Welcome to the web pages of the Swedish Oratorio Chorus...
New singers are welcome (invitation). In the autumn 2011 we sang Rossini and Gounod with orchestra and soloists.
...one of the oldest mixed singing groups in Finland's capital, Helsinki. The chorus was founded in 1920 and sang the major Classical choral works with the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra. Over the years, the chorus changed its function and it now covers music from early English madrigals to contemporary cantatas. In 2006 it gave the Finnish première of Gareth Valentine's Requiem. In 2010 it coordinated and participated with the two female and male university choruses in the Finnish première of Gubaidulina's St. John's Passion. The Helsinki City Orchestra played, conducted by Leif Segerstam.
The chorus members range from university professors and medical doctors to school teachers and business people. Most have had some music training, one or two are professional musicians with varied backgrounds. For all chorus members, the camaraderie and varied music program are the major attractions. Rehearsal language is normally Swedish, liberally sprinkled with English and Finnish. All chorus members speak Finnish and English as well, some also German or French. We even have a tenor proficient in Latin!
The choir's current conductor is George Buckbee, formerly professor at Sibelius Academy and with a long and varied background in music training in other countries as well. Former conductors include Ulf Söderblom, Leena von Bonsdorff, Matti Järvinen, Eric-Olof Söderström, Åsa Westerlund and Hannu Bister.
Rehearsals are on Sunday evenings at 18:00 (6PM) in the Social Hall of St. John's Church (Johanneksen kirkko, Johanneskyrkan) in down town Helsinki; easy access by tram or bus. You may see more about the chorus by clicking on the links. Questions may also be addressed to one of the persons mentioned on the contact page or to christophe.roos [] karlshem.net (replace with @ character for e-mail). New singers are welcome (invitation). In the autumn 2011 we sing Rossini and Gounod with orchestra and soloists.