ARS NOVA Copenhagen is a Danish-based, international vocal ensemble of 12 members that specializes in renaissance polyphonic choral music and new vocal music, which is performed with precision and nerve, and with a sound that attracts attention all over the world.

The ensemble has long since established itself as one of the world's finest vocal ensembles and has toured in more than 40 countries over the years. With concerts in Copenhagen and the rest of Denmark and several annual tours worldwide, the group is today more in demand than ever. In 2024 there will be tours to The Faroe Islands, Italy, Germany and the United States.

Over the years, Ars Nova has had close collaborations with a large number of both international and Danish composers, including Pelle Gudmundsens-Holmgreen, Per Nørgård and Avo Pärt. Most recently, the ensemble premiered works by Bent Sørensen, Signe Lykke, Caroline Shaw and Galina Grigorjeva.

Ars Nova has recorded a number of award-winning albums; including a Grammy for The Little Match Girl Passion with music by David Lang (with Theater of Voices at Harmonia Mundi). The ensemble's latest release is "...and..." (Naxos) with works by Arvo Pärt, Julia Wolfe and Caroline Shaw as well as Italian medieval songs from Laudario di Cortona, which was nominated as release of the year at the P2 Prize 2022, and Crossing Borders (Dacapo) with music by Carl Nielsen, Niels W. Gade, Vagn Holmboe, Wilhelm Stenhammer and Line Tjørnhøj. Both releases have received top reviews in the press.

Other releases include Creator Spiritus with music by Arvo Pärt and The Christmas Story (Harmonia Mundi), Gallos Y Huesos | Notker with music by the Argentinian composer Pablo Ortiz (Orchid Classics) and The Golden Age of Danish Partsongs (Dacapo) with music by a string of pearls by the best Danish vocal composers from the past 200 years. Heinrich Schütz has a very special place at Ars Nova, and in the years 2008-2011 the group recorded the composer's complete dramatic works for Easter and Christmas. Recordings that led to an invitation to be artist in residence at the German Heinrich Schütz Musikfest.

Ars Nova was founded in 1979 and was led until 1995 by the Danish conductor and composer Bo Holten, whose pioneering ideas about a repertoire encompassing both early and new music helped to establish the ensemble's position both in Denmark and internationally.

Tamás Vetö, who succeeded Holten in 1995, conducted i.a. a long series of highly praised concert performances and recordings of new Danish music.

From the beginning of this century until 2023, the ensemble was led by Paul Hillier, who with his artistic vision and uncompromisingness raised Ars Nova Copenhagen to the high level where the group is today. Paul Hillier was appointed honorary conductor of Ars Nova Copenhagen in 2023.

In 2024 Sofi Jeannin took over as the ensemble's new chief conductor. Swedish/French Jeannin is in demand as a conductor all over the world: in addition to holding the positions of chief conductor of the BBC Singers and Maitrise de Radio France, she regularly appears as guest conductor of a large number of leading European choirs and vocal ensembles. Ars Nova has thus once again succeeded in attracting an international conductor from the top shelf.

Ars Nova is part of Tenso – The European network for professional chamber choirs