Sjælens Stemmer – songs of the soul

Step into a world of musical innovation and modern soundscapes!

“Sjælens Stemmer” presents exclusive new vocal music, selected by Ars Nova Copenhagen in collaboration with the International Society for Contemporary Music, which has appointed the ensemble to handle the vocal repertoire at the World New Music Days festival, which is being held this year in the Faroe Islands.

At the concert, Ars Nova sings works by a number of younger composers who give their take on future vocal art. A common feature of all compositions is a dedication to the heart, a musical door to the soul. Many are inspired by classical Latin texts, which point to a musical inspiration from the early masters of music, which are approached very differently by the different composers. Others find themselves musically purely in our time.

Irish Rhona Clarke conveys the sound of eternity in her interpretation of Hildegard von Bingen’s text “O Vis Aeternitatis”. Gyöngyösi Levente from Hungary has written “Beati mundo corde”, blessed is the pure in heart, for his teacher and inspiration, the renowned Japanese composer and choral conductor Ko Matsushita.  American Sarah Rimkus mixes W. B. Yeats’s poem, Mother of God, with the traditional Ave Marie psalm in an attempt to portray Mary’s human nature. Tsung-jen Hen from Taiwan and Faroese Kari Bæk have both written praises in “Cantate Domine” and “Laudate Domine” respectively. Dane Mette Nielsen’s “Early Sunrise” is a wordless rendering of a youthful bicycle ride home through the city on an early summer morning.  George Floyd’s desperate last words, “I Can’t Breathe”, form the framework for Scottish James Robertson’s work.

Finally, the concert ends by commemorating one of the most important composers of our time, Finnish Kaja Saariaho, who died last year, with her “Tag des Jahrs” for voices and electronics.

Vocal beauty is a consistent element. Even the sometimes harsh and dissonant can be a source of something beautiful. Look forward to experiencing a concert where completely new vocal music unfolds – moving, breathtaking and occasionally completely limitless. An immersion in the power of the voice with music that explores and challenges the familiar.

As something new we have a quartet of guests singers from The Royal Danish Music Academy  joining us on four works as a part of a collaboration with the music institution. This seems very fitting as we present the music by the composers of the future, that we will also be presenting the singers of the future – and they are all good – what a joy!

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Ars Nova Copenhagen has been appointed by The Danish Arts Council as a special ensemble for the period 2024-27. The ensemble is also supported in 2024 by the Augustinus Foundation, the Korsangernes Fællesråd, the William Demant Foundation, KODA Kultur and the Beckett Foundation. The affiliation of Sofi Jeannin as chief conductor of Ars Nova Copenhagen is supported by the Obelske Familiefond and Knud Højgaards Fond.