Leaders
Frieder Bernius
Frieder Bernius — born 1947 — Germany. Three dates mark important events in the artistic career of Frieder Bernius. In 1968 he founded the Kammerchor Stuttgart (Chamber Choir of Stuttgart) with the intention of raising the a cappella choir music to the level of professional orchestral music.
Since 1977 Frieder Bernius has collaborated with leading orchestras in order to reach an acoustical balance between the vocal and instrumental parts in the choral-symphonic literature. In this respect he does not restrict his work exclusively to any musical period.
In 1985/1987 at his initiative, the Barockorchester Stuttgart (Baroque Orchestra of Stuttgart) and the Internationale Festtage Alter Musik Stuttgart (International Festival of Ancient Music Stuttgart) were founded. Both of these institutions are meant to foster a stronger interest in the authentic performance practice of 17th and 18th -century music.
Frieder Bernius’ great success in Germany and abroad encouraged him to proceed in this style of interpretation. With the Kammerchor Stuttgart he won prizes at several international competitions. He received invitations from all over the world and made, for example, a tour of the Far East in 1988 and of the USA in 1989. He is a guest conductor at all Germany and in many European radio stations and conducts his ensembles at many important musical festivals.
Many of Frieder Bernius’ recordings, which now amount to over 40, have been awarded the Vierteljahrespreis der Deutchen Shallplattenkritik (Quarterly Award of the German Record Critics) and the Prädikat des Deutchen Shallplattenpreises (Predicate of the German Record Prize). In May 1990 he received the Edison Prize (Holland) for his recording of Symphoniae Sacrare III by Heinrich Schütz with the Musica Fiata Köln. In November of the same year he won the Diapason d’or (France) for his recording of of the ‘Missa Dei Filii’ by Jan Dismas Zelenka with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
Frieder Bernius has been on contract with Sony Classical since 1989. In the field of authentic performance practices he also works with ensembles othe than the Stuttgart groups, for example with the Musica Fiata Köln, La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy, Paris and Tafelmusic from Toronto.
Aleksei Petrov
Aleksei Petrov is a world-known specialist in the field of choral conducting and vocal, taking part as a guest professor in such major music events as «Europa Cantat» (Hungary, 2015), China International Chorus Festival (China, 2017-2019), Montecatini Opera Academy (Italy, 2017-2018), Boris Tevlin International Competition for Choral Conductors (Russia, 2018), Rimini International Choral Competition (Italy, 2018), Romano Gandolfi International Choral Competition for Choral Conductors (Italy 2019), All-Russian Musical Competition (Russia, 2019) etc.
When Professor Victor Popov passed away, Aleksei Petrov took over the Great Chorus of the Academy of Choral Art. Under his conducting, various vocal and choral groups of the Academy gave concerts in Russia, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, China, Japan, the U.S., Mexico, Canada; took part in multiple major Russian and international festivals, such as International Music Festival in Colmar (France 2004, 2008, 2010, 2013); «Europalia» (Belgium 2005); «Oldenburger Promenade» (Germany 2004-2006, 2008, 2012-2014, 2016); Festival de Música de Canarias (Canary Islands, 2008); Rheingau Music Festival (Germany, 2008, 2010); Graubuenden Festival «Snow and Symphony» (Switzerland, 2011), China International Chorus Festival (China, 2018); Moscow Easter Festival (Russia 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018); «Spasskaya Tower» (Moscow 2009), «Cherry Orchard» Art Festival (Moscow 2010, 2013); Christmas Festival of Sacred Music (Moscow 2011, 2012); International Music Festivals dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach (Moscow 2011), Felix Mendelssohn (Moscow 2012) and Sergei Rachmaninov (Moscow 2013), Grand Festival of Russian National Orchestra (2012-2016, 2018).
As a choirmaster Petrov cooperates with renowned musicians: conductors — J. Conlon, J. Marin, C. Thielemann, A. Dzedda, R. Barshai, V. Spivakov, V. Fedoseyev, M. Pletnev, V. Gergiev, V. Sinaisky, J. Latham-Koenig, A. Lazarev, S. Sondeckis, P. Kogan, V. Chernushenko, K.-D. Mazur, V. and D. Yurovsky, A. Rudin; singers — D. Hvorostovsky, A. Netrebko, P. Burchuladze, O. Peretyatko, D. Korchak, D. Beloselskij.
2008 – made his debut as an opera conductor with Rossini’s opera «Il Viaggio a Reims» in the framework of «Durance Luberon Festival» (France); joined the group of conductors-interns of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia;
2009 – assisted by Maestro S. Sondeckis as a symphony orchestra conductor and chorus master at preparing to perform the 9th Symphony of Beethoven in the Bolshoi Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory named for P.I. Tchaikovsky by the «New Russia» Orchestra and the 800 singers combined choir;
Since 2010 – as a guest conductor performed with leading symphony orchestras of Russia: National Philharmonic Orchestra, Svetlanov State Academic Symphony Orchestra, «New Russia» Orchestra, «Russian Philharmonic» Orchestra, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theatres’ Orchestras. Conducted numerous performances of such masterpieces of cantatas and oratorios as Bach h-moll Mess, “Ode to Joy” and Fantasia op. 80 by Beethoven, Mozart’s and Verdi’s Requiems;
2012 – directed the opera «The Marriage of Figaro» by Mozart at the stage of the Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre.
2014 – conducted Anthem of the Russian Federation at the closing Ceremony of the XI Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi.
2017 – directed the opera «Eugeny Onegin» by Tchaikovsky at the stage of the Yaroslavl State Philharmonic.