The beginning
The Graz University Choir was founded in 1991 by Vijay Upadhyaya. Its repertoire includes sacred and secular music from all centuries, ranging from Italian Madrigals, Renaissance, German Romanticism, French Impressionism to Spirituals and even Musicals. Our last projects were the Anton Bruckner e-minor mass and parts of Georg Friedrich Haendel`s 'The Messiah'.
In the five years since its foundation, the choir had many concerts in Graz and other larger cities in Austria. Besides, the choir had already been touring Germany (April 1993), France (February 1994), Italy (May 1994), the United States (September 1994) and most of all Austria (September 1995). Moreover, the Graz University Choir has recorded two CDs, the first CD with Songs of the German Romanticism in autumn 1993 and the second CD with Spirituals in April 1995.
A new area
Since December 1996, the choir is being conducted by Hannes Ch. Hadwiger. About 60 people were at that time singing within the choir, many of which joined another couple of concert tours, for instance to Canada (September 1996) and Southern and Eastern Tyrol (October 1997). We are still in contact with many people and choirs we have got to know and have already hosted some of them with us in Graz.
Members of the Graz University Choir have also taken part in projects of the University of Music and Dramatic Arts, like the operas "Der Freischütz" by Carl Maria von Weber, "The Magic Flute" and "Don Giovanni" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or Stravinsky's "Les Noces" and Monteverdi's Eighth Madrigal Book.
For those who do not know Graz: it is the 2nd largest city of Austria (appr. 280 000 inhabitants) and has four universities (Humanities, University of Technology , University of Music and Dramatic Arts, Medical University) with about 35.000 students.
In co-operation with AIMS, the American Institute for Musical Studies, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and a Mozart mass were performed in Graz in summer 1995. One year later Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" and Anton Bruckner's f-minor-mass.
Intermezzi
In summer 1999 the choir elects Christian Härringer to be the new conductor. During his time the choir inspires the audience with Orffs Carmina Burana and the Westside Story and many concerts more. Three years later, Elfriede Moschitz becomes the first woman to be conductor of the University choir. A highlight from her aera is definetely a Beethoven-conzert together with the Orchestra of the University Graz. A concert trip to Sweden delighted Friedi as well as the singers who joined in.
The last years
Since spring 2004 the choirs has found a new conductor in Matthias Unterkofler. Nowadays we frequently cooperate with other regional and international choirs to give some concerts together. We sang the extraordinary opus "Ein Deutsches Requiem" (A german requiem) from Johannes Brahms together with the Chamber chior Schielleiten (Kammerchor Schielleiten) and the Collegium Musicum of the University of Trier (Germany) in Graz and Weiz (Austria) as well as in Trier (Germany). Furthermore we performed "Die Geburt Christi" (The Birth Christi) together with a large number of boys of the ensemble Grazer Kapellknaben. Besides these laborious projects we sing some little summer- or christmas-concerts, masses, weddings and other festivals.
At the moment, the choir counts about 40 active singers most of them are students and graduates of the University of Graz , the Graz University of Technology and the Medical University of Graz. Luckily, also foreign students who come to Graz (e.g. through the Erasmus program) join our choir. We are always happy about new voices!
The chronicle in detail:
1994
In January winter concerts with sacred works. In February, on tour in France with concerts in the cities of Grenoble, Lyon, Rouen, Orléans, Compiègne and Reims. In April, the University Choirs of Rouen and Grenoble visit Graz. In May, journey to Italy with concerts in the cities of Gorizia and Venice as well as a participation in a choir-festival in Oriago. In June, the University Choir of Stuttgart visits Graz and we sing our summer concerts with Spirituals. In September and October, on tour in the USA with concerts in New York City, Montclair (NJ), Washington DC, Hattiesburg (MS), Thibodaux (LA), Houston (TX), Las Vegas (NV), Salt Lake City (UT) and San Francisco(CA). In December we give our "Back-from-the-States-Concert"
1996
In April, the University Choir "Franco Maria Saraceni" of Rome visits Graz. In May, performance of Anton Bruckner's E minor mass in the Karlskirche in Vienna and in Graz, together with the wind ensemble of the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz. In August, performance of the mass "Regina coeli" by Palestrina, together with the University Choir of Vienna at the cathedral chapter of Melk. In September, on tour in Canada with concerts in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. In October, the University Choir of Saarbrücken (Germany) visits Graz. On 10th of December, performance of Georg Friedrich Händel's The Messiah (the Christmas-part) with soloists and the Chamber Orchestra of Graz. This is at the same time also the farewell concert for our founder and conductor Vijay Upadhyaya from the University Choir Graz, and our new conductor, Hannes Ch. Hadwiger, succeeds.
In March, Passion concert in the Mariahilferkirche in Graz. In May, the University Orchestra of Utrecht and University Choirs from Ottawa and Edmonton visit Graz. In June summer concerts and a part of us was singing at African Portraits. In October tour to Soutern- and Eastern Tyrol.