the Matthew - Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach and Carmina Burana by Carl Orff in the Berlin Philharmonie.
Further performances of Bach's St. Matthew - Passion took place in March 2002 together with friends from the Berlin Choir as well 2005 and 2010 with the Tokyo Oratorio Society Choir (Japan).
Concert tours and foreign contacts
Travel abroad to perform in Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Czech republic and several times in the U.S. shows its active cultural influence.
He cultivates friendships with choirs from Leipzig, Hamburg, Colorado, Minneapolis (USA), Pretoria (South Africa), Australia, Latvia, Estonia and Poland.
CD recordings - and TV - productions
The Children's Choir Canzonetta has participated in numerous TV shows, together with Gunter Emmerlich, Deborah Sasson, Michael Hansen, Erkan Aki, Veronika Fischer, Heino, Petra Kusch - Lück, Wenke Myhre, Katja Ebstein, Peter Maffay, Hape Kerkeling, Udo Juergens - just to name a few.
Especially popular is Canzonetta choir for film and television, as well as for radio. Canzonetta has many recordings and own productions, created with the publishing houses „TRUGSCHLUSS“, „CORNELSEN”, “VOLK UND WISSEN“, „DAS BESTE“.
Notable productions with the Puhdys, Rammstein, Frank Schöbel, Ulf and Zwulf and participation in productions of film scores also reveal the diversity of possibilities that Canzonetta offers to its children.
2006 participation in the radio play "How the Bears conquered Sicily" awarded with the “Kinderhörspielpreis 2007”
2007 Canzonetta together with the composer Manfred Grote produced new songs for preschool children
2008, the choir took part in production of the album "The Colours of Snow" by the german group "Polarkreis 18". This production was very successful. With the title "Alone, alone", the choir had showcases together with the group at the RBB-TV-channel and the "MTV Game Awards".
2008 A special role was given to the children's choir by Fassbaender & Rausch Chocolatiers at the Gendarmenmarkt. As a result a CD was produced and concerts took place during the Advent season.
2010 Participation in a radio play production of the radio station “Hessischer Rundfunk”
Participation in 2010's TV show "Every year again- Christmas with the Federal President of Germany”
2010 participation in the RTL-television Christmas show "Hapes magical Christmas" with Hape Kerkeling and Udo Jürgens.
2011 Production "Coming" for the video installation "Passive crash interview" (Hajnal Nemeth), Performance: " 54th International Art Exhibition", la Biennale di Venezia, Venice
Participations in productions
In December 2002 the children's choir took part in the Christmas revue "Jingle Bells" in Europe's largest revue - theatre, the Friedrichstadt Palast . In this fascinating Christmas show the choir accompanied Veronika Fischer, Gayle Tufts and Ärkan Arki. Along with the event a CD was produced. In the years 2004 and 2005, the children's choir was repeatedly obliged to participate in the show.
On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the children ensemble of the theatre Friedrichstadtpalast the Canzonetta choir became also a regular member of this prestigious ensemble.
Honorary Members
Canzonetta awards an honorary membership to deserving members of the choir but also to public figures, which have been involved for the choir in a special way and so committed to the promotion of artistic talents.
1997 Herbert Brockering, Poet (USA)
1999 Heinz Rozek, choral conductor and choir director from 1978 to 1988
1999 Wolfgang Nier, Jeunesses Musicales
1999 Eberhardt Diepgen, Governing Mayor of Berlin
2002 Manfred Grote, composer
2011 Hans-Eckardt Thomas, founder of the choir, director from 1961 to 1978