Großer Chor (Grand Choir)

The youngest ensemble of Unimusik was founded in the winter semester 2021/2022. After a joint project (Carmina Burana) with the Chamber Choir and the Symphony Orchestra of Universität Hamburg, in cooperation with the University of Strasbourg Orchestra, the Grand Choir (Großer Chor) gave its first independent concert at St. Petri Church in Altona/Hamburg at the end of the summer semester 2022. Following this debut, the ensemble performed in subsequent semesters either a cappella or with piano accompaniment, presenting a varied program. In summer 2023, the Large Choir appeared on stage at the Laeiszhalle together with the Chamber Choir, Alumni Choir, and Symphony Orchestra for the OPERA! program. In 2024, Martín Palmeri’s Tango Mass Misa a Buenos Aires was performed in several concerts with chamber orchestra accompaniment. Over the past semesters, the Grand Choir has developed a colorful and diverse repertoire spanning different genres—from classical choral works to modern pop songs. Pieces from various cultures are sung in German, English, Italian, Portuguese, or Swahili. With around 100 members, the Grand Choir has, true to its name, become the largest ensemble of Unimusik since its founding.

Since the winter semester 2024/2025, the Grand Choir has been under the direction of Priscilla Battini Prueter.

Participation in rehearsals and concerts of the Grand Choir is rewarded with 2 credit points per semester. Admission to the ensemble requires passing an audition. The registration portal and further information can be found on the University Music website under Join us.

Rehearsal location:
Institute of Musicology, Room 1002, Neue Rabenstraße 13, 20354 Hamburg

Regular rehearsals:
Mondays 7:45–10:00 p.m. (during the lecture period), first rehearsal of WiSe 25/26: October 13, 2025

Important Dates WiSe 2025/26:
Rehearsal weekend: November 15–16, 2025
Christmas Concert: December 6, 2025
End-of-semester concerts: January 31 and February 1, 2026 (with dress rehearsal on January 30, 2026)

The choir director in profile

Priscilla Battini Prueter is a Brazilian choir director and conductor who has been living in Hamburg for two years to pursue her doctorate in Computer Science Education at Universität Hamburg. With her project Coding Choir, she explores how choral singing can be integrated into computer science education. Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in Music as well as Bachelor’s degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education.

Before moving to Germany, she was a professor at the Federal Technological University of Paraná for 13 years, where she initiated an extensive choral program that included conductor training, audience education, and a concert series. She was also responsible for the revival of choir festivals involving more than 100 choirs. In Brazil, she received multiple awards and was active in television programs promoting choral singing.

Her versatile repertoire spans classical and contemporary music. In 2012, she worked as assistant conductor at the Curitiba Music Festival, rehearsing major works including Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. In 2013, she conducted Vivaldi’s Gloria RV 589 and was a guest conductor at the Aachen Biennale for Choral Singing. She also participated in Black Consciousness concerts in Brazil and prepared choirs for gospel and Negro spiritual repertoire.

Priscilla was awarded the Commendation of Cultural Merit in 2017 and received the FUNARTE Prize in 2018 for her show Fronteiras. In 2020, the state of Paraná honored her contribution to choral music with the Jornadas Prize. In 2019, she developed a music-and-technology project under the sponsorship of Google. In 2022, she won first prize at the Brazil–Germany EdTech Hackathon with her project TECH_LA, a platform for children’s musical activities. That same year, she also published her first book, With Bravura: Preparation and Strategies for Choral Singing, in which she discusses the integration of technology into choral practice.