Florian Helgath is emerging as one of the leading choral conductors of the young generation. Since 2011 Florian Helgath has been Artistic Director of the ChorWerk Ruhr and since 2017/18 he is also Artistic Director of the Zürcher Sing-Akademie.
Florian Helgath’s initial experience started as a chorister in his native city with the Regensburger Domspatzen. He studied choral conducting at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich and graduated in 2008 with a Masters Degree. Among his most important teachers are Michael Gläser, Stefan Parkman, Dan-Olof Stenlund who influenced him largely in his career as conductor. As a prizewinner and finalist of the Eric Ericson Award 2006 and Competition for Young Choral Conductors in Budapest 2007, Florian Helgath had drawn the attention of the international choral music scene.
Florian Helgath has held the position as conductor of the Danish National Choir from 2009 to 2015. In addition he was Artistic Director of the Via Nova Chor Munich from 2008 to 2016. With this ensemble he has conducted numerous first performances and has been awarded with international prizes.
Florian Helgath is also a regular guest conductor of the SWR Vokalensemble, RIAS Kammerchor, MDR Leipzig Radio Choir, Choir of the Bavarian Radio, Netherlands Radio Choir, Choeur de Radio France, Warsaw Philharmonic Choir among others and collaborates with the Munich Radio Orchestra, Bochum Symphony, Odense Symphony, Brussels Philharmonics, Münchner Symphoniker, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Concerto Köln and Ensemble Resonanz. Concerts led him to major concert halls and festivals as the Berliner Festspiele, Audi Sommerkonzerte, Eclat Festival Stuttgart, Thüringer Bachwochen and particularly to the Ruhrtriennale with contemporary opera performances and numerous manifold projects.
Apart from A capella projects Florian Helgath’s focus are works for choir and orchestra and symphonic repertoire. Upcoming engagements include his debuts with the Brussels Philharmonic & Flemish Radio Choir, Norwegian Soloists‘ Choir, BBC Singers as well as further projects with the Netherlands Radio Choir and Choeur de Radio France.
Florian Helgath’s discography includes the CD Sacred Songs with works by J.S. Bach, Reger and Knut Nystedt with the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir, which was awarded the ICMA Award 2017, works by Palestrina and Wagner also with the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir, Contemporary Choral Music with the Via Nova Chor as well as J.S. Mayr Missa in c – Stabat Mater with the Orpheus Vokalensemble and Concerto Köln among others. For the album Da Pacem with the RIAS Kammerchor and Capella de la Torre Florian Helgath receives the ECHO Klassik 2017. The recording of Tigran Mansurian's Requiem with RIAS Kammerchor prepared by Florian Helgath and Munich Chamber Orchestra for ECM Records has been nominated for a Grammy in 2018.
He also has prepared choirs for conductors as Herbert Blomstedt, Kent Nagano, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and Christian Thielemann among others