The Deutscher Chor London (DCL), also known as the German Choir of London, is a London-based amateur mixed-voice choir with a core repertoire of German classical choral pieces and a special interest in contemporary works. The choir was founded in 2009 by its current musical director Barbara Höfling.
DCL gives around twelve performances each year and has released two CD recordings.
About
DCL was founded in 2009 by singer and conductor Barbara Höfling. The initial membership was drawn largely from amateur singers associated with the Deutsche Evangelische Christuskirche in Knightsbridge, London. It has since grown to be the largest German choir in the UK.
Currently, the choir comprises around fifty active members of various nationalities. It continues to rehearse each week at the Christuskirche in Knightsbridge.
Repertoire
Classical
DCL's core repertoire is drawn from the German choral tradition of the seventeenth to late nineteenth centuries, in particular the works of Heinrich Schütz, Bach, Haydn, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Max Reger, Rheinberger and Bruckner.
The choir's repertoire extends to other works from the classical choral canon, including pieces by Vivaldi, Händel and Britten.
Contemporary
In addition to its core classical repertoire, DCL regularly performs new choral works. Its contemporary repertoire includes the following works commissioned for the choir itself:
Ben See is part of our #CoronaCommissions project in 2020. Carol J. Jones is part of our #CoronaCommissions project in 2020. Jenni Watson's take on our #CoronaCommissions project in 2020 featured not only us but the Freiburg Saxophone Akademie as well. Sarah Rimkus is part of our #CoronaCommissions project in 2020. Luke Styles is part of our #CoronaCommissions project in 2020. Ian Stephens' "Unruhige Träume" with lyrics from the opening of Kafka's "Die Verwandlung" (The Metamorphosis) is part of our #CoronaCommissions project in 2020 Donna McKevitt's "Fear" with lyrics from a poem by Jan Noble is part of the #CoronaCommissions project in 2020. Michael Cryne's "Fear no more" with lyrics from William Shakespeare's Cymbeline is part of our #CoronaCommissions project in 2020. Danyal Dhondy's "An die Freude" a take on the well-known piece by Ludwig van Beethoven with lyrics by Friedrich Schiller for our concert "A European Celebration" in 2019. Orlando Gough's contemporary settings of war poetry by Siegfried Sassoon and May Cannan for the choir's upcoming “Selig sind die Friedfertigen” tour in 2018. Matt Gio's "The Answered Hymn", written to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017. Sarah Rimkus wrote a beautiful piece for us in 2016 for a performance at the Queens Gallery at Buckingham Palace. Scottish-inspired works by composers, commissioned to accompany the Buckingham Palace exhibition of Scottish art in 2016. six new Volkslied arrangements for the choir's 2015 CD "Der Mond ist aufgegangen", by Gareth Treseder "Sehnsucht nach dem Frühling", Danyal Dhondy, "Kein schöner Land in dieser Zeit" and the choir's musical director Barbara Höfling "Deutsch-Englische Vogelhochzeit" and "Am Brunnen vor dem Tore". Orlando Gough's commission for the 2012 Thames Festival XX Scharnhorst.
Performances
The choir gives around twelve performances each year, encompassing: concert appearances in a range of venues; participation in church and cathedral services as a visiting choir; and charity engagements in London during the Christmas season.
Past performances
DCL's performance history features collaborations with such ensembles as: the Choir of King's College, Cambridge; the choir of St-Martin-in-the-Fields; the German Choir Paris; the UK Parliament choir; the West London Bach Consort; Petersham Voices; the Keld Ensemble; and the respective choirs of several Lutheran congregations in London.