"Whilst I was Director of the Academy of Catholic Church Music in Regensburg from 1988 to 2000, Bertold Hummel served as the state examiner. On one occasion, I asked him to write a motet for my then fledgling ensemble. I was more than surprised when, the very next day, he presented me with the score of this beautiful ‘Cantate Domino ’. I have often performed this motet with my ensemble, cantARTE, for example in Portugal (Porto Cathedral), Chicago (Cathedral), Rome and many other places. Always to great acclaim! I always felt a close bond of friendship with Bertold Hummel, and to this day I am grateful that I had the privilege of getting to know him.” Hubert Velten, 2008

Biography
KMD Hubert Velten (born 1938) studied at the State University of Music in Stuttgart and was a lecturer at the University of Education in Esslingen from 1963 to 1973. From 1975 onwards, he served as cantor in Freudenstadt and as a lecturer at the Rottenburg School of Church Music. From 1988 until his retirement in 2000, he was director of the Academy for Catholic Church Music and Music Education in Regensburg. He also worked as a voice coach and singing teacher with the Regensburger Domspatzen. Based on an idea by former members of the Regensburger Domspatzen and church music director Hubert Velten, the vocal ensemble cantArte was founded in the autumn of 1991. Since then, the 14 young men, aged between 19 and 25, have drawn on their excellent vocal training and their enjoyment of making music to perform, in concert, not only the demanding repertoire of ‘musica sacra’ to Romantic and contemporary vocal music, to also perform American gospel songs and Negro spirituals in concert settings. Through numerous performances at home and abroad, cantArte has so far delighted its audiences. Particularly noteworthy were a joint concert with Daniel R. Williams, bass soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and three international tours (USA in 1992 and 1996, Portugal in 1995). In November 1995, cantArte took part in a choral competition for the first time. At the International Palestrina Choral Competition in Rome, the ensemble won the gold medal in the top category, Category A. Since the summer of 1994, cantArte has been under contract with the Cologne-based record label Delta-Musik Capriccio. Hubert Velten died on 9 July 2010 at the age of 72 following a long and serious illness.