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The Kammerchor Oberaspach (= KCO) was founded in the spring 1985 on initiative of the choir leader Martin Schirrmeister in his place of residence Oberaspach (in the Schwäbisch Hall). The choir has the legal form of a registered association. The idea for the establishment of the choir developed, after the Jugendchor Oberaspach, which was likewise led by Martin Schirrmeister, had to be dissolved because of temporal problems of the choir leader.
The most important component of the concept of the choir in from of its foundation was that about every six weeks they rehearse a whole weekend. This enables also foreign singers to become choir members. At present the choir consists of about 30 young singers, whereby about half of the choir members originates from the area around Oberaspach and/or lives there. The rehearsal work includes also correct pronunciation. It is accomplished both in the group and in the private lessons by a singing teacher.
To the repertoire of the choir includes works of the choral literature from the 16th Century until today, suitable for a small ensemble. Pure woman or man works are also rehearsed. The performances are aimed at work-faithful as much as possible, this include that with so-called early music usually in HIP and in accompanied by original instruments.
So far the KCO undertook four concert tours: to Hungary (1988), to GDR (1990) resulted and after St. Petersburg (1994) in the case of that a friendly connection to a St. Petersburg Chamber Choir, which already led in May 1995 to a return visit. The fourth concert tour led the KCO in 1999 to Göteborg in Sweden. Members of the choir took part in August 1997 at the 3rd International Festival for chamber choirs in Kragujevac (Yugoslavia). By these tours and by engagements of soloists (instrumental and vocal) from the foreign countries the KCO so far already strove around international contacts. The KCO attained the second prize with the Südfunk-Chorwettbewerb (South Radio Choir Competition in 1988.
Most important milestones in the history of the KCO were unquestionably the performances of all three big oratorios of J. S. Bach. From this resulted the performance of the Mass in B minor (BWV 232) by J.S. Bach on February 25, 1996 at the in the Kirche St. Michael in Schwäbisch Hall as the biggest project in the history of the choir.
The KCO meantime has become in the meantime admitted far over the Schwäbisch Hall area, as its concerts all over South Germany witness. Nevertheless the KCO tries to be a component of the cultural life in Oberaspach by regular appearances in its "place of residence" to continue and the musical tradition of the village, which was justified there by the father of the choir leader. |
