Cantores Minores, the Choir of Boys and Young Men of Helsinki Cathedral, was founded in 1952. Its first conductor was the Finnish-American Dr. of Musicology, Mrs. Ruth-Esther Hillila. The three following conductors came from Vienna (Austria) Mr. Peter Lacovich, Zwickau Prof. H. Hofmann and Dresden (Germany) prof. C. Hauschild, the original footholds of European protestant 'Knabenchor' -tradition. Choir's present conductor Mr. Hannu Norjanen started as the choir's artistic director in January 2005. He received his early musical training in the Cantores Minores boys' choir (1974-80). In Hannu Norjanen’s time the choir’s a cappella repertoire has been broadened to include a wide choice of international choral masterpieces as well as the modernest Finnish choir music.

Versatile music education

Cantores Minores acts as Music Institute where tuition in musical theory and voice as well as some instruments is given to boys from age seven. There are a total over 500 members yearly in the various stages of the choir (ages from 4 to 25) and over 3000 boys and young men have sung in the Cantores Minores during its 66 years of existence and the choir has produced numerous professional musicians active in a variety of fields. Each year about 50-60 boys aged 7-10 years become accepted to the CM training groups. After receiving two terms of training in music theory, note reading and singing and after having passed the final exams they become accepted to the A-choir (the actual performing choir). Following this the training continues in rehearsals 3 times aweek and in music the camps held twice a year. The CM Music Institute offers lessons in solo singing, paino playing and further music theory courses.
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Demanding Repertoire

The repertoire consists of sacral music by European and especially Finnish composers spanning a time scale from the 12th to the 21st centuries, not forgetting a selection of folk songs as required. The annual performances of the major works of J.S. Bach form a basis of the training of each generation of singers. Cantores Minores performs the St. Matthew's Passion and the St. John's Passion on Good Friday alternate years and the Christmas Oratorio every year at Christmas time. Bach's Mass in b minor and motets are also standard repertoire. Musical borders have been crossed when the choir participated in the Leningrad Cowboys’ CD, in Iiro Rantala’s TV-show together with Paula Koivuniemi and at the Rock, Rhythm and Love -megaconcert with Ismo Alanko during the Helsinki Festival 2008. The choir’s first CD in Norjanen’s time of Christmas Carols won rewiewers’ praise for its pure intonation and brilliant sound. The latest CD's, the Christmas Oratorio by Iiro Rantala was released year 2013 and the Credo (Finnish and international choir music) in 2015.
 
In 1965, Cantores Minores became the first Finnish choir to win the Let the People Sing competition organized by the BBC, and in 1994 it placed well in its category in the first European Competition for Cathedral Choirs in Amiens, France. Cantores Minores was the Youth Choir of the Year for the season 2009-2010 chosen by the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE). Year 2014 Cantores Minores was awarded with the State of Finland Music Prize

65th Anniversary 2017

The choir celebrated last year its 65th Anniversary performing e.g. the St. John Passion, Mass in b minor and Christmas Oratorio by J.S. Bach and the Christmas Oratorio by Iiro Rantala. In June 2017 Cantores Minores was singing as invited perfomer at the renown Leipzig Bach Festival and Ravenna Festival in Italy
 
The President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö and Mrs Jenni Haukio are the patrons of the Cantores Minores choir.