The Kölner Vokalsolisten
are a six-part vocal ensemble devoted to the vocal chamber music of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. They are unique among this type of ensemble in the Cologne region. Founded in 2007 on the occasion of the performance of Luciano Berio’s Canticum novissimi testamenti, they appeared for the first time at the Cologne Music Triennale under the direction of Marcus Creed. This was followed by regular performances at the festival Acht Brücken | Musik für Köln. The ensemble has also featured at festivals such as Schönes Wochenende (Düsseldorf), the Mittelrhein Musik Festival, and the Cologne Early Music Festival.

In 2015, the Kölner Vokalsolisten undertook their first major international tour, appearing at the Eilat Chamber Music Festival in Israel.

Early music cycles such as the responsory settings by Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa are just as much a part of their repertoire as modern classics such as György Ligeti’s Nonsense Madrigals. They have also performed Luciano Berio’s Passaggio and Morton Feldman’s Rothko Chapel successfully.

Another characteristic of the work of the Vokalsolisten is their close cooperation with numerous composers, resulting in a large number of premieres; four pieces premiered by the Vokalsolisten can be heard on this album. They have enjoyed an ongoing artistic collaboration with the composer and conductor Michael Ostrzyga.

A particularly appealing aspect of their repertoire is its inclusion of music from different eras and the preparation of original programs that show how the great themes of love, life, death, passion, and faith have found expression in music over the centuries. In this respect, the ensemble sees itself as a bridge between different musical worlds.