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Canticum Novum is a chamber choir dedicated to performing challenging choral music for the purpose of the spiritual edification of its listeners and the encouragement of choristers of all ages to use their God-given talents at the highest possible level.  Canticum Novum is unique in that its members, from WELS congregations across the Midwest and beyond, meet as an ensemble for only a week out of the year at a retreat with intensive rehearsals, fellowship, and performance in worship, after having rehearsed independently in the weeks and months leading up to the weeklong retreat.  

It began as a “pipe dream” in 2004 during founder and first director/singer, Michael Marquardt’s experience with the Bel Canto Chorus of Milwaukee.  Wanting to bring the flavor of a professional choir to the WELS circle, Marquardt met up with several likeminded friends on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College during the WELS National Worship Conference of 2005, and with them laid out the unique framework for this distinctive ensemble.  The ensemble had several requirements for it to work.  The schedule had to accommodate the busy calendar of a WELS teacher but also be accessible to singers in other professions, each member had to have strong vocal training and be able to learn very difficult music independently, the blend of the choir was of very strong importance, and the choir’s primary purpose had to be to spread the gospel.

In the summer of 2006 at Peace Lutheran Church in Hartford , WI , the first chords from Canticum Novum rang out.  Its 16 members from around the Midwest and from different educational and professional backgrounds ordered their own music copies in the previous winter, studied and practiced it independently and met as an ensemble for about three days of rehearsals before presenting music for the Lord in worship at Peace and at Grace Church in Milwaukee .  In its second year, the group expand to 18 singers, singing concerts in Neenah, Oshkosh, Kiel, and Appleton.

Year three included another expansion, this time to the group's current size of 24 singers, the organization of an executive committee to oversee the operations of the group, and the appointing of the group's first Artistic Director, Michael J. Goede.  The singers performed two acclaimed recitals at the National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts in July of 2008 in St. Peter , MN . 

This season's program is entitled "Spirit Seeking Light and Beauty," and includes performances in southeastern Wisconsin and Antioch, Illinois.  Canticum Novum annually holds auditions to fill openings in October.