Poldervokaal is a
vocal ensemble
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
that takes its name after the (
Beemster)
polder
A polder () is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes. The three types of polder are:
# Land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a lake or the seabed
# Flood plains s ...
in
North Holland
North Holland ( nl, Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In November 2019, it had a ...
,
Netherlands. Poldervokaal was created in 1986, and has been led by Maria Rondèl, an international vocal teacher, who brought together a group of her pupils.
All 14 members of the ensemble are highly trained singers, and the group strives to perform at a semi-professional level. All performance are done by heart, and without a director. The ensemble performs in all possible combinations, from
solo to solo
quartet
In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments.
Classical String quartet
In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...
s to full
SSAATTBB settings. The repertoire consists of all vocal music through the ages, from
Renaissance madrigals and
motet
In Western classical music, a motet is mainly a vocal musical composition, of highly diverse form and style, from high medieval music to the present. The motet was one of the pre-eminent polyphonic forms of Renaissance music. According to Margar ...
s to present-day
close harmony compositions.
In 1997, some highlights of the repertoire were recorded in a first CD, followed in 2003 by the CD ''Momenten'' with a collection of Christmas songs, which was very well received and has sold out. A new CD is planned for 2008.
Poldervokaal has received recognition from well-known Dutch publications, such as the national newspaper
De Volkskrant
''de Volkskrant'' (; ''The People's Paper'') is a Dutch daily morning newspaper. Founded in 1919, it has a nationwide circulation of about 250,000.
Formerly a leading centre-left Catholic broadsheet, ''de Volkskrant'' today is a medium-sized c ...
, June 4, 2005: "The ''Domine Deus Agnus Dei'' drifted serenely out of the door over the meadows", and numerous local newspapers: "Poldervokaal sings wonderfully beautifully" (Noordhollands Dagblad, December 17, 2005), "Moved to tears by performance of Poldervokaal" (Het Witte Weekblad, edition 56, 2005).
External links
Poldervokaal website
{{authority control
Dutch choirs
Musical groups established in 1986
1986 establishments in the Netherlands
Musical groups from North Holland
Purmerend