Bachchor Mainz

Their successful commitment to the rich repertoire of choral music from the 16th century to the present has earned the Bachchor Mainz a fine reputation both in Germany and abroad. The choir was founded in 1955 by Diethard Hellmann, who directed it for thirty years. Under the artistic direction of his successor Ralf Otto, the ensemble’s programming has continually expanded, with Otto placing particular emphasis on seldom performed works. Parallel to this he has established a tradition of historically informed performance practice in and around Mainz. Ralf Otto attaches great importance to the artistic and technical development of each member of the choir. The resulting ensemble enables groups to be assembled specifically for each work to suit its stylistic requirements. This ranges from compact ensembles for early music, sometimes with just one to a part, to a large concert choir for repertoire from the Romantic and modern periods. With the Munich baroque orchestra L’arpa festante, the Bachchor has found a sympathetic partner for historically-informed performances. A further hallmark of the Bachchor Mainz is its numerous radio and television broadcasts and CD recordings. In addition, the choir also enjoys close artistic ties with guest conductors including Eliahu Inbal, Michael Gielen, Peter Eötvös, Georges Prêtre, Peter Schreier, Adam Fischer, Sylvain Cambreling, Riccardo Chailly, and Philippe Jordan. The Bachchor Mainz gives frequent guest performances in Germany and abroad. Since 1992 the choir has regularly performed in the Philharmonic Concerts at the Zürich Opera House. It was named “Best Choir of the Year 2003” by the Association of Argentinian Music Critics. In 2006 the Bachchor Mainz was again invited by the Mozarteum Argentino to Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay where, with the German Philharmonic Orchestra Rhineland- Palatinate, it performed Mozart’s Great C Minor Mass and Handel’s Messiah in Mozart’s version to sold-out houses (including several concerts in the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires).