Helsinki Chamber Choir
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Vigilia
(25 singers, conductor)
Nights and farewells
Erik Bergman: Sommarnatt (Summer night) 3’
Jean Sibelius: Saarella palaa (Fire on the island) 1’
Jean Sibelius: Rakastava (The Lover) 7’
Jean Sibelius: Sydämeni laulu (Song of my heart) 3’
Jean Sibelius: Sortunut ääni (The broken voice) 1’
Kaija Saariaho: Nuits, adieux (Nights, farewells) 12’
Leevi Madetoja: De profundis 7’
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Lorca Suite 6’
Lotta Wennäkoski: Valossa (In the light) 4’
Perttu Haapanen: Strophes II 5’
Toivo Kuula: Siell’ on kauan jo kukkineet omenapuut 5’
(The apple trees blossomed long ago)
Cast: 20 singers
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor
Claudio Monteverdi: Altri canti di Marte 9’
Salamone Rossi: Selection of dances of the collection Il terzo libro 5’
Luca Marenzio: Lasso dicea 2’
Maddalena Casulana: Morir non può 2’
Francesca Caccini: Stage music from opera Il passatempo 5’
Barbara Strozzi: Priego ad Amore 3’
Barbara Strozzi: Vecchio Amante che rende la piazza 6’
*
Monteverdi: Or che’l ciel e la terra e’l vento tace 11’
Monteverdi: Non avea febo ancora (Lamento della ninfa) 8’
Monteverdi: Volgendo in ciel per immortal sentiero
Salamone Rossi: Correnta prima from collection Il terzo libro
Monteverdi: Muovete al mio bel suon (Ballo a 5) 10’
Helsinki Chamber Choir (6 singers)
Finnish Baroque Orchestra (5 musicians)
Matthew Whittall: The World Tree
"The World Tree" 60'
(working title, world premiere tour)
Libretto: Robert Macfarlane
Besetzung: 20 Sänger
Nils Schweckendiek. Dirigent
David Lang: before and after nature
Besetzung: 24 Sänger
Nils Schweckendiek, Dirigent
Bang on a Can All-Stars
Videoprojektion + Beleuchtung
Kaija Saariaho: Reconnaissance
Nuits, adieux für 4 Solisten und gemischten Chor 12'
Suomenkielinen sekakuorokappale für gemischten Chor 10'
Tag des Jahrs für Chor und Tonband 15'
Reconnaissance für Chor, Kontrabass und Perkussion 25'
Besetzung: 24 Sänger
Nils Schweckendiek, Dirigent
Kontabass
Perkussion
Tontechniker
Take the Milky Way
Johann Sebastian Bach: Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf BWV 226 (8')
Arvo Pärt: Prayer (13')
Karin Rehnqvist: Take the Milky Way (12')
Jan Dismas Zelenka: Litaniae Omnium Sanctorum ZWV153 (32')
Helsinki Chamber Choir (24 singers), Finnish Baroque Orchestra (19 instrumentalists), conductor
Found in translation
Kalevi Aho: Three songs to poems by Mawlana Rumi (13’)
Tze Yeung Ho: new work (25-30’)
Lotta Wennäkoski: Ommel (16’)
Helsinki Chamber Choir (17 singers), conductor
Jean Sibelius: Opera and cantata
Jean Sibelius: Jungfrun i tornet (version with piano) (36’)
Jean Sibelius: Graduation Cantata (1897) (44')
soloists, Helsinki Chamber Choir (24 singers), pianist, conductor
Helsinki Chamber Choir
The Helsinki Chamber Choir is a professional chamber choir founded in 1962 as the Finnish Radio Chamber Choir and assumed its current name in 2005.
In 2024, the choir was honoured with a Grammy for the album Kaija Saariahio Reconnaissance (BIS Records) in the category Best Choral Performance.
While its wide-ranging repertoire includes music from the Renaissance to the present day, the Helsinki Chamber Choir is particularly highly regarded for its work with new music. The choir regularly commissions new works and has given over 80 world premieres in the seasons since 2005, as well as more than 30 Finnish first performances.
The choir was part of the project Nordic Choir Expedition in 2023 with three nordic chamber choirs and concerts in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo and Helsinki with a commission piece by Galina Grigorjeva etc. Recent touring has taken the choir to the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, Poland and Scandinavia. At festival Europäische Kirchenmusik Schwäbisch Gmünd 2025 the choir sung the German first performance of Balasz Kecskes: „Komm“.
The choir demonstrated its versatility in 2024 and 2025: In addition to concerts celebrating the anniversaries of the composers Bruckner-Schönberg-Martin in cooperation with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the ensemble performed with the Ensemble Recherche in Köln and Freiburg, Finnish Baroque Orchestra (Handel: Messiah), Sointi Jazz Orchestra, Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra of the Royal College of Music London.
