IT ALL BEGAN with some members of the Marc Rochester Singers, a group formed
by Marc Rochester, the organist at the Dewan Philharmonic Petronas.
They used to sing at the deputy British High Commissioners residence presenting
Spring concerts and one or two Nine Lessons and Carols. When Rochester left
the country six of his singers decided to continue with their music making.
With new recruits the new group presented the Nine Lessons & Carols in
December 2003 and in April 2003 the Palm Sunday concert. That was the year
when the new group thought it confident enough to call itself the Cantus
Musicus (Harmonious Singing), a name coined by Glenis Butterworth and
Lisa Ho, the co-founders. .
The choir is now some 40 strong and is made up of both locals, and expatriates
in Kuala Lumpur from Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Holland, France, Norway,
Great Britain, Australia, Sweden, Canada, Switzerland and New Zealand. This
mix enables the group to sing in English, German, Italian, French, Spanish,
Russian, Swedish, Norwegian, Japanese, Welsh and Dutch and even Latin. The
surprise is that these amateur enthusiasts are a motley crew made up of
nurses, diplomats, doctors, lawyers, tailors, ironmongers, consultants, homemakers,
teachers and even princesses. Many either had training in voice or play at
least one music instrument. Because of this strong music background, the
standard of general musicianship is very high, enabling the group to sing
in various styles. It is gaining a reputation for Renaissance music, German
Lieder and madrigals. Cantus Musicus also sings opera, chansons, jazz and
close harmony.
Cantus Musicus receives no financial subsidies or grants. Nor does it charge
anything for its services. For the truth is that Cantus Musicus sings for
food, wine, and for the sheer love of making good music together.
Cantus Musicus has also performed for the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato
Seri Abdullah Badawi, in a private concert. A CD has been specially commissioned
for the late Datin Seri Paduka Endon Mahmood of some of the choir's most
well-loved songs. Cantus Musicus has performed in private concerts for the
German and Austrian embassies and the Scandinavian Business Council. The
choir will also be recording its own CD in April of this year.
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Cantus Musicus