Biography

Mädchenchor Hannover

Founded in 1952, the Mädchenchor Hannover (Hanover Girls Choir) is one of the most widely-renowned youth choirs in Germany. The ensemble has garnered worldwide acclaim in winning numerous competitions, such as the Deutscher Chorwettbewerb (the German Choir Competition), “Let the Peoples Sing” (Competition of the European Broadcasting Union), the International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf and choral competitions in cities like Arrezzo, Tolosa, Varna and many more.

The Choir have regularly held concerts in Europe, Japan, South America, USA, Canada and Israel, and, in 2008, toured the Far East with concerts in Beijing, Macau, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Their performances have been captured on a number of CD recordings and frequent radio and TV broadcasts.

Led by their long-serving musical director Prof. Gudrun Schröfel, the Mädchenchor Hannover were once again victorious at the German choral competition Deutscher Chorwettbewerb in 2006, setting the standard by achieving the highest number of points ever awarded in their category.

Before entering the concert choir, members pass through a choral academy, where an experienced staff of teachers carefully develop both the choir and the individual voices. Many girls have competed in the local, regional and national levels of the famous German competition Jugend Musiziert, with a great number successfully winning prizes. The professional education of the Mädchenchor Hannover has often proved the perfect start for a career in singing. Several of its former members have since become established members of German opera companies.

The Mädchenchor Hannover performs a broad repertoire from all eras, but is especially focused on contemporary choral works. In commissioning many new works, it has greatly aided the development of the repertoire existing for youth and female choirs.

Gudrun Schröfel

Gudrun Schröfel studied Music Education and Vocal Pedagogy at the Hanover University of Music and Drama, and perfected her studies with the aid of Eric Ericson, Helmut Rilling (conducting) and Arleen Auger (singing).

From 1975 to 1985, she was conductor of the choir and orchestra at an upper secondary school with an emphasis on music. 1986 saw her become Professor of Music Education at the FolkwangHochschule, a university for advanced music studies in the city of Essen. She held this post for three years before moving to the Hanover University of Music and Drama to take up the same position, where she's currently Vice President.

Gudrun Schröfel is conductor of both the award-winning Mädchenchor Hannover and the Johannes-Brahms-Chor Hannover, both winners of the Award for semi professional choirs at the Deutscher Chorwettbewerb, Germany's most prestigious amateur choir competition.

Her dual role as vocal trainer and conductor of a choir meant Gudrun Schröfel developed a deeper interest in combining these two challenging areas of vocal profession, exploring and refining her knowledge in this field during the course of her choral teaching. Of those students trained under her methods, a large number have been recognised at the highly-renowned German music competition Jugend musiziert, many also opting to undertake Vocal Studies, with some even becoming professional opera singers at numerous opera houses all around the country.

Since 1994, she has received invitations both as a tutor for international choir leader study seminars, and as a juror for choir competitions in Israel, the United States and Japan, amongst others.

She has repeatedly worked with regional state youth choirs from across Germany, and the European Youth Choir (Europa Cantat) in 2001, alongside Frieder Bernius.

Gudrun Schröfel was awarded the Niedersächsischer Kunstpreis Musik (Lower Saxony Art Prize for Music) in 1998, and holds the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of Lower Saxony since 2004.