The Philharmonic Choir of the City of Bonn was founded in 1852 and has remained true to the cultivation of the choral symphonic repertoire of its tradition to this day. The choir regards its participation in the city's choral concerts under the direction of Bonn's general music director as its main task. In addition, it frequently participates in the Beethovenfest - most recently in 2021 with a performance of the melodrama version of the fairy tale Königskinder by Engelbert Humperdinck - and regularly organises its own concerts in Bonn and the region.
The benefit concerts and musical tours at the Old Cemetery in Bonn, which take place in summer with a chamber choir, as well as Advent and Christmas concerts with a large cast, are very popular.
As a musical ambassador of Bonn, the city of Beethoven, the Philharmonic Choir is gladly invited to guest concerts and concert recordings in Germany and abroad. At the international Lucerne Festival 2013, the choir successfully debuted with »Roméo et Juliette« by Hector Berlioz under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen. For the Bonn City Partnership Week 2022 in Oxford, it delighted the audience alongside the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra in the Sheldonian Theatre with the »Choral Fantasy« and the 9th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven.
In its numerous performances, the Philharmonic Choir has worked with renowned conductors such as Christoph von Dohnányi and Markus Stenz as well as top orchestras such as the Philharmonia Orchestra London or the Gürzenich Orchestra Köln.
Paul Krämer has been the artistic director of the Philharmonic Choir Bonn since 2016. He studied conducting with Prof. Marcus Creed and Prof. Peter Dijkstra at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln and graduated with top marks. He received further impulses at international master classes and in collaboration with conductors such as Karina Canellakis, François-Xavier Roth, Markus Stenz. In addition to his two choirs, Paul Krämer is a lecturer for ensemble singing at the WDR Choir Academy and takes on guest conductorships with various international radio choirs.