Bo Holten (DK)

RENAISSANCE MUSIC AND MADRIGALS FROM JOSQUIN TO PALESTRINA

Bo Holten talks about how to perform renaissance music today, presenting ideas how to do it with amateurs and how to approach more complex polyphonic music with singers not used to it. In the workshop, the participants discover the important elements in renaissance music and learn how they can get all the essential things out of a choir during a performance


BO HOLTEN (born 1948) is a Danish composer and conductor. He has composed 10 operas, 6 concertos, 4 symphonies, various orchestral pieces and chamber music, film scores and app. 40 works for a cappella choir, altogether more than 100 works. In 1979, he founded Vocal Ensemble Ars Nova Copenhagen and directed the group for 17 years. He also founded Vocal Ensemble Musica Ficta in 1996 and is still their director. Holten conducts and records regularly with all the Danish Symphony Orchestras. He was Principal Guest Conductor for The BBC Singers during 1990-2006 and Chief Conductor for The Flemish Radio Choir, Bruxelles during 2008-2011. He has recorded 95 CDs, and conducted about 220 world premieres, altogether more than 1000 concerts and opera performances.

Photo by: Hanne Leth Andersen