CHAMBER CHOIR CANTINOVUM

Chamber Choir Cantinovum (established in 1989) is a youthful and ambitious choir. Cantinovum aims for the highest of artistic levels, while continuously developing its repertoire and practicing diligently to enhance its rich tone. Cantinovum is a representative choir of Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences

At present, there are approximately 30 singers in Cantinovum for whom music is a passionate interest – for many it is also a future profession. Most of the singers are students either at the Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences or at the University of Jyväskylä.

The repertoire of Cantinovum is colorful and interesting. The usual repertoire stretches from folk music to sacred music and from Renaissance to modern composers. The name of the choir origins from latin and translates to new song. It is characteristic of Cantinovum to perform songs that have been especially composed for them, and Cantinovum has been the first to perform several choir compositions. For instance, composers Liisa Matveinen, Jan Hellberg, Ilkka Kuusisto, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Juha Holma, Sandra Milliken and Robert A. M. Ross have composed for Cantinovum. In addition to a cappella singing, Cantinovum has worked with Jyväskylä Sinfonia and other orchestras, most recently performing Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna and Mozart’s Requiem.

Cantinovum has published two albums, Commissioned by Cantinovum (2000) and Lauloa minä lupasin (I Promised to Sing) (2006). The first album contains new choral music that has been commissioned by Cantinovum. The second album contains music commissioned by Cantinovum as well as older choral music that has been in Cantinovum's repertoire for a long time. The lyrics are often based on Finnish national epic Kalevala. In 2005 the choir had a concert tour in USA. On this tour, Cantinovum commissioned two new songs Älä lapsi paljon laula and Lauloa minä lupasin that can be heard on the album. The choir has also performed in Spain, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Cantinovum has proved its excellence by receiving the second prize in the International Choir Festival in Athens in 1994 and the National Klemetti Choir Competition in 1996. In 1999, Cantinovum won the first prize in the International Choir Contest of Flanders in Belgium, and in 2003, Cantinovum gained a diploma with two golden stamps at the Tampere Vocal Music Festival’s Chorus Review.

Cantinovum in December 2007. Photo: Sanna Patja