Ars Cantica Choir & Marco Berrini
Biography Ars Cantica Choir & Marco Berrini
Ars Cantica Choir
Founded in 1988 in Milan and today made up of professional singers, Ars Cantica Choir has established itself since the beginning to the attention of audience and critics for its versatility, which makes this group capable of performing choral music of different periods in full respect of the style and performance practice of each period from the Renaissance to the present day.
Its founder and director is Maestro Marco Berrini. Winner of the First Prize at several choral competitions: Vittorio Veneto (1991 and 1996), Bresso (1991), Battipaglia (1995), in August 2003 the choir has won an exciting range of prizes in Arezzo: First Prize at the 51st International Choir Competition "Guido d 'Arezzo”, the Grand Prix “Città di Arezzo " awarded to the best choir in the same competition (first Italian choir to receive this award in the last thirty years) and the First Prize at the 20th National Choral Competition “Guido d' Arezzo”. In July 2004 the choir won the Second Prize ex-aequo at the 16th European Choral Grand Prix, the choral competition that annually compares the winning choirs of the five main international choral competitions.
The choir participated in a wide array of festivals and concert seasons in Italy and abroad including International Mozart Festival in Rovereto, International Forum of Chor Alzenau in Germany, Sagra Musicale Umbra, Bach Weeks cycle (XV edition) organized by La Società del Quartetto in collaboration with Milan City Council presenting a premiere programme of unpublished music by J.C. Bach, the prestigious music and poetry cycle in San Maurizio in Milan, Pomeriggi Musicali in Milan, Settimane Musicali in Stresa and Lake Maggiore, performing as well at Teatro Bellini in Catania, Teatro Due in Parma, for the Association Scarlatti in Naples and Ferrara Musica.
Ars Cantica has enjoyed collaboration with such ensemble as I Virtuosi Italiani, Bergamo Orchestra Stabile, Il Quartettone, Teatro "C. Coccia” Orchestra in Novara, Teatro Comunale Orchestra in Ferrara, Settimane Musicali Orchestra in Stresa, Marche Symphony Orchestra, Malaga Symphony Orchestra (Spain).
In June 2003, with a concert at S.Ambrogio Basilica in Milan, Ars Cantica Choir has launched a major collaboration with the Orchestra of Pomeriggi Musicali: during season 2003/04 the choir made three productions including the opening concert and the performance of Schubert Mass in A flat major D 678 (under the direction of Dantone). In the 2004/05, season dedicated to Mendelssohn, the choir performed during the opening concert (Symphony No. 2) and the production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (under the direction of Aldo Ceccato). During last season the choir sung the Petite Messe Solemnelle (version for two pianos and harmonium) under the direction of Marco Berrini, and Mozart’s La Betulia Liberata, directed by Antonello Manacorda, who also conducted Ars Cantica in Mozart’s Davide Penitente and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy for piano, soloists, chorus and orchestra.
Recent concerts in Spain (Madrid, Malaga) were critically acclaimed. Collaboration with Maestro Riccardo Chailly dates back to 2010.
Ars Cantica Choir discography includes world premieres of compositions by Bettinelli, Danieli, Dipiazza, Ferrario, Zanolini and the first Italian edition of Weihnachtsoratorium for soloists, chorus and piano by F. Nietzsche, all recorded for different labels including in particular Bottega Discantica and Sarx Records. In September 2005 the choir took part in the world premiere of Stravinsky's Les Noces with the projection of the homonymous work by Oskar Schlemmer in Stresa.
Ars Cantica 18 Responsories for the Holy Week by Orlando di Lasso premiere recording was attached to the specialist music magazine Classic Voice.
In February 2011 the choir recorded the premiere of Mozart's Requiem in the version for solos, choir and four hands piano by Carl Czerny.
