Anja Pöche, Soprano
Sebastian Krause, Countertenor
Tobias Pöche, Tenor
Ludwig Böhme, Baritone
Manuel Helmeke, Bass
“Nothing short of remarkable…they, quite simply, bring whatever they sing to glorious life.” That is how the Deseret Morning News described a concert by Calmus, the First Prize Winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition. Founded in 1999 in Germany, the a cappella quintet embodies the rich choral tradition of its hometown of Leipzig, the city so closely associated with Bach and Mendelssohn. Whether singing music by those German masters or other works in its diverse repertoire, Calmus captivates both audiences and critics with its charming stage presence, flawless technique and entertaining presentation.
All graduates of Leipzig‘s renowned St. Thomas Church Choir School, Calmus offers the unique combination of a pure soprano voice with four male voices ranging from bass to countertenor. The seamless blend of these five voices lends itself to the almost limitless range of music the ensemble offers, from renaissance and baroque masters through great German romantic works, all the way to contemporary choral repertoire, as well as pop songs and jazz. Calmus conveys everything it performs with great respect and also with a sense of joy in singing that is obvious to the listener: “…the singers bring tremendous character and musical depth to their interpretations… that transcends the language of the lyrics.” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Highlighted performances in early 2017 include return engagements at The Cloisters in NYC and Purdue Convocations, and debut performances on San Francisco’s Morrison Arts Series, Iowa’s Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center and Luther College, Portland Friends of Chamber Music (OR), Chamber Music Yellow Springs (OH), San Antonio Chamber Music Society and Fontana Chamber Arts in Kalamzoo, MI.
Recent North American highlights include Calmus’ New York debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, and other NYC engagements at Lincoln Center Great Performers, Met Museum Presents, The Cloisters, Schneider Concerts at the New School, and a special sacred program in fall 2012 at Manhattan’s Holy Trinity Lutheran Church to celebrate the 800th Anniversary of the St. Thomas Choir School. Highlighted performances in early 2017 include return engagements at The Cloisters in NYC and Purdue Convocations, and the grooup’s San Francsico debut on the Morrison Artists Series.
With over fifteen recordings to its credit, Calmus CD, Madrigals of Madness, was selected by theNew York Times Classical critics among the best CD’s of 2014, and their latest release,Christmas Carols of the World, led to a special 2015 Holiday concert at New York Public Radio’s The Greene Space, with live video streaming on WQXR’s website.
An active concert schedule worldwide has taken Calmus across Germany, Austria Belgium, Switzerland, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and North and South America. Festival appearances include International a cappella Week in Hannover and the Schleswig-Holstein Festival. In addition to garnering First Prize at the CAG Competition, other prestigious awards bestowed upon the ensemble include First Prizes at the fourth annual Robert Schumann Choral Competition, the International Competition for Vocal Ensembles in Finland, and the 37th Tolosa Choral Contest in Spain.
Pre Show Talk Begins : 7:00 PM
Show Begins: 8:00 PM
SFSU welcomes persons with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request. If you would like reasonable accommodations for this event, please contact the Box Office at (415) 338-2467 or Lcabox@sfsu.edu at least 15 working days before the show.
Tickets available beginning April 7th
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