About Us, Address, Contact - Discantus vocal ensemble

Discantus Ensemble

Founded in the autumn of 1996, the ensemble is currently directed by Mészáros Péter who is also a singing member of the group that consists chiefly of young musicians.

Discantus gave its first concert in January 1997, and this was followed by concerts in and outside Budapest and in cities around Europe. In 2001 Discantus won first prize in the Mixed Choir category of the 8th Budapest International Choir Competition, and it was also awarded a special prize. In July of the same year, the group won first prize in its category, as well as scooping the Grand Prize at the 2nd Johannes Brahms Choir Competition in Wernigerode, Germany. Subsequently, the group received much attention nationally and internationally. In the same year it brought out its first CD recording, "Lux de Lumine".

Extensive work over the following years led to a number of prestigious invitations. Discantus participated in a series of Bach's complete cantatas spanning the entire liturgical and calendar year, in a production of Purcell's opera Dido and Aneas, and concerts at the Music Academy with the Weiner-Szász Chamber Orchestra. In the centenary year of the death of Thomas Tallis, together with the Arpa d'Or vocal ensemble, Discantus gave a series of 10 concerts comprising the complete sacred works of Tallis, including the 40-part motet Spem in Alium - which remains the largest enterprise in the history of Discantus to date. The group's second album contains live-recorded highlights of the series. While Discantus has won awards at many international festivals, it remains dedicated to its Hungarian audiences. Three times a year it gives free concerts, with a mission to take Renaissance and contemporary choral music to the Hungarian audiences.

The third album of Discantus will come out for Christmas 2010.

Festivals and Prizes:

• Budapest International Choir Competition: First prize in category (mixed chamber choir) and special prize (2001)
• Johannes Brahms Choir Competition (Wernigerode, Germany): First prize in category (chamber choir) and Johannes Brahms Grand Prix (2001)
• International Petr Eben Choir Competition (Prague): First prize in category (chamber choir) and Festival Grand Prix (2003)
• International Choral Competition “C.A Seghizzi” (Gorizia, Italy): First prizes in categories (chamber choir, works for two or more choirs), special prize for “the most professional artistic performance of church music”, Festival Grand Prix (2004)
• European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (Varna, Bulgaria) (2005)
• International Choir Competition of Sacred Music in Honor of Bishop Ján Vojtaššák (Namestovo, Slovakia): golden diploma, Grand Prix (2008)
• Tonen 2000 Choir festival and competition (Poeldijk, Holland): first prizes in categories (sacred, secular, folklore), audience prize, Festival Grand Prix (2008)
• International Choral Contest (Tolosa, Spain): First prize in first category (chamber choirs/church music), second prize in second category (chamber choirs/secular music) (2009)
• Kultursommer Rheinland-Pfalz Festival (Germany) (2010)
• Festival Des Choeurs Laureats (Provence, France) (2010)