Schola Cantate Domino

In 1959, the canon and teacher Michaël Ghijs became the choir director of Cantate Domino and enthusiastically took over from his predecessor E.H. Jules Ghyselen.
The choir is baptized “Cantate Domino” (Sing to the Lord) in reference to its Christian inspiration. The management of the Sint-Maarten Institute supports it as it develops: rehearsals, uniform, emblem, musical repertoire, international contacts, numerous concerts, television performances, first records, audiences with the king and the pope, the reception of ensembles from other countries.

By holding annual anniversary concerts, the city of Aalst provides itself with a cultural event that makes an impression.
In 1970, the first concert tour outside Europe was set up: for 4 weeks, Cantate Domino performed successfully in 10 American states.
Since then, concerts have been organized almost every year abroad – there have been more than 100 in total!

Religious music certainly occupies a central place, but the repertoire of the choir covers almost the entire history of music, from the Renaissance to contemporary works.
As part of exchanges, festivals and direct contacts, Cantate Domino invites foreign choirs and orchestras to Aalst almost every year, sometimes up to three times a year: groups from Australia, Russia, from the United States, Argentina, South Africa, Japan, Canada, Israel, European countries and former Eastern European countries.
Many choir members later remain passionate and even professionally active in music as soloists or found singing groups or ensembles themselves.
In 2004, the founding conductor of the choir, Canon Michaël Ghijs, became an honorary citizen of the city of Aalst.
Many great compositions have been performed with the participation of the choir in churches, cathedrals and temples of music in Belgium, but also abroad, under the direction of renowned conductors.
The choir has made a whole series of audio recordings and has taken part in the filming of films such as “Daens” and “Bonsissages de Bruges”. In 2017, he even collaborated on the production of the film “Antonia, the Orchestra Leader”.
Cantate Domino is very attached to cultural exchanges and the discovery of other cultures. With this in mind, its singers have become true citizens of the world. Since its creation at the end of 1959, Cantate Domino has undertaken a hundred international tours (over 150 countries visited). In addition to many European countries, the choir has performed in North and South America, Russia, Australia, India, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Thailand, Japan, Canada, among others. and in China.

He was also received by ambassadors, consuls and various political and ecclesiastical authorities. His collaboration with local choirs and organizations has always been very rewarding and has resulted in unique projects. Cantate Domino has worked many times with internationally renowned conductors.

Legitimately, Cantate Domino has received the title of European Cultural Ambassador.

The conductor: Andries De Winter,

Andries De Winter (born in 1978 in Dendermonde) joined Cantate Domino at the age of 10. His inspiring choir director, Canon Michaël Ghijs, transmitted to him his passion for choral singing. Andries De Winter discovered there, like many other singers before and after him, the religious and secular repertoire of composers from all periods of classical music: from Palestrina and Monteverdi to Bernstein and Webber.
Among other things, he studied music theory, trumpet, piano, music history and general music theory at the academies of Denderhautem, Meerbeke and Ninove.
In 2000, he obtained a master’s degree in religious studies at KULeuven.

During his studies, he devoted himself to the study of Renaissance choral music with the vocal ensemble Thamyris, directed by Stratton Bull. This only fueled his interest in early music.

From September 2000, he gave religious lessons in the school he once attended, first in the technical cycle, then also in the general.
As a former Cantate Domino singer and college teacher, he remained active for a long time, attending rehearsals and supporting the choir when needed.

In January 2011 he started leading the amateur company of Ninove Fenikskoor. This enthusiastic group has participated in many concerts and projects with more than satisfactory success.

Since the spring of 2015 he has been the choir director of Cantate Domino. With the support of singers, former singers and the entire organization around the choir, he is in search of the essence of collective singing, in the spirit of its inspiring founder, Canon Michaël Ghijs. Transmitting to younger generations the love of choral singing, religious music and the pleasure felt remains a priority for Cantate Domino.

The choir director has successfully introduced new working methods, such as choir weekends and vocal coaching.

In 2019, with the help of enthusiastic management and passionate working groups, he was able to organize a splendid anniversary year on the occasion of the choir’s 60th anniversary. To this end, he was able to count on the cooperation of many former singers, some of whom had also developed a professional musical career.

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