- About Us: VokalArs, an all-female music group, started rehearsing at the end of 2004 with the intention of consolidating a professional chamber size choir who would offer unconventional, high artistical quality concerts. Its components are professionals, whether si... moreVokalArs, an all-female music group, started rehearsing at the end of 2004 with the intention of consolidating a professional chamber size choir who would offer unconventional, high artistical quality concerts. Its components are professionals, whether singers or related to other areas of music or those who, despite having another occupation, have a solid musical background and an extense vocal and choral experience.
The unique sonority of a female group of singers, usually a capella, has been widely explored throughout the history of music by many composers from all times, both male and female. Examples of such music can be found from the Middle Ages up to contemporary music; however it is not until Romanticism that works are composed specifically for female choirs. Thus, a particular genre is born that will keep its own entity up to the present times. This genre has been especially cultivated as of late by female artists and composers. Both aspects, that is presenting works written for female choir as well as promoting works written for and by women, in particular, are part of the group's pursuit.
Nuria Fernández Herranz conducts VokalArs since its beginning and is the creator of its philosophy and objectives. With over twenty years experience in choral conducting and music of all times, she gathers a very rich scope of resources essential to carry out an ambitious project of this category. She is also director of the prestigious Course for Choral Conducting that has been organized by the University Carlos III in Madrid for ten years now.
It is a continuedly hard work to maintain a high quality repertoire and this is in the end a matter of teamwork. Not only is it about keeping an acceptable performing level, but also about pursuing a continuous improvement on individual vocal techniques as well as on the whole group's sound. For that, Nuria has the invaluable support of Ana García de las Heras, a professional singer with over fifteen years experience in vocal coaching of choirs and individuals. VokalArs has also received assessment from Lluis Vilamajó through various taylored vocal workshops.
VokalArs chose a program entitled Sacred Music in the German Romanticism for its presentation in June 2005, performing works by Rheinberger, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Schubert that are part of the first repertoire in musical history created specifically for female choirs. With this program they participated in the V Choral Festival of Las Rozas (June 2005), in the Choral Music Series at the Calatravas Church in Madrid (October 2005), and also at the Summer Classics in the Comunidad de Madrid in 2007.
The following project was the musical and scenic performance called Music and Women, premiered at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid in April 2006 on the occasion of the Día del Libro, and repeated at the same venue to mark a celebration organized jointly by this Círculo de Bellas Artes, the Dirección General de la Mujer at the Comunidad de Madrid and the University Carlos III, in May 2006. This program featured a selection of works by contemporary Spanish female composers together with Spanish poems read out by a well-known actress. On occasion of the International Day against Gender Violence, VokalArs performed it in multiple towns around Madrid by the end of 2006, sponsored by the Dirección General de la Mujer.
The last project prepared, Sacred Music in Contemporary Europe, which is of remarkable technical difficulty, was premiered in March 2008 and since then has been performed in a number of places and venues, amongst other in Ávila, Aranjuez, in Valencia and Barcelona. This program intends to show the latest trends appearing in Europe for female choirs. less - Location: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Madrid, Spain [map]
- Since: 2004
- Voices: Women
- Choir type: Chamber choir, Female choir
- Genres: A cappella, Classical
- Website vokalars.com
- Open to new singers: Yes - auditions required
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November 17, 2011 - admin of this choir page is
Mª José Álvarez
