Chorleitung - Stephan Schönfeld

Meine Leidenschaft für das Chorleiten ist eine direkte Folge meiner langen und intensiven Zeit als Chorsänger in Kammerchören und Vokalensembles, in denen ich einigen namhaften Dirigenten auf die Finger schauen durfte, darunter auch ein paar Professoren für Chorleitung. Ironischerweise kam der wichtigste Impuls für meinen Schritt vom Sänger zum Leiter nicht aus dieser Richtung, sondern aus der ermunternden Offenheit und Experimentierfreude der Studentenchöre Göteborgs, wo ich über 10 Jahre gelebt, gesungen und gearbeitet habe. Dieses wundervolle Studentenchormilieu, in dem alles möglich scheint, ist mir bis heute ein Vorbild geblieben für die Atmosphäre, die ich auch in meinen eigenen Chören anstrebe. Meine formelle Ausbildung umfasst ein Chorleitungsstudium an der Högskolan för Scen och Musik in Göteborg, einen MSc in Technischer Akustik sowie zwei Chordirigier-Meisterkurse. Von dort trägt mich eine nie versiegende Lust am autodidaktischen Herumtüfteln an meinem Dirigat weiter. Wenn sich diese Lust beim Warten auf den Bus ihren Weg bahnt und ich mit den Händen in ein paar interessante Takte Musik hineinspüre, bringt mir das schon mal verwunderte Blicke ein. Ein wenig Verrücktheit gehört dazu, ebenso wie die Freude daran, mit Menschen zu arbeiten, gemeinsam etwas zu entwickeln und einen Unterschied zu machen. Ich fühle mich sehr privilegiert, heute Orte gefunden zu haben, wo meine Leidenschaft für Chorleitung einen Beitrag leisten kann, der über die Musik hinaus geht. Gemeint sind meine beiden nordischen Chorprojekte an der Ev.-Luth. Kirchgemeinde Dresden-Blasewitz, anima nordica und Norden Runt, die ich 2017 und 2018 in kurzer Folge gegründet habe. Hier kann ich Impulse setzen und Projekte so formen, wie ich es für wertvoll halte, eingebettet in eine Gruppe wundervoller, kreativer Menschen. Ein herzliches Dankeschön an alle, die mich auf meinem Weg begleiten, unterstützt haben und dies noch immer tun.

Completed projects

For reference - in English - a chronological overview of completed projects and performances.

2024-03 > 2024-09 anima nordica concert project "Öar - Inseln"
This relaxed and peaceful program spread a wonderful athmosphere and took our listeners to remote places: Islands in different parts of the world, their culture, vibe and individual traditions! Along with the music I shared some observations from my own times in which I lived in the middle of the sea. A very pleasant way to close a loop and to share some thoughts about how different we humans develop depening on where we live, on togetherness and the beauty of a new start.

Presented at Schlosskirche Jahnishausen, Heilig-Geist Kirche Blasewitz, Ev. Kirche Weißer Hirsch, Dreikönigskirche Dresden-Neustadt and Nazarethkirche Seidnitz.

2023-08 > 2024-02 Norden Runt scenic concert project "BABEL"
A program about human hybris, technical progress, globalization and the role of the individual human being in all of this. Together with our enthusiastic audience, we built towers on stage, got lost in language confusion and finally found a way to start anew. I guess no one who experienced these concerts will forget them which is true especially for me. Such great resonance of the choir, the room and all the people! Clearly one of our most popular concert project so far.

Presented at Heilig-Geist Kirche Blasewitz, Betlehemkirche Tolkewitz and Thomaskirche Gruna.

2023-04 > 2023-07 anima nordica concert project "Vändningar - Wendungen"
A program focussing on on the twists and turns when life changes direction.

Presented at Heilig-Geist Kirche Blasewitz and Lutherkirche Radebeul

2022-08 > 2023-04 anima nordica concert project "Spår - Spuren, Pfade"
A project reflecting on on on human traces in history, our souls and planet earth. Swedish and norwegian, mostly contemporary music spiced with a flavor of hope.

Presented at Heilig-Geist Kirche Blasewitz, St. Joseph Pieschen, Ev. Kirche Weißer Hirsch, Betlehemkirche Tolkewitz, Christuskirche Freital and Garnisonkirche St. Martin Dresden-Neustadt

2022-04 >2022-06 anima nordica concert project "Strävan - Streben"

A program examining human sources of initiative, direction and intent. Swedish and norwegian choir music spiced up with Eric Whitacre's epic work "Leonardo dreams of his flying machine"

We sang at our home base Heilig-Geist-Kirche Blasewitz and at Thomaskirche, Dresden Gruna.

2021-08 >2022-0 Norden Runt 2021 project "WAHR SCHEIN LICHT"

A program about finding truth and the place where our light comes from.

Due to covid cancellations we had to postpone concerts for half a year and presented this project at Heilig-Geist-Kirche Blasewitz and in the lutheran church Moritzburg.

