e-ICB 2008-1

ICBICB

Dossier Around the World ChoralSymposium

Volume XXVII, Number 1 – 1st Quarter, 2008ISSN 0896 – 0968

International Choral Bulletin

International Federation for Choral MusicThe International Choral Bulletin is the official journal of the IFCM. It is issued to members four times a year.

Managing EditorJutta Tagger31, rue ParmentierF-92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