About the Altensteiger Vokalensemble
The Altensteiger Vokalensemble is named after the site of its long years of making music together. Altensteig, located in the northern part of the Black Forest, owes its fame not only to the town's picturesque medieval cityscape but also to the Altensteig Christophorus-Kantorei (Christophorus Church Choir) fifty years of choral tradition.
At the Altensteig Christophorus High School both male and female students receive a systematic choral and vocal education at the choral school for primary school-age children, in special choir classes and within the framework of the Altensteig Christophorus-Kinder- und Jugendchor (Christophorus Children's and Youth Choir), which since 2005 has been establishing itself as an independent higher register choir within Altensteig’s choir system, next to the Christophorus Kantorei itself, for which the choir provides preparation.
Numerous concert tours through almost all European countries, South Africa, Argentina and the U.S.A. as well as disk and TV recordings in addition to many international and national prizes illustrate the high musical quality displayed by the Christophorus Kantorei under the direction of Michael Nonnenmann, which is joined by young male and female singers after they complete 8th grade. The Kantorei recently celebrated a great success. At the German Choral Competition in May 2010 it took the first place in the category of youth choirs. For a period of four years, the Christophorus Kantorei Altensteig has now been allowed to call itself the best German youth choir.
Since January 2006 the Altensteiger Vokalensemble consisting of former members of the Christopherus-Kantorei has been conducted by Wolfgang Weible. As a young boy Wolfgang Weible sang with the Stuttgart Hymnus Choir Boys under the direction of Gerhard Wilhelm. In 1989, he transferred as a tenor to the Boys' Choir Collegium Iuvenum Stuttgart. He is a trained assistant baker and studied Protestant Theology and School Music at the academies of Mannheim and Heidelberg. In addition, he received a diploma from a graduate study course in choral conducting at the Franz Liszt Academy in Weimar, studying with professors Jürgen Puschbeck and Gunther Kahlert. Since 2005, Wolfgang Weible has been teaching music and Protestant religious studies at the Christophorus High School Altensteig.
With choral works from the Baroque and Romanticism, the choir has a comprehensive repertoire at its disposal. In addition to the works of contemporary and unknown masters, thematic series of concerts are a significant part of the director's choral activities.