{{Short description|German choir}} {{Infobox choir | image = | caption = | origin = Berlin, Germany | founding = {{Start date|1948}} | genre = Professional mixed chamber choir | members = | chief conductor = Justin Doyle | website = {{nowrap|{{url|www.rias-kammerchor.de}}}} }} The '''RIAS Kammerchor''' (RIAS Chamber Choir) is a German choir based in Berlin, Germany. It receives support from the Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre GmbH Berlin ("Berlin Radio Orchestra and Choirs"), a limited-liability company owned by the public broadcasters Deutschlandradio (40%) and RBB (5%), the German Federal Republic (35%), and the State of Berlin (20%).
==History== Founded in 1948, the choir was originally known as the ''Rundfunkchor des RIAS'', after the US-run German-language radio station Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor ("Broadcasting in the American Sector"), or RIAS.<ref>Although RIAS itself was dissolved in 1993, following German reunification, the choir retains the term 'RIAS' in its name.</ref> Early in its history, between 1948 and 1952, the choir recorded works by Bach with Karl Ristenpart, 68 cantatas, the ''Christmas Oratorio'', and the ''St John Passion''. The choir first performed on 15 October 1948, and its first chief conductor was Herbert Froitzheim. Whilst founded as a regional radio station choir, the RIAS Kammerchor quickly established for itself a national and international reputation. Among its founders' aims was the promotion of contemporary musical composition, and besides performing the standard repertoire, the choir has premiered many works by contemporary composers, including a number specifically dedicated to the RIAS Kammerchor.<ref name="Bach">{{cite web |url=http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/RIAS.htm |title=RIAS-Kammerchor (Chamber Choir) |year=2010 |access-date=2010-07-19 |publisher=bach-cantatas.com}}</ref> The choir participated in the opening concert of the Berliner Philharmonie.<ref name="Rundfunkchor">{{cite web |url=http://www.rundfunkchor-berlin.de/content/e51/e946/e26303/e26305/e26860/index_ger.html |title=Chefdirigenten von Rundfunkchor Berlin und RIAS Kammerchor werden verlängert |language=de |date=17 March 2010 |access-date=2010-07-23 |publisher=Rundfunkchor Berlin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100809011011/http://www.rundfunkchor-berlin.de/content/e51/e946/e26303/e26305/e26860/index_ger.html |archive-date=9 August 2010 }}</ref> The choir has premiered works by such contemporary composers as Paul Hindemith, Boris Blacher, Mauricio Kagel, Ernst Krenek, Pierre Boulez, Hans Werner Henze, and Aribert Reimann, works written for the RIAS Kammerchor.
During the tenure of Daniel Reuss (2003-2006), the choir's repertoire was extended to include early and Baroque music, in collaboration with such conductors as Philippe Herreweghe, René Jacobs, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Frans Brüggen, and John Eliot Gardiner. The most recent chief conductor of the choir was Hans-Christoph Rademann, from 2007 to 2015. In April 2016, the choir announced the appointment of Justin Doyle as its next chief conductor and music director, effective with the 2017-2018 season.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.deutschlandradiokultur.de/chordirigent-justin-doyle-ich-bin-wie-eine-elster.2165.de.html?dram:article_id=351834 | title=Ich bin wie eine Elster | work=Deutschland Radio | author=Ruth Jarre | date=2016-04-19 | access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref> Doyle is currently contracted to the choir through July 2027.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.rias-kammerchor.de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/justin-doyle-bleibt-chefdirigent-des-rias-kammerchor-berlin-bis-2027/index_ger.html | title=Justin Doyle bleibt Chefdirigent des RIAS Kammerchor Berlin bis 2027 | publisher=RIAS Kammerchor | date=11 December 2020 | access-date=2020-12-31}}</ref> The current administrative director (''Chordirektor'') of the choir is Bernhard Hess (Heß), currently contracted through July 2026.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.rias-kammerchor.de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/bernhard-hess-bis-2026-als-chordirektor-des-rias-kammerchor-berlin-bestaetigt/index_ger.html | title=Bernhard Heß bis 2026 als Chordirektor des RIAS Kammerchor Berlin bestätigt | publisher=RIAS Kammerchor | date=10 December 2020 | access-date=2020-12-31}}</ref>
The choir has made commercial recordings for such labels as Deutsche Grammophon,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/dec/17/classicalmusicandopera.shopping2 | title=Bach: Cantatas Nos 56, 82 & 158, Quasthoff/ RIAS Chamber Choir/ Berlin Baroque Soloists/ Kussmaul | work=The Guardian | author=Andrew Clements | date=2004-12-16 | access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref> harmonia mundi,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jul/30/classicalmusicandopera.shopping3 | title=Martin: Mass; Songs for Ariel; Messiaen: Cinq Rechants; O Sacrum Convivium: RIAS Chamber Choir/ Reuss | work=The Guardian | author=Andrew Clements | date=2004-07-29 | access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/jun/24/classicalmusicandopera.shopping5 | title=Poulenc: Figure Humaine; Sept Chansons; Un Soir de Neige; etc, RIAS Chamber Choir/ Reuss | work=The Guardian | author=Andrew Clements | date=2005-06-23 | access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/mar/31/classicalmusicandopera.shopping1 | title=Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito, Padmore/Pendatchanska/Fink/Chappuis/Im/Foresti/RIAS Chamber Choir/Freiburg Baroque O/Jacobs | work=The Guardian | author=Andrew Clements | date=2006-03-30 | access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/apr/03/telemann-brockes-passion-christensen-teuscher | title=Telemann: Brockes-Passion; Christensen/Teuscher/Chappuis/Havár/Behle/Weisser/RIAS Kammerchor/Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin/Jacobs | work=The Guardian | author=Andrew Clements | date=2009-04-02 | access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/mar/14/krenek-choral-kafka-harmonia-mundi-review | title=Six Motets After Franz Kafka: Choral Works Op 22, 72, 87 & 97/ RIAS Kammerchor/Rademann | work=The Observer | author=Fiona Maddocks|authorlink=Fiona Maddocks | date=2010-03-13 | access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref> both on its own and in works that feature orchestra and chorus.
==Chief conductors== * Herbert Froitzheim (1948–1954) * Günther Arndt (1954–1972) * Uwe Gronostay (1972–1986) * Marcus Creed (1987–2003) * Daniel Reuss (2003–2006) * Hans-Christoph Rademann (2007–2015) * Justin Doyle (2017–present)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.rias-kammerchor.de/ Official website of the RIAS Kammerchor] * [https://www.rias-kammerchor.de/ueber-uns/geschichte/ein-weiter-weg/index_ger.html RIAS Chamber Choir German-language page on the history of the choir] * [http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/RIAS.htm Bach Cantatas page on the RIAS Chamber Choir] * {{DNB portal|2181965-8}} * [http://www.harmoniamundi.com/#/artists?view=bio&id=162 RIAS Kammerchor] at Harmonia Mundi * [http://www.brandenburgische-sommerkonzerte.de/kuenstler/rias.html RIAS Kammerchor] at Brandenburgische Sommerkonzerte (in German) * [http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=RIAS+Kammerchor&qt=results_page Entries for the RIAS Kammerchor] on WorldCat
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Category:1948 establishments in Germany Category:Chamber choirs Category:German choirs Category:Musical groups established in 1948 Category:Musical groups from Berlin Category:Deutschlandradio Category:Radio and television choirs Category:German radio and television performing groups