Cologne West German Radio Chorus
The WDR Radio Choir is a professional choir based at the WDR Funkhaus in Cologne. Its repertoire ranges from a cappella pieces to orchestral, including symphonic works, film and computer music, opera and contemporary experimental music. The choir works in collaboration with the WDR orchestras, and is often requested to appear with national and international orchestras for major concerts.
It has given over 170 premieres and first performances of works by composers such as Schoenberg, Henze, Stockhausen, Nono, Boulez, Zimmermann, Penderecki, Xenakis, Berio, Höller, Zender, Eötvös, Hosokawa, Pagh-Paan, Tüür and Mundry. Over the last seven decades, Bernhard Zimmermann, Herbert Schernus, Helmuth Froschauer, Anton Marik, Rupert Huber and Stefan Parkman have served as chief conductor, succeeded in the 2020–21 season by Nicolas Fink. Simon Halsey has been principal guest conductor since the 2023–24 season.