About Us

…at the very forefront of modern-day specialists in the performance of Renaissance vocal music. (International Record Review)

Comprising six professional singers from five European countries, Cinquecento takes its name from the Italian term for the sixteenth century. The pan-European structure of the ensemble (its members are from Austria, Belgium, England, Germany and Switzerland) harks back to the imperial chapel choirs of the 16th century, whose members would have been chosen for their musicianship from Europe's most prized musical establishments.

Formed in Vienna in October 2004 the ensemble is fast establishing itself as one of Europe’s premier vocal sextets. The ensemble aims to bring the lesser known sixteenth-century choral repertoire from the courts of imperial Austria to a wider public, as well as performing a varied range of Renaissance polyphony with a view to illuminating to audiences the kaleidoscopic diversity of compositional styles operating within Europe over the period. Recent interest from modern composers has also seen the ensemble add a variety of contemporary works to its repertoire.

Aside from numerous performances in and around Vienna the ensemble also works regularly with the Paul Hofhaymer Gesellschaft, Salzburg. Further concerts in Austria have included performances at Klangräume (Waidhofen/Ybbs), Orgelfest Stift Zwettl, Styriarte (Graz), Orgelfest Zwettl, Geistlichen Abendmusiken im Stift Wilten (Innsbruck) and Seckauer Kulturwochen (Graz/Seckau). An increasingly heavy touring schedule abroad has already taken the ensemble to Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Portugal, Slovenia and South Korea. Since September 2005 Cinquecento has been ‘Ensemble in Residence' at the church of St Rochus and Sebastian, Vienna performing a polyphonic mass setting each week.

In 2009 Cinquecento was awarded the "Förderpreis Deutschlandfunk" (Award for Outstanding Promise) by the Musikfest Bremen in conjunction with German Radio. The prize will see the ensemble both record a studio CD and perform in the Musikfest Bremen 2010.

Since 2006 Cinquecento has made four acclaimed recordings for the British label Hyperion, focusing on Habsburg court composers from the sixteenth century. Having attracted four star reviews in The Times and Guardian newspapers as well as Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice and a prestigious Gramophone Award nomination (2008), these recordings have variously been awarded: the ORF Pasticcio Preis (twice), International CD Compact ‘Renaissance’ Award 2008, and the Deutsche Schallplatten Kritik award (Alte Musik) 2008 and 2009. A new CD with music by Adriaen Willaert is scheduled for release in 2010.