Rita Varonen – Kamarikuoro Cantinovum

Rita Varonen kuva. Kuva: Ida Liimatainen

Rita Varonen has been the artistic director of Cantinovum since 1993. Under her guidance Cantinovum has established itself among Finland's leading choirs performing newer choral music.

Background

Varonen on valmistunut diplomikuoronjohtajaksi Budapestin Liszt-Akatemiasta vuonna 1987. Lisäksi hän on suorittanut tutkinnon puhallinorkesterinjohdosta ja opiskellut laulua. Kuoronjohtoa Varonen on opiskellut István Párkain ja Péter Erdein johdolla sekä osallistunut muun muassa László Heltayn, Tõnu Kaljusten, Jorma Panulan ja Stefan Sköldin kursseille. Nykyisin Varonen toimii lehtorina opetusaineinaan kuoron- ja orkesterinjohto ja on suosittu kuoronjohdon kouluttaja ympäri maailmaa.

Career

Rita Varonen has conducted choir and orchestra concerts across Europe and the United States and has appeared in radio and TV broadcasts both in Finland and abroad. Her choirs have recorded and won awards in both national and international competitions. In addition to Cantinovum, she conducts Jyväskylän Naislaulajat, the Finnish Orthodox Cantor Choir, and the wind orchestra Aalto. Varonen served as the artistic director of the Finnish Women's Choir Association from 2007 to 2015.

Awards

Rita Varonen was awarded the Harald Andersén Prize by the Finnish Cultural Foundation in 1996 for her significant contributions to Finnish choral culture. In the same year, she also received the conductor's prize at the national women's choir review in Kokkola. In the international Mariele Ventre choral conducting competition held in Italy in October 2001, Varonen placed second. The Finnish Choral Conductors' Association named Varonen Choral Conductor of the Year in 2004. In 2009, Varonen was named the best choral conductor at the Slovakia Cantat choir competition and the ABB Banská Bystrica choir competition. In 2012, the Finnish Singers and Musicians Association Sulasol awarded Varonen the Klemetti Prize for her distinguished work with choirs and choral singing.