Collegium Cantorum is a chamber choir at the Uppsala Cathedral and has approximately 40 members. The choir was founded in 1983 by singers from the motet choir Schola Cantorum. The idea was to create a choir for more advanced singers who wanted to further develop their musical skills.
Collegium Cantorum has a broad repertoire stretching from choral symphonic polyhony to contemporary Nordic composers. At least once a year we perform one of the larger sacred works with soloists and orchestra. In addition to participating in services the choir gives around five concerts a year.
Through numerous international tours, Collegium Cantorum has become well renowned abroad. In 1993, Collegium Cantorum and Schola Cantorum were the first foreign choirs to be let into Vietnam since the 1940s. The tour received a lot of attention throughout Vietnam.
THE CONDUCTOR
The first conductor of the choir was the former cathedral organist Lars Angerdal. Thereafter the choir was led by Olle Johansson for ten years. Ulric Andersson was the conductor from 2013 to August 2024. The current conductor is Robert Bennesh. Robert graduated from the Academy of Music in Malmö in 2009 and then studied at the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen. In 2015, he received a soloist diploma in organ after three years of study with Professor Thomas Murray at Yale University in the USA. In 2016, he became a cathedral organist in Lund cathedral after serving as a musician in the Skanör-Falsterbo parish and St. Andreas church in Malmö. During his time at Lund cathedral, he had overall responsibility for the music activities with a particular involvement in the development of the boys’ choir.
DISCOGRAPHY
Collegium Cantorum has recorded three cd’s – “Älskade Psalmer i Uppsala Domkyrka” with Swedish hymns, “The Messiah – Choral Excerpts” by G. F. Handel and “Generations” with music by the Hungarian composers Zsolt Gárdonyi and Zsoltán Gárdonyi. Collegium Cantorum is also participating on a cd with a collection of works by the Norwegian composer Knut Nystedt where the choir performs an arrangement of ”Jerusalem”, composed by Knut Nystedt for Collegium Cantorum.
CONTACT
If you would like further information, please contact:
Robert Bennesh, Conductor. Phone: +46 18 430 36 11
Wolkert Wolkert, Chairman of the choir. Phone: +46 760 31 99 68
Address:
Collegium Cantorum
Domkyrkoplan 5
SE-753 10 UPPSALA