The children’s choir Clari Cantuli was set up in January 1989 in Kessel-Lo by conductor Ria Vanwing. Clari Cantuli can look back on numerous exciting concerts both in Belgium and abroad, including appearances in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and France.
Clari Cantuli sang the Christmas concert at the Royal Palace in Brussels (1992), the anniversary concert with “Up with People” (1992), was a very successful participant in the children’s choir festival “Kinder spielen ohne Grenzen” in Duisburg (Germany, 2000), sang the final concert at the symposium “Kind en Stem” in Tilburg (the Netherlands, 2000), and received a standing ovation during their concluding concert at the 6th choral gathering of the Southern Low Countries in Maastricht (2008). For the 75th birthday of Vic Nees in 2011, the EMJ (European Music Festival for Young People) organised a surprise concert in Neerpelt. Clari Cantuli was given the opportunity to sing at this concert for Vic Nees himself, who was clearly moved by the performance.
- Clari Cantuli has also been part of performances of the following works:
- St. Matthew Passion by J.S. Bach (1996, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2014, 2015)
- Vespro della Beata Vergine by C. Monteverdi (1998)
- Saint Nicolas Cantata by B. Britten (1996, 2001, 2005)
- Brundibár by H. Krása (2000)
- ‘Wij zijn wij’ by J. d’Hoe (2006)
- ‘Het Bronzen Hart’ by G. Feremans (2007)
- ‘Carmina Burana’ vabyn C. Orff (2011)
- ‘Dixit Dominus’ by J. Duyck (2012)
The choir has collaborated with such renowned ensembles as: the Flemish Radio Choir and Orchestra, Il Fondamento, Capilla Flamenca, Danel Strijkkwartet and Oxalys. It has sung under the direction of Sigiswald Kuyken, Paul Dombrecht, Johan Duijck, Filip Bral, Bob Chilcott, Dirk Vermeulen, Dirk Brossé and Kurt Bikkembergs.
Clari Cantuli has won a number of first prizes with distinction at various national and international choral competitions and festivals, including the EMJ (European Music Festival for Young People) in Neerpelt. In the triannual choir tournament of the Province of Flemish Brabant, Clari Cantuli has been rated in the category “Excellence”. The choir made a lasting international impression at the “Europa Cantat Junior” festival in Namur (2002). They also recorded the 5 pieces for children’s choir for the soundtrack of the film “Le Petit Nicolas” in 2009, under the direction of the composer, Klaus Badelt.
Clari Cantuli has sung on many CDs, including:
- De Feestkapoentjes (1989)
- Kadeeke (1995)
- Tot iedereen het hoort (1997)
- Luna van de Boom (1999)
- In Flanders’ Fields 22 (2000)
- Kuifje: de Zonnetempel (2001)
- Op enen Kerstnacht (2001)
- Missa Verbum Incarnatum (2002)
- “Wij zijn wij” by Jeroen D’hoe (2006)
- “Change Ringing” by Jeroen D’hoe (2009) – played daily in the tower of St Rumoldus’ Cathedral in Mechelen
- Attakatamoeva II (2009)
- “Gregoriaans, een kleine gids voor jonge zangers” (2010)
- “O Kersnacht Schooner Dan De Daegen” (2011)
- “Dixit Dominus” by Johan Ducyk (2012)
- Complete educational series (1-6) “Sterren aan de hemel” (2012-2014)
Members of the children’s choir also took part as soloists in a number of projects in Belgium and abroad, including:
- Requiems by Gabriel Fauré, John Rutter and Andrew Lloyd Webber
- “Pelléas et Mélisande” by Claude Debussy
- Symfonie “Artesia” by Dirk Brossé
- “La Damnation de Faust” by Hector Berlioz
- “Saint Nicolas Cantata”, “The Turn of the Screw” and “A Ceremony of Carols” by Benjamin Britten
- “Wij zijn wij” by Jeroen D’hoe
- Attakatamoeva II
- “The Magic Flute” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
