The Choir

We founded our choir, Kammerchor Wernigerode, in 2003. Being alumni of the Landesgymnasium für Musik in Wernigerode, we all spent several years singing in one of the school’s top choirs, the Rundfunk-Jugendchor or the Mädchenchor Wernigerode.

Today, we live spread all over Germany, studying and working in the most diverse fields. About once each month, we travel several hundreds of kilometres to meet for rehearsals and concerts. Even if most of us did not go to school at the same time, there is an experience uniting us  as a group of friends and as as a choir, in spite of ever-changing lineups. This common thread also serves as the foundation of our ambitious programmes  successes at competitions.

Jean-Philippe Apel (C) Lydia Ramos
Jean-Philippe Apel

The artistic director

Over the years, not only our lineup evolved but also our director changed several times. Our first choir leader was Peter Habermann, and Rainer Ahrens directed us for several years. Since 2023 Jean-Philippe Apel has been the artistic director of the choir.

Jean-Philippe Apel is a graduate of the Landesgymnasium für Musik and a former member of the Rundfunk-Jugendchor Wernigerode. He continued his artistic education at the Robert Schumann University in Düsseldorf, studying music and media as well as choral conducting with Prof. Timo Nuoranne. As artistic recording producer, ensemble singer and choir director, he gets people fascinated about music.

Milestones

2003

Beginnings

The choir is founded by alumni of our school, and initially lead by Peter Habermann, the longstanding director of the Rundfunk-Jugendchor Wernigerode. Only a few months after the choir's inception, we take first place in the International Johannes Brahms Choral Competition in Wernigerode.

2006

3rd place at the Deutscher Chorwettbewerb

With the choir just three years old, we take third place at the Deutscher Chorwettbewerb, which is the most important German choral competition.

2007

CD "Sommarpsalm"

We record our first CD "Sommarpsalm".

2008

Travelling to China

We're invited to join the World Folksong Festival in Beijing.

2009

CD "Wie strahlt dein Licht so sternklar"

In sweltering August heat, we record our CD of Christmas music "Wie strahlt dein Licht so sternklar".
Listen to it here

2015

Gold at the European Choir Games

We sing our way to two gold medals at the European Choir Games and the Grand Prix of Nations in Magdeburg.

2018

Gold at the World Choir Games

We take part in the World Choir Games in Tshwane, South Africa, winning two gold medals. We also sing a concert together with TUKS Camerata.
video here

2020

Rehearsals and concerts on-line

Because of the corona virus pandemic, we move our activities to the virtual realm. Our virtual choir videos are viewed by tens of thousands around the globe.
virtual choir video