The world premiere of Penderecki’s St. Luke Passion in Münster Cathedral in 1966 had a deciding influence on Rolf Beck who was still a young student at the time. Under the impression of this magnificent performance the budding lawyer resolved to further pursue his enthusiasm for classical music. After successfully completing his law studies he decided to take a conducting course in the class of Helmuth Rilling. In 1972 Rolf Beck founded the Marburg Vocal Ensemble and this soon became one of the leading German ensembles, winning many national and international prizes with him as chorus director. He also founded the Chorus of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and this too soon achieved great international acclaim. Many tours in Germany and abroad as well as several CD recordings under the baton of renowned conductors testify to Rolf Beck’s successful work.
In his position as artistic director of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (SHMF) Rolf Beck laid the foundation stone in 2002 for the Choral Academy of the SHMF, following in the tradition of the orchestra academy founded by Leonard Bernstein. Working with young talented musicians has been of prime importance for Rolf Beck’s artistic activities since then. For twelve successful seasons he was the artistic director of the Choral Academy of the SHMF, influencing its development and bringing together in Schleswig-Holstein a considerable number of young talented singers from all the over the world. The Lübeck Festival Chorus under its director Rolf Beck went on tours to the most important music venues in Germany and abroad.
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At the beginning of the 2013/14 season Rolf Beck evolved his idea of furthering young talented singers in the form of a choral academy, operating independently and with a new name. It was important for him not to give up the familiar surroundings of northern Germany, especially of Lübeck and Travemünde, and the contacts built up there with the resident partners and sponsors. He aimed to make the ensemble well known throughout the world and to intensify its international reputation. The International Choral Academy Lübeck has now become established through its unique artistic work as a vocal ensemble of young talented singers. With their innovative and unusual concert programmes which also include the major choral works of the classical repertoire the ensemble has determined and enriched the concert and cultural landscape on the highest artistic level in Lübeck and from here all over the world.
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From the huge number of recordings with Rolf Beck special mention must be made of Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus (issued on the harmonia mundi label), Handel’s Alexander’s Feast, Rossini’s Petite Messe solennelle, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, as well as Orff’s Carmina Burana (issued on the Sony label).