Vlaams RadioKoor

The Flemish Radio Choir was founded in 1937 by the Belgian public broadcaster of the day. Today, the Flemish Radio Choir has grown into an exceptionally high-quality ensemble that is attracting attention both at home and abroad. The 24 singers rehearse and frequently perform in Studio 1 of the celebrated Flagey building in Brussels.

From the beginning of the 2011-2012 season, the choir is under the leadership of Hervé Niquet. This brilliant, world-renowned conductor has, after years of guest appearances with the Flemish Radio Choir, become its chief conductor. Niquet, who refers to the choir as a diamond and ranks it among the top 3 in Europe, intends to continue developing its unmistakable sound and is planning a wide range of projects, from little-known French music to premières of contemporary works.

An important pillar of the programming of the Flemish Radio Choir consists of the a capella repertoire that the choir takes on tour throughout Flanders around 6 times a year. The concerts are organised around carefully selected themes and filled with both forgotten gems and great classics from the entire chamber choir repertoire.

The Flemish Radio Choir also collaborates frequently on specific projects with renowned instrumental ensembles from both Belgium and abroad, such as the Brussels Philharmonic , the Brussels Jazz Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sinfonia Warsowia and Le Concert Spirituel.

In addition to appearing alongside its regular partners in Flanders, the Flemish Radio Choir has secured a position on various international stages. The choir is a welcome guest at several festivals, particularly in France. Each year it receives more and more requests from festivals such as the prestigious Festival de Musique in Menton, the Septembre Musical de l’Orne and the Festival Contrepoints 62. The choir has also given concerts at the Salle Pleyel in Paris and at the Opéra Berlioz in Montpellier. Its concert engagements in the Netherlands are also increasing, and the ensemble is attracting growing interest in Italy, partly thanks to its collaboration with the Palazzetto Bru Zane, initiator of the prestigious CD series featuring music associated with the "Prix de Rome".

The choir’s international recognition has also been enhanced by the CD series which the choir is issuing with the Glossa label, devoted to the great chamber choir repertoire. The latest CD, Das Berliner Requiem with music by Milhaud, Stravinsky, Weill and Hindemith, has received glowing reviews in prestigious publications such as Diapason, Le Monde de la Musique and Gramophone. The French Classica Magazine awarded this recording the ‘Choc Classica’ of April 2010, and the BBC Magazine gave it five stars.

The Flemish Radio Choir retains its unique status as a radio choir. Nearly all of its concerts are recorded by the Flemish classical music radio station, Klara, and hence the choir has built up a unique collection of recordings, including of works by Flemish composers.

The Flemish Radio Choir is an institution of the Flemish Community.