chorus

Harvard’s premier mixed choir, the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, was founded in the fall of 1971 to coincide with the coeducational merger of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges.

The repertoire of the Collegium draws on a diverse spectrum of a cappella and orchestral selections, including both sacred and secular works of composers such as Palestrina, Byrd, Dufay, Tallis, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Ravel, Britten, Barber, and more.

In addition to its independent performances, the Collegium regularly collaborates with notable performing groups both within and outside the Harvard community, including the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra and the Handel and Haydn Period Orchestra of Boston.

The group garnered critical acclaim under its first conductor, F. John Adams, and in 1978, direction of the group passed to Jameson Marvin, who led the chorus to even greater heights.

Currently, the Collegium flourishes under the direction of Andrew Clark. In addition to historical masterpieces such as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Handel’s Israel in Egypt, the Collegium has brought the works of modern and contemporary composers, including John Adams, Steven Stucky, Julian Wachner, to performance spaces both in Boston and abroad.

Seven international tours to Europe (1976), the Mediterranean (1981), Canada (1986), Mexico (1991), Great Britain (1995), Italy and Greece (1999), France and the Iberian Peninsula (2003), Australia and New Zealand (2007), and Germany and Austria (2011) and multiple performances at the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association have garnered the ensemble the highest critical acclaim.

The Collegium contains two subset groups, catering to the diverse interests and talents of its membership. The Collegium Underground offers the chance to sing in an exciting pop-a cappella group, while the Chamber Singers offer an opportunity for members to explore the unique world chamber ensemble music, and tours domestically every winter. Both subsets are led by student directors and managers.

Performances

Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory | October 18, 2015
Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory | April 6, 2012

News and Press

[News Coverage] Minimalist Directness, Mystic Purity

A most uncommon acknowledgment of Good Friday recalling the crucifixion of Jesus Christ occurred at Jordan Hall. It involved the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, a slate of guest soloists, and the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum. Two reenactments of the passion, one allegorical, by David Lang and the other, from Biblical texts, by Arvo Pärt, adopted a similar, now familiar musical language of minimalism. Both passions were fittingly in minor modes commonly associated with all things sorrowful.

The Boston Musical Intelligencer Full review
[Concert Review] At BMOP, new works for a somber event

To mark Good Friday, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project brought together two contemporary Passion settings: David Lang's "The Little Match Girl Passion" and Arvo Pärt's "Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum Joannem."

It did not look much like a BMOP concert – only a few instrumentalists were present. But it was an appropriately grave lineup for the darkest day of the Christian calendar.

The Boston Globe Full review
[Concert Review] BMOP marks Good Friday with contrasted "Passions"

People who like the sound of straight-toned voices singing intricate counterpoint at close intervals had a feast at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall on the evening of Good Friday, as the Boston Modern Orchestra Project presented works with "Passion" in the title by David Lang and Arvo Pärt.

Boston Classical Review Full review