Kamerkoor Cantate

The conductor: Dion Ritten

Dion RittenDion Ritten (16 June 1958) obtained his music degree from the Conservatorium in Maastricht, where he also studied choral conducting. He continued his studies with the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Rheinland Grenzland in Aachen (Germany). He then went on to study orchestral conducting with Professor Louis Weemaels, a renowned former conductor at the National Orchestra of Belgium. Since then Dion Ritten has conducted many choral and orchestral productions, including productions in cooperation with the Limburg Symphony Orchestra, the Kerkraad Symphony Orchestra, the Tegelen Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra Musica Mosa and many other instrumental ensembles. He regularly collaborates with famous soloists, instrumentalists and ensembles.

Dion Ritten is currently the conductor of the Royal Nijmegen Male Voice Choir (http://nijmeegsmannenkoor.nl ), Chamber Choir Limburg (http://kamerkoorlimburg.nl ), the Royal Roermond Singing and Music Association (http://www.krzm.nl ), Chamber Choir Cantate Venlo (http://kamerkoorcantate.nl ) and Male Voice Choir Beeker Liedertafel (http://www.beekerliedertafel.nl ).

Dion is the founder and artistic director of the biennial CantaRode international festival and contest for chamber choirs in Kerkrade (http://cantarode.nl ), which took place for the first time in 2014 and is becoming one of the more prestigious choral festivals in Europe. He is a sought-after and popular jury member at contests and gives workshops (European festivals, Choralies France and World Symposium).

Dion regularly participates in various international symposiums and workshops on choral singing, among others in Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, the USA and Japan, where he also performs with his choirs.
He has won many national and international awards with his choirs, such as winner of the Dutch Choir Festival and award winner at the prestigious International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf.

Dion Ritten is an active member of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM), the American Choral Directors Organization (ACDA) and the federation of European Choirs, Europa Cantat.