The Choir
Majorstua Kammerkor [Majorstua Chamber Choir] was founded by the members in 1999 to explore classical and modern music for a cappella mixed voices. The choir consists
of 32 experienced amateur singers. Majorstua Kammerkor has achieved its ambition of becoming a high quality choir.
The choir earned praise when winning a first prize in the National Choral Competition 2003, held at the Grieg Concert Hall
in Bergen. The choir performs regularly in Oslo, occasionally in collaboration with renowned Norwegian musicians. The choir's
first audio-CD Pulchra was recorded during spring 2008, and released in October.
Majorstua Chamber Choir has toured the Nordic countries, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Rome/Italy and Edinburgh/Scotland, with
concerts in Rosslyn Chapel and St. Giles Cathedral. A new tour to Italy is planned for October 2010, with two concerts in
central Rome.
The Conductor
Tore Erik Mohn is Associate Professor in choral conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music since 1995. He has conducted
numerous choirs and was previously Choir Master at the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (1995-2005). Furthermore, he has been a
guest lecturer at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. As well as conducting several choirs, he is organist and chief kantor
at the Cathedral of Fredrikstad.
Together, Tore Erik Mohn and the singers, have with their shared love and passion for sacred choral music, found a distinct
sound that suits the Nordic expression of classical and contemporary choral works.
The Repertoire
While retaining a fondness for contemporary a cappella music in particular, the choir has worked extensively with classical
compositions from the sacred tradition, spanning from the Renaissance works of e.g. Lotti and Purcell, to new songs of the
21st Century.
Among our favourite present-day composers are Ola Gjeilo (Norway) and Eric Whitacre (USA), as well as Einojuhani Rautavaara (Finland) and James MacMillan (Scotland). However, there is always room for a little Norwegian folk music, or a piece of jazz on the side.
