In 1998, Hanno Kreft, former member of the World Youth Choir founded the Nordic Chamber Choir. Under the direction of its conductor Nicol Matt, this young ensemble developed very quickly into one of the leading chamber choirs in the world, and triumphantly carried off second prize in the Internationaler Chorwettbewerb Marktoberdorf 2000, one of Europe’s most prominent choral competitions.

In April 2002 the choir changed its name to Chamber Choir of Europe to reflect its international character; the young and professionally trained singers of the CCE come from ten different countries in Europe, and rehearse regularly in Southern Germany.

The repertoire of the CCE encompasses a stylistically and historically large spectrum that extends from the Renaissance, through the Romantic period and further into the 21st Century. Working with contemporary European and American composers is an important focus of the choir’s work. Artistic diversity and outstanding musical interpretations are the hallmarks of the CCE, which can be clearly heard in their numerous CD recordings. 

The ensemble has already recorded the complete sacred choral works of Mozart and Mendelssohn, the complete Bach chorales, the Petite Messe Solennelle by Rossini, and numerous a cappella compositions by Morten Lauridsen, John Rutter and Bob Chilcott, all of which have sold more than a million copies worldwide.