BIS Records has released various albums, including Arvo Pärt: Passio, Alex Freeman: Under the Arching Heavens, Einojuhani Rautavaara: Vigilia, Pertu Haapanen: Reports (Finnish Record of the Year 2019), Spring will come with rarities by Finnish composers, etc. Further recordings have been released by Ondine and Alba Records. The vocal ensemble has been honoured three times with the German Record Critics' Award and received three Emma and one ICMA nomination.
The chief conductors of the Finnish Radio Chamber Choir have been Harald Andersén, Kaj-Erik Gustafsson, Ilmo Riihimäki, Eric-Olof Söderström and Timo Nuoranne. The composer Kimmo Hakola became the first artistic director of the Helsinki Chamber Choir in 2005. Since 2007 Nils Schweckendiek has been Artistic Director of the Helsinki Chamber Choir.
The Helsinki Chamber Choir is a member of Tenso, the European network of professional chamber choirs.
Nils Schweckendiek
Since 2007 Nils Schweckendiek has been Artistic Director of the Helsinki Chamber Choir. Since making his highly successful debut at the Finnish National Opera with Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier in 2006, he has performed in many European countries, the United States and China, and appeared at numerous opera houses and festivals, including the Leipzig Opera and Savonlinna Opera Festival.
Nils Schweckendiek is committed to performing contemporary music and has conducted over 100 first performances, including music theatre, orchestral, choral and ensemble works. He has recorded more than a dozen critically acclaimed albums for the BIS, Toccata Classics, Alba and ICSM labels, earning him a GRAMMY (Best Choral Performance for Kaija Saariaho: Reconnaissance in 2024), three German Record Critics' Awards, an ICMA Award, an Emma Award, two Gramophone Editor's Choice mentions, as well as four Record of the Year awards and two further Emma nominations in Finland.
His partners in choral-symphonic projects include the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Finnish Baroque Orchestra and Oulu Sinfonia. Nils Schweckendiek has worked with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, Latvian Radio Choir, Swedish Radio Choir, Croatian Radio and TV Choir, Chamber Choir Ireland, Coro Casa da Música and Orquestra Barocco Casa da Música Porto, as well as with SWR Vokal Ensemble Stuttgart, NDR Vocal Ensemble Hamburg and RIAS Chamber Choir Berlin.
Upcoming highlights include performances with the SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart, Estonian Male Choir, Danish National Vocal Ensemble and Choir of the Norwegian Academy of Music.
Nils Schweckendiek studied music at Clare College, Cambridge, and orchestral and choral conducting in Freiburg and Helsinki. In 2020 the Society for Swedish Literature in Finland awarded him the Fredrik Pacius Prize for his services to Finnish music and in 2025 the Society of Finnish Composers awarded him its Madetoja Prize. In 2022 the Association of Finnish Choral Directors chose him as Conductor of the Year.
In 2014 he was appointed Professor of Choral Conducting at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, and since 2017 he has been Artistic Director of the Helsinki Music Centre Chorus.
Season 2026/27
https://www.helsinkichamberchoir.fi/en/home
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Nils Schweckendiek
Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Helsinki Chamber Choir
Since 2007 Nils Schweckendiek has been Artistic Director of the Helsinki Chamber Choir. Since making his highly successful debut at the Finnish National Opera with Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier in 2006, he has performed in many European countries, the United States and China, and appeared at numerous opera houses and festivals, including the Leipzig Opera and Savonlinna Opera Festival.
Nils Schweckendiek is committed to performing contemporary music and has conducted over 100 first performances, including music theatre, orchestral, choral and ensemble works. He has recorded more than a dozen critically acclaimed albums for the BIS, Toccata Classics, Alba and ICSM labels, earning him a GRAMMY (Best Choral Performance for Kaija Saariaho: Reconnaissance in 2024), three German Record Critics' Awards, an ICMA Award, an Emma Award, two Gramophone Editor's Choice mentions, as well as four Record of the Year awards and two further Emma nominations in Finland.
His partners in choral-symphonic projects include the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Finnish Baroque Orchestra and Oulu Sinfonia. Nils Schweckendiek has worked with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, Latvian Radio Choir, Swedish Radio Choir, Croatian Radio and TV Choir, Chamber Choir Ireland, Coro Casa da Música and Orquestra Barocco Casa da Música Porto, as well as with SWR Vokal Ensemble Stuttgart, NDR Vocal Ensemble Hamburg and RIAS Chamber Choir Berlin.
Upcoming highlights include performances with the SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart, Estonian Male Choir, Danish National Vocal Ensemble and Choir of the Norwegian Academy of Music.
Nils Schweckendiek studied music at Clare College, Cambridge, and orchestral and choral conducting in Freiburg and Helsinki. In 2020 the Society for Swedish Literature in Finland awarded him the Fredrik Pacius Prize for his services to Finnish music and in 2025 the Society of Finnish Composers awarded him its Madetoja Prize. In 2022 the Association of Finnish Choral Directors chose him as Conductor of the Year.
In 2014 he was appointed Professor of Choral Conducting at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, and since 2017 he has been Artistic Director of the Helsinki Music Centre Chorus.
Season 2026/27
News/Info
Helsinki Chamber Choir with Ligeti at Berlin Musikfest
Helsinki Chamber Choir sings the choral part in György Ligeti: Le Grand Macabre with Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra at Berlin Musikfest on 28 August 2026.
Helsinki Chamber Choir: world premiere by Matthew Whittall
The Helsinki Chamber Choir and Nils Schweckendiek perform the world premiere of Matthew Whittall: The World Tree in Helsinki on 18 November 2025. Further dates: 20.11. Kotka, 21.11. Nurmijärvi, 30.11. Vihti.
Helsinki Chamber Choir at Festival Schwäbisch Gmünd
Helsinki Chamber Choir led by Nils Schweckendiek perform at Festival Europäische Kirchenmusik in Schwäbisch Gmünd on 9 July together with NeoQuartet
Gdansk a programme by Alessandro & Domenico Scarlatti, Balasz Kecskes, Jean Sibelius, Erik Bergman and Lotta Wennäkoski.
Read more
Helsinki Chamber Choir & Ensemble Recherche in Köln
Helsinki Chamber Choir, Ensemble Recherche and Nils Schweckendiek perform at Acht Brücken Festival in Köln on 18 May a programme by Malin Bång, Franck Bedrossian, Perttu Haapanen, Lotta Wennäkoski and Vito Zuraj.
Nils Schweckendiek conducts Orchestra della Magna Grecia & Chören
Nils Schweckendiek conducts the Orchestra della Magna Grecia, Coro Regionale ARCoPu and L.A. Chorus & Solisten in Taranto and Lecce on 28 + 29 March 2025. The programme features Erik Esenvalds: Te Deum, Karl Jenkins: Te Deum and Antonin Dvorak: Te Deum.
Helsinki Chamber Choir: World premiere by Vito Žuraj
The Helsinki Chamber Choir presents the world premiere of Vito Žuraj: INNEN at Musica Nova Festival in Helsinki on 15 February 2025 joined by Ensemble Recherche. The programme features also music by Lotta Wennäkoski, Malin Bang and Perttu Haapanen.
Nils Schweckendiek conducts Messiah
Nils Schweckendiek conducts Händel: Messiah with Helsinki Chamber Choir and Finnish Baroque Orchestra in five concerts in Finland from 5 December with the final concert in Helsinki on 15 December 2024.
Helsinki Chamber Choir & Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir auf Tour
The two Grammy winners Helsinki Chamber Choir and Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir perform three concerts in Viljandi, Tallinn and Helsinki from 25-27 October 2024 with Nils Schweckendiek. The programme features Bruckner: Motets, compositions by Schönberg and Frank Martin: Mass for double choir.
Helsinki Chamber Choir in Merano and Brixen
The Helsinki Chamber Choir and Nils Schweckendiek perform Rachmaninov's Liturgy of St. John Chrysostomus in Merano on 24 March 2024 and in Brixen on 25 March 2024.
Helsinki Chamber Choir: Grammy Winner for Kaija Saariaho album
Nils Schweckendiek and Helsinki Chamber Choir are winner of Grammy Award in the category Best Choral Performance for the album Kaija Saariaho: Reconnaissance at BIS Records. Many congratulations!
Press
Discography
Kaija Saariaho
Helena Tulve
Helsinki Chamber Choir
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor
BIS (2026)
The Helsinki Chamber Choir
Timo Kurkikangas, elektronics
Anna Kuvaja, piano
Uusinta Ensemble
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor
BIS (2023)
Sampo Haapaniemi (Jesus)
Martti Anttila (Pilate)
Linnéa Sundfær Casserly, Sirkku Rintamäki, Mats Lillhannus ja Jussi Linnanmäki (Evangelists)
The Helsinki Chamber Choir
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor
BIS (2021)
The Helsinki Chamber Choir
Iris Oja, voice
ContempoArtEnsemble
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor
Alba (2021)
The Helsinki Chamber Choir
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor
BIS (2021)
The Helsinki Chamber Choir
Timo Kurkikangas, Elektronics
Anna Kuvaja, Klavier
Uusinta Ensemble
Nils Schweckendiek, Dirigent
BIS (2023)
Sampo Haapaniemi (Jesus)
Martti Anttila (Pilatus)
Linnéa Sundfær Casserly, Sirkku Rintamäki, Mats Lillhannus ja Jussi Linnanmäki (Evangelisten)
The Helsinki Chamber Choir
Nils Schweckendiek, Dirigent
BIS (2021)
The Helsinki Chamber Choir
Iris Oja, Stimme
ContempoArtEnsemble
Nils Schweckendiek, Dirigent
Alba (2021)
The Helsinki Chamber Choir
Nils Schweckendiek, Dirigent
BIS (2021)