Lucerne Concert Choir with new conductor

Philipp Klahm sees himself as a choirmaster and a teacher of voices. For him, "working" with a choir means in particular "working on the voice". For him, the voice is something unique. "Everyone has their own voice. It takes courage to make it sound in a choir." As a choirmaster, he finds it exciting to shape voices, to grab the singers and motivate them so that their voices blossom and harmonize with each other. It's something that the audience also appreciates: "It's so nice to hear a cleanly sung major chord and let it sink in."

Klahm now lives in Constance. He grew up in the tranquil town of Calw, the birthplace of Hermann Hesse in Baden-Württemberg. He first attended the children's choir there at the age of six. He took piano lessons and started playing the trumpet at the age of nine. He grew up with the choirs, so to speak: children's choir, school choir, men's choir CalvVoci, which he directs today. He appreciates making music together and the social contact in the town band. During high school, he played his trumpet in various formations, from traditional brass band music to classical orchestra and various jazz formations such as big band or funk band.
 

It is surprising that Philipp Klahm is not studying music at university, but German studies and theology. Music should remain an intense hobby. "When I got home at 5 p.m., I lived for music." In other words, for the trumpet and choral music. He now sings motets and oratorios in the Tübingen Academic Choir. "My musical life was exciting." His singing teacher advises him to apply for the entrance exam to a music academy. Philipp Klahm passed and began studying school music in Karlsruhe: choral conducting, singing, piano and music theory. He continued his humanities studies in Tübingen. One day he is in Tübingen, the other in Karlsruhe. It soon became clear that he was most enthusiastic about choral conducting and working with the voice. In 2011, he graduated in school music, and a year later also completed his studies in Tübingen. This was followed by a master's degree in choral and orchestral conducting at the Trossingen University of Music.

The Trossingen University Choir specializes in oratorio literature: Klahm conducts Mendelssohn's EliasStravinsky's Symphony of PsalmsBach's St. Matthew Passion. While still a student, he took on a teaching position at the University of Erfurt. He teaches choral conducting, voice training and conducting to school musicians. He also conducts the university choir with 110 singers. With his Master's degree in the bag, he is assistant conductor and répétiteur at the Basel Boys' Choir for a year. Since 2016, he has conducted the traditional Rottweiler Münster Boys' Choir. He is still closely associated with his male choir CalvVoci. The ensemble of former choirboys performs at the highest level, is a regular guest at renowned competitions and regularly wins prizes.

What motivated the young choirmaster to take over the Lucerne Concert Choir with its predominantly older ladies and gentlemen? "I don't think the singers are that old." Diplomacy or a genuine personal assessment? His answer goes further. "For me, the exciting question was what it's like to work with a mixed choir of four to eight voices. What literature can I perform?" Klahm covers all genres with his various choirs: The Konzertchor Luzern interprets great concert literature, the Neuhauser Kantorei focuses on sacred music, the Rottweiler Münstersänger on the tradition of the boys' choir and the men's choir CalvVoci sings contemporary music. "I find that so enriching, it always results in new projects."

Klahm is currently rehearsing for his first performance with the Lucerne Concert Choir at the KKL. He is surprised at how well the choir has progressed: "It sounds like Puccini and Verdi. The overall sound has become bigger, fuller and rounder." He thinks the chosen works are great. Verdi's Stabat Mater contains all moods from the mourning of the mother to the timbre of paradise. "These are rapidly changing images: The tonal changeover is a challenge for any choir. In addition, the wonderful mass by Puccini with operatic melodies that the choir sings with joy and pleasure."