The Dresden Kreuzchor is one of the oldest and most famous boys' choirs in the world. Its history dates back to the first mention of the city of Dresden in the early 13th century. Even after more than 800 years, one of the most important tasks of the Crucians is to sing in the liturgical services of the Kreuzkirche at Dresden's Altmarkt. Here, the Dresden Kreuzchor performs at vespers and church services and regularly gives concerts of outstanding works of sacred music. They form the core of the repertoire and are an expression of the choir's Christian humanist character. Apart from important soloists, the choir's main artistic partners are the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra and the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden. The Dresdner Kreuzchor also works with early music ensembles such as the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin. The repertoire of the Dresdner Kreuzchor ranges from the Renaissance to world premieres of contemporary works. His extensive artistic output is documented in numerous recordings.

In addition to its formative function for musical life in Dresden, the city-supported choir has been traveling throughout Germany and beyond European borders to Israel, Canada, Japan, South America, Korea, China and the USA for nearly 100 years. It represents the Saxon state capital as its oldest cultural institution on almost every continent and recently made its debut at the Shanghai International Arts Festival and, together with the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, at the Salzburg Easter Festival. The choristers are also regularly engaged as soloists for opera roles.

The Crucians attend the Evangelisches Kreuzgymnasium, one of the oldest schools in Germany, until they graduate from high school. Many Crucians live in the neighboring alumnat, the choir's boarding school. In addition to the normal school day, the singers, who range in age from nine to eighteen, receive individual singing and instrumental lessons. Their intensive rehearsal work and the unique magic of the boys' voices form the foundation for the international fame of the Dresden Kreuzchor.

Martin Lehmann

Martin Lehmann was born in Malchin (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) in 1973. He grew up in Dresden, where he became a member of the Dresdner Kreuzchor in 1983. He studied choral conducting with Prof Hans-Christoph Rademann at the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden. During this time, Lehmann was artistic assistant to the Dresden Chamber Choir and co-founder and director of the chamber choir cantamus dresden. He also held a teaching position at the Dresden Academy of Music.

In 2001, Martin Lehmann became director of the Leipzig girls' choir Schola Cantorum, followed by his appointment as musical director of the Wuppertal Kurrende in 2005. In 2012, he took over the artistic direction of the renowned Windsbach Boys' Choir. Under his ten-year leadership, the boys' choir has regularly performed at major festivals around the world and at international venues such as the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, the Oriental Arts Centre Shanghai and the Tonhalle Zurich.

Martin Lehmann has worked with renowned ensembles such as the Freiburger Barockorchester, the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, the ensembles 1704 Prag and Concerto Palatino and the WDR BigBand.

Numerous competition successes and an extensive discography document his multifaceted work.

In 2017, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria honoured Lehmann's services to church music and appointed him Church Music Director (KMD).

Martin Lehmann has been the 29th Kreuzkantor of the Dresden Kreuzchor since September 2022. His repertoire includes the great oratorio works of Bach, Handel, Mozart and Mendelssohn as well as sacred and secular a cappella choral music from all eras.