VOCAL LINE
Vocal Line is a comtemporary a cappella choir consisting of 32 singers, directed by Jens Johansen. The choir was formed in 1991 in Aarhus with the declared goal of being a pioneer in the development of rhythmic choral singing, both nationally and internationally. Over the years, Vocal Line has constantly sought to push the boundaries of a cappella music, aiming for ever higher musical standards. Drawing inspiration from the Danish choral tradition, the choir has developed a highly personal style with elements of pop, rock, and jazz.
Vocal Line has achieved great recognition in the last 30 years and has also won several international choir competitions. In 2010 Vocal Line performed with the world famous vocal equilibrist Bobby McFerrin in New York and in Aarhus. In 2014 the choir performed at The Roskilde Festival on stage with the legendary The Rolling Stones.
Vocal Line's 25th anniversary was celebrated in January 2016 with a completely sold-out concert at the Symphonic Hall of Aarhus Musikhus. The choir was joined by soloists such as the danish singers Julie Maria, Steffen Brandt, and Mads Langer, as well as a huge choir consisting of 70 current and former Vocal Line singers.
The Nordic sound is one of several distinct characteristics of Vocal Line's music. In September 2019, the choir members had the opportunity to travel far north to Iceland. There, they performed more than a handful of concerts and experienced the raw, beautiful, and truly unique nature of the island in the Atlantic Ocean. The tour's culminating concert was held at Harpa, the spectacular concert and opera house in Reykjavik. Shortly after returning from Iceland, Vocal Line traveled to Hamburg and performed a sold-out concert in the grand hall of the Elbphilharmonie.
In the spring of 2020, when Covid-19 halted all communal singing, Vocal Line gathered over 1000 choir singers from around the world in a collective Virtual World Choir, performing Viva La Vida in Jens Johansen's arrangement. Participants recorded themselves singing along to an audio file, and all video contributions were then edited together into a single video. The project and video received coverage in several nationwide Danish media outlets.
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Watch the many singers from around the world join in singing Jens Johansen's arrangement of "Viva La Vida" alongside the singers of Vocal Line.
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A long-standing dream came true for Vocal Line when the choir embarked on a nationwide concert hall tour in the spring of 2022. With an ambition to once again expand the boundaries of what a choir concert can entail, the choir teamed up with concert designer Astrid Vang-Pedersen. Together with Jens Johansen, they developed the concert "Both Sides Now". It was a concert experience featuring music from Vocal Line's extensive repertoire, beautifully staged and framed by lighting designer Mia Stærk. Once again, Vocal Line sought new paths, serving as inspiration for choirs worldwide.
FaCTS
- Hometown: Aarhus, Denmark
- Singers: 13 sopranos, 8 altos, 7 tenors and 5 basses - 32 singers in total
- Founder, director and musical leader: Jens Johansen
- Album releases:
"Step by Step" (1996),
"Dream Rhymes" (1999), "Emotional Landscapes"(2003),
"Vocal Stories" (2006),
"Beauty in the Breakdown" (2010),
"Precious Things" (2013),
It's Coming On Christmas (2016),
True North (2018)