2021-04 >2021-06 anima nordica concert project "PERS PEKT IVEN"

A program of nordic sacred music focussing on hope and the energy of life.

Under covid-conditions we sang this concert in quartets at multiple sites around and inside Heilig-Geist-Kirche.

2020-04 >2020-06 anima nordica concert project "sammanhang - Zusammenhänge" - A program showcasing the works of modern swedish lyricists on the interconnection between human fate, our planet earth and the heavens.

Concert behind in Heilig-Geist Kirche due to Covid-19 pandemics. We even contributed to church services in Betlehemkirche Tolkewitz and Svenska Viktoria Församling, Berlin. In memory of the 75 year jubilee of the end of WWII on 8th may, we recorded a video.

2019-08 > 2020-02 Norden Runt 2019 concert project "_ bin ich _" - A program on human identity with music from 7 nordic countries and interweaved short dramatic elements.

Concerts in Heilig-Geist Kirche, Christuskirche Strehlen and Betlehemkirche Tolkewitz.

2019-03  > 2020-02 anima nordica concert project "ansikte mot ansikte - Von Angesicht zu Angesicht" - Swedish and Latvian contemporary choir music that reflected on human encounters. Music interweaved with swedish poems.

Three concerts in Dresden at Heilig-Geist-Kirche, Schlosspark Pillnitz during the cultural festival "Elbhangfest" and together with "dresden jazz trio" at venue "Ecke Nord".

2018-08 > 2019-02 Norden Runt 2018 concert project "7 - Alles beginnt mit einem Anfang, endet mit einem Beginn" in cooperation with graphical artist Jutta Büschkes.

Enthusiastic audience again in our three concerts in Dresden at Heilig-Geist-Kirche, Christuskirche Strehlen and Betlehemkirche Tolkewitz. We collected >2000 Euro for charity.

2018-04 > 06 Starting nordic chamber choir anima nordica in Dresden-Blasewitz

Directing debut concert project "här och nu - here and now"

Contemporary swedish a-cappella music perfomed in two concerts in Dresden. We collected >1800 Euro for charity.

2017-08 >11 Open choir-project "Norden Runt" for scandinavian and baltic choir music in Dresden-Blasewitz

Concert project "Schlafwandlungen" > project description

We ended up as a group of singers with 7 nationalities who performed a 1-hour a-cappella  program in 9 languages. We had our concerts at Heilig-Geist-Kirche Blasewitz and Himmelfahrtskirche Leuben for 700 enthusiastic listeners and collected more than 3000 Euro for charity. This was so much fun that this project will be continued. Stay tuned...

2017-06-17 Charity concert with Chalmers Sångkör in Heilig-Geist-Kirche, Dresden

I only organized this concert. Conducted only one piece in the performance for fun.

2016-12-02/03 Christmas concert with Chalmers Sångkör in Vasa Church, Gothenburg

Directing 1 piece as my farewell to the choir.

2016-06-01 Finalizing 2 years of studies at Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg with degree "Master of Fine Arts in Music with a specialization in Choral Conducting" > program description

As a part of my thesis work, I did video studies of other conductors to analyze what I could learn from imitating their conducting movements. The answer: A gorgeous lot! It was enlightening but much harder than what I could imagine. One fun result of this work is the following > video  (P. S.: My conducting is done from memory and without visual guidance)

2015-10-24 Concert with Chalmers Kammarkör - Körnatta i Vasaaulan > Audio

We performed a very appreciated 10-minute program with title "Det brinner en eld"  ("a fire is burning")

2015-04 Concert with Chalmers Manskör (male choir of Chalmers University)

2014-12-05 Live performance at Radio P4 GBG with Chalmers Sångkör > Audio

Program "P4 Förmiddag" with Hasse Andersson. We performed 5 songs live and got interviewed about the music.

2013-12-06 Live performance at Radio P4 GBG with Chalmers Sångkör > Audio

Program "Radiohuset" with Hasse Andersson. We performed 4 songs live and got interviewed about the choir and the upcoming christmas concerts.

2013-08 Choir conducting master class with Jan Scheerer, Copenhagen

One week on the topics "less is more" and "which conducting cues are really necessary"?

2013-06 Choir conducting master class with Harald Jers and Consono Chamber Choir, Cologne

Special focus on choir acoustic.

2013-05-27 Spring concert "En dröm om våren" with Chamber choir "Corona" > Program

Concert in the beautiful theatre "Aftonstjärnan", Göteborg

2012-07 Studentsommarkör GBG 2012, Antonin Tucapsky, Five Lenten Motets, "Eli, Eli" > Audio

Rehearsals and recording sessions during student choir summer break

Some old recordings...

2012-11-05 My concert-debute as a conductor: Eric Whitacre - Whith a lily in your hand > Video

Chalmers Kammarkör, autumn concert

2011-07 My first "bigger" conducting project: Gregori Allegri - Miserere > Audio

Chalmers Sommarkör 2011