The Austrian vocal ensemble NovoCanto was founded in 2000 with the aim of interpreting little-known literature, mainly from the field of early music, in a stylistically appropriate manner. In the meantime, the ensemble has also proven its expertise in choral literature from the Romantic and contemporary periods on several occasions.
The performers come from all over Tyrol and are mainly graduates of the Mozarteum University in Salzburg or the Tyrolean State Conservatory, most of whom work as music teachers.
A cornerstone of the choir's project-based work is its collaboration with international experts: in the past, specialists such as Howard Arman, Frieder Bernius, Attilio Cremonesi, Kasper de Roo, Christophe Rousset, Eduardo Egüez and others have stood on the conductor's podium. The ensemble works with internationally renowned ensembles such as the British Hilliard Ensemble, the French baroque orchestra Café Zimmermann, Les Talens Lyriques, Accademia Bizantina, Theresia, the Tyrolean Baroque Instrumentalists, the Austrian-Italian ensemble Windkraft, the Neue Hofkapelle Graz and the Italian-Argentinean ensemble la Chimera.
Since its foundation, the choir has not only established itself nationally through numerous innovative and thematically narrow programmes with stylistically confident realisation, but has also designed live broadcasts for radio and television and has already been documented many times on sound carriers. Invitations to renowned festivals such as the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, the Baroque Festival Varazdin, the Forum Concerts Breslau, Musik&Kirche Brixen, Klangspuren Schwaz, the Tyrolean Baroque Days and many more are the logical consequence.
NovoCanto is directed by Wolfgang Kostner and has a core of 16 singers, which is expanded or reduced depending on the repertoire. The repertoire covers sacred literature from six centuries, but also secular works from scenic Baroque opera to experimental music of the 21st century. The ensemble has already premiered several works by established contemporary composers (including Christoph Dienz and Manuela Kerer) that were dedicated to them.