Youth Choir Aarhus U, Denmark
Youth Choir Aarhus U is a mixed youth choir, comprising 40 young singers aged 15–25. Under the direction of Jonas Rasmussen, the choir has established itself as a leading force within Denmark’s vocal scene.
The choir is known for its genre-curious approach to repertoire and moves effortlessly between classical, jazz, folk, and related traditions. At both the European Choir Games 2023 in Norrköping and, most recently, the European Choir Games 2025 in Aarhus, Aarhus U won both the Sacred Music category and the Pop/Jazz category, while also achieving the highest overall score of the entire competition. As a result, the choir is currently ranked no. 2 on INTERKULTUR’s global ranking list of the world’s top 1,000 choirs.
Aarhus U has collaborated with prominent artists and ensembles such as The King’s Singers, VOCES8, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, and Aarhus Jazz Orchestra. The choir has also appeared live on Danish national television (DR), performed for Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, and given concerts in all ten of Denmark’s cathedral churches.
In the recording sphere, the choir has released several acclaimed albums. Most recently, Håbet er levende (2025) features 20 newly composed hymns by Marianne Søgaard, exploring the boundary between tradition and renewal. In 2024, the album Fem får, fire geder was released, presenting new Danish folk music arrangements by Cecilie Holst. In 2023, the album Lucia på Dansk received widespread critical acclaim and was named “Album of the Week” on Danish Radio P2.