Spring 2024

Our projects

Chanter je veux (fall 2024)

We first the pleasure of performing at the Musikalischer Abend organized by Musikplattform once again. Then, this semester marked a major milestone for Iris with our debut concert at the Kleine Aula – a truly special moment for us!

We returned to our beloved Iris day and Iris weekend, filled with long rehearsals, fun games, and a heartwarming concert at the caring home in Embrach. These events have become some of our most cherished traditions.

This semester, we also introduced the Iris Madrigalists, a new quartet dedicated to performing madrigals alongside talented instrumentalists. Their performances added a rich new layer to our ensemble, expanding our musical horizons.

What a season of growth, creativity, and unforgettable moments!

Hela rotan (spring 2024)

Time (fall 2023)

En los surcos del amor (spring 2023)

Chante en mon cœur (fall 2022)

And So It Goes (spring 2022)

We organized our first Iris weekend with long rehearsals, fun games and a concert at the caring home in Embrach!

Mondnacht (summer 2024)

We performed at both Musikalischer Abend organized by Musikplattform, organized our own concert, went busking and had the great honor to open the acapella festival in Pfaeffikon because we won the "Sing dein Ding" Contest!

On top of the performances with the full ensemble we also prepared songs in two subgroups: Iris Trebles and Iris Troubles! Additionally we were joined by very talented friends on the archlute and recorder for true renaissance sound.

What a semester!

Iris grew so much, and Johannes Brahms taught us so much about vowels. We performed at Musikalischer Abend organized by Musikplattform, and organized a midterm and final concert!

On top of regular rehearsals we introduced the now traditional Iris days: a full day of singing practice, music related games and team building.

Growing into a mixed ensemble, we sang in front of people at Musikalischer Abend (Musikplattform) and our own concerts! Stay tuned, there will be more from us in the future :-)

This is how it all began. Coming together with four like-minded students in a Barbershop Quartet, great harmonies and our first concert!

Looking forward to see what the future would hold!

What an ambitious program we had this semester! We performed in both Musikalischer Abend organized by Musikplattform, organized our own concert, and even went busking in the snowy streets of Zürich.

On top of the performances with the full ensemble we also prepared songs in two subgroups: Iris Trio and Iris Trebles.

Dajte, Dajte, trad. Slovenian (arr. Aldo Kumar)
Ubi caritas, Ola Gjeilo
Mai, Francesco Felician
Teresica hermana, Mateo Flecha «El Viejo»
Lully, Lulla, Lullay, Stopford Philip
Il bianco e dolce cigno, Jacques Arcadelt
Vecchie letrose, Adrian Willaert
Unquiet Thoughts, John Dowland
Just The Way You Are, Bruno Mars
Jazzy Bells, Mykola Leontovych
The Skye Boat Song, trad. Scottish (arr. Paul Langford)
Blackbird, Lennon–McCartney (arr. THUNK a cappella)
Sanmatìo, Bepi De Marzi
Spaséniye, sodélal, Pavel Chesnokov
Mondnacht, Francesco Felician
And So It Goes, Billy Joel
Chanter je veux, Orlando di Lasso

Amor vittorioso, Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi
Dadme albricias (Canconiero di Upsala), Anonymous
Hela rotan, trad. Indonesian (arr. Ken Stevens)
Because, Lennon–McCartney (arr. Roger Emerson)
Evening Rise, trad. Native American (arr. Christian Bollmann)
Loch Lomond, Jonathan Quick
Se Perivoli, trad. Greek (arr. Francesco Felician)
Mondnacht, Francesco Felician
Killer Queen, Freddie Mercury (arr. Roel Griffioen)
Vuelie, F. Fjellheim & C. Beck
Mr. Sandman, Pat Ballard (arr. Bertha Bradley)
And So It Goes, Billy Joel (arr. Kirby Shaw)
For The Longest Time, Billy Joel (arr. Roger Emerson)
Afternoon Delight, Starland Vocal Band (arr. Janis Birrer)
Can She Excuse My Wrongs, John Dowland
Zephyro Spira, Bartolomeo Tromboncino

Pastime, King Henry VIII
Chi la Gagliarda, Baldassere Donato
Lully, Lulla, Lullay, Stopford Philip
Time, Jennifer Lucy Cook
Irish Country Dance, Kirby Shaw
Falala, Adriano Bachieri
Im Walde, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Zum Sanctus, Franz Schubert
Adeste fideles, Abel di Marco
Ding Dong Merrily on High, Ratcliffe Woodward
Silent night, Franz Gruber
Jesu Rex Admirabilis, Francesco Felician
La fiera vista, Claudio Monteverdi
The Wood Nymph, Samuel Webbe Jr.
Dynamite, Taio Cruz

En los surcos del amor, Carlos Guastavino
Pase el agoa, ma Julieta (Cancionero de Palacio), Anonymous
Lully, Lulla Lullay, Stopford Philip
Sempre mi ride sta, Adrian Willaert
Abendständchen, Johannes Brahms
Tourdion, Anonymous
Mai, Francesco Felician
Le pont mirabeau, Francesco Felician
Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare, Francesco Felician
Mignonne allons voir si la Rose, Francesco Felician
Trionfo di Bacco e Arianna, Francesco Felician
Summer Tree, Lara Höhn & Ariel Martínez
I Saw Her Standing There, Lennon–McCartney (arr. Bob Greenberg & Julien Neel)
Good Night Sweet Heart, The Spaniels (arr. Stephen Calgaro)
Tonight (West Side Story), Leonard Bernstein (arr. Jay Giallombardo)

Dindirindin (Cancionero de Palacio), Anonymous
Chante en mon cœur pays aimé, Pierre Kaelin
Vecchie letrose, Adrian Willaert
Abendlied (Drei geistlichen Gesängen), Josef Rheinberger
That's Christmas to Me, Pentatonix

And So It Goes, Billy Joel (arr. Kirby Shaw)
Country Roads, John Denver
The Wellerman, trad. New Zealander (arr. The Longest Johns)
Good Night Sweet Heart, The Spaniels (arr. Stephen Calgaro)
Tanto gentile e tanto onesta pare, Francesco Felician
When We Were Young, Adele

On 13 April, we hosted our very first One-Day Choir! For a few hours that afternoon, 100 strangers came together to play, explore, and sing. The event welcomed participants from all musical backgrounds—from shower singers to classically trained vocalists—and created a fun, low-pressure space to discover the magic and connection that happens when we feel empowered to raise our voices together.

We began as 100 strangers singing silly vocal games. Just three hours later, we had soaked up so much music and energy that, during our final run-through of the Scottish folk tune Loch Lomond, we were marching and dancing around the room, singing in four-part harmony!

Some favorite words from our feedback hat:
•⁠ ⁠“It was very lovely :) → you felt as though you were part of the project no matter your prior experience → everyone was super nice and friendly → everything was explained clearly. Bonus: Everyone in the choir was so enthusiastic, which is very contagious. PS: great song choice, love Scottish folk songs.”
•⁠ ⁠“Perfect organization, perfect vibes. Awesome song! I would 100% attend another event like this without thinking twice <3”
•⁠ ⁠“More cheese in the dill bread!” (P.S. – we had a 🔥 Apéro too!)

Have The Cranberries Ripened? (spring 2025)

On May 23rd, 2025, we returned to the UZH Kleine Aula for our spring concert, Have the Cranberries Ripened?. This performance was a celebration of the season's bloom, both in nature and in our musical journey.

Our repertoire explored themes from diverse cultures and eras. From Renaissance madrigals to contemporary compositions—including a piece by our conductor Francesco Felician—we delved into songs inspired by flowers like cranberries, jasmine, and roses. Traditional melodies and fresh arrangements of familiar tunes added depth and variety to the program.

This semester marked the return of the Iris Troubles, bringing their unique energy back to our ensemble. We also featured an instrumental-only performance during the concert. Additionally, we welcomed two new voices to our group: Giuditta and Davide, whose talents enriched our harmonies.

As always, we concluded the evening with an apéro, cherishing the connections forged through shared musical experiences.

One-Day Choir (fall 2025)

One-Day Choir (spring 2025)

One-Day Choir (summer 2025)

This semester, we had the honor of performing at an ETH graduation ceremony for the very first time — a truly special milestone for us. Sharing our music in such a meaningful celebration felt both humbling and exhilarating. The experience filled us with pride and gratitude, reminding us how powerful it is to connect through song in moments of transition and joy.