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The first commercially available CD from Vocaal Ensemble Kerkrade! VEKsclusief includes religious works including the Missa Trinitas by Kentaro Sato, and a secular CD with music from different styles and eras:

Benedicamus Domino (Brad Printz)
Nada te turbe (Joan Szymko)
Puusepän poika (Einojohani Rautavaara)
Tollite portas uit Emmanuel (Vic Nees)
Ave Maria (David MacIntyre)
Jaakobin pojat (Pekka Kostiainen)
Ascendit Deus in jubilatione (Jacobus Gallus)
O frondens virga (Drew Collins)
Missa Trinitas (Kentaro Sato):
Kyrie
Gloria
Sanctus
Benedictus
Agnus Dei
Ubi caritas (Ola Gjeilo)
Heaven Bound Train (arr. Stephen Hatfield)
Amazing Grace (arr. Stephen Hatfield)
On suuri sun rantas autius (arr. Matti Hyökki)
Drie Volksliederen (arr. Arjen Leistra):
Catootje
Hertog Jan
Dubbele Jan
J’ai vu le loup (arr. Stephen Hatfield)
The Roses (Joan Szymko)
The Lily and the Rose (Bob Chilcott)
How can I keep from singing (arr. K.P. Thomas)
The Log Driver’s Waltz (arr. Ron Smail)
African Celebration (arr. Stephen Hatfield)
Acapella Stella (Steeleye Span)
Chili con Carne (Anders Edenroth)

The professional recordings were made by Red Button Recordings, thanks to André Hilkens.

VEKsclusief is verkrijgbaar via Vocaal Ensemble Kerkrade zelf. Contactgegevens vindt u op onze Contact pagina.

In October 2011 the bimonthly magazine published ZING magazine a review of VEKsclusief:

“Beautiful example of women's choir music

Conductor Louise Deal of women's choir Vocaal Ensemble Kerkrade (VEK) has a world-class job: “Working with the VEK is like being able to race on a thoroughbred racehorse.”

Her thoroughbred singers put in maximum effort on the recently released double CD VEKSclusief on which a number of premieres have also been recorded. You can hear that each choir member has individual quality and knows how to use this well in the whole. This results in a beautifully balanced and homogeneous choral sound, beautifully pure octaves, excellent diction, a strong low end and sparkling top notes.

The two CDs each have their own perspective, secular and spiritual, and offer a nice overview of the "toppers" from the VEK repertoire. The CD with sacred music makes it clear that this choir does not follow the beaten path: unknown composers such as Kentaro Sato and Ola Gjeillo are combined with Vic Nees and Jacobus Gallus. Centuries of difference, but it fits together wonderfully and everything has been taken care of down to the last detail. The CD with secular music is less interesting in terms of choice, but just as good. There should just be a little more singing pleasure.

With this double CD, the VEK shows that it can develop the sound like a fan: from pure unison to rich harmonies and back to a tranquil low end.”

Laura Tammeling, ZING magazine (oktober 2011)

CD recorded on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Vereniging Nederlandse Korenorganisaties Limburg – and winner of the prize for the best program choice, the second prize of the professional jury and the audience award.

In 2011, the VNK Limburg celebrated its 50th anniversary. On the occasion of this anniversary, Limburg choirs were given the opportunity to record a CD and thus compete for a number of prizes. Together with 59 other choirs, the VEK took advantage of this opportunity. The big awards ceremony was on Friday, April 15, 2011. More than 500 singers and conductors were present in the De Binger Party Hall in Meijel. The VNK had made various prizes available, including an audience award and several prizes from the professional jury.

Vocaal Ensemble Kerkrade produced the CD Headers, which won many prizes. The jury report stated: “The program of the Vocaal Ensemble Kerkrade shows thoughtfulness. The chosen program betrays some enthusiasm and is balanced in composition. And it is also worth noting that the chosen program is purely focused on the singing itself.” About the second prize, the professional jury said: “The choir strives for perfection, and although this commendable ideal is not always achievable, the choir comes surprisingly close and at times you can listen to heavenly perfection. A beautiful ensemble that plays with the music.”

Kopstukken is not commercially available.