Octavians
The Jena-based a cappella ensemble Octavians is one of the most popular a cappella ensembles in Germany and well known for their versatility and vocal balance at concerts with large and small audiences. They are well capable to perform musical masterpieces of new as well as established composers out of the past 800 years in music history. The groups’ repertoire consist of madrigals, sacred, romantic and humorous songs. In this way the Octavians can adopt their concert program to almost any occasion and circumstance. The a cappella ensemble Octavians was founded in 2006. It started with eight former or then still active members of the Philharmonic Jena boys’ choir. This was followed by numerous regional and international performances in England, Spain, Sweden, Italy, France and Switzerland. In May 2010 the Octavians won the nationwide competition “Jugend Musiziert” and competed with a selected group of young singers from Germany. They convinced the audience as well as the jury with ‘a perfect mix of joy in music and quality’. By the end of 2010 the Octavians recorded their first professional CD Auftakt at the Marienkirche in Ziegenhain and at the state academy of music of Saxonia. The first CD was followed by the second: “Roaring Twenties” (Goldene Zwanziger). Produced by the renowned label Rondeau Production it presents classics of the Comedian Harmonists as well as modern pieces of Swing and Jazz. In December of 2015 they released their third CD – a Christmas record called “A Light Is Coming” (Es naht ein Licht). With this the Octavians fulfilled a long-cherished wish.