Singer Pur
Biography Singer Pur
Singer Pur
Since its debut concert in March 1992, Singer Pur—originally composed of five former members of the Regensburg Cathedral Choir and a soprano—has evolved into one of the world’s leading a cappella ensembles. In 1994, the sextet won first prize at the German Music Competition in Bonn, followed a year later by the Grand Prix for vocal music at the Tampere International Music Festival in Finland. Regular appearances at prestigious concert series and festivals attest to the ensemble's outstanding reputation. Concert tours have taken the sextet to over 60 countries across six continents. Highlights of recent years include performances at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Philharmonie de Paris, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. Singer Pur has also gained broad public recognition through its radio and television productions. The group collaborated with the renowned Hilliard Ensemble on a joint project featuring vocal music for up to ten voices.
Numerous CD recordings document the ensemble's diverse repertoire, which spans the various eras of music history. Two recordings of Renaissance music were named "CD of the Year" by the French specialist magazine *Le Monde de la Musique*. The ensemble has received the ECHO KLASSIK award three times: for a recording of contemporary compositions written specifically for Singer Pur (2005); for the production *SOS – Save Our Songs*, featuring newly arranged German folk songs (2007); and for *Jeremiah*, a collaboration with clarinetist David Orlowsky (2011).
In October 2022, the sextet was honored with an OPUS KLASSIK award for the project *Among Whirlwinds*, which features vocal music composed exclusively by women.
In 2008, in recognition of its tireless international work as a musical ambassador for its founding city, Singer Pur was honored with Regensburg’s most prestigious cultural award: the City of Regensburg Culture Prize. Other accolades include the Bavarian State Prize for Music (2013), the Friedrich Baur Prize (2014), and the title of "Ambassador for the Friends of European Choral Music," awarded in 2015 by the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat.
In 2007, Singer Pur began regularly engaging in school-based initiatives to introduce children to classical music, most notably through the "Rhapsody in School" project. The group also frequently shares its wealth of experience with choirs and vocal ensembles through workshops.
Since 2019, the ensemble has hosted its own annual vocal music festival—the "Singer Pur Days" (taking up the legacy of the "Stimmwercktage")—at Adlersberg, near Regensburg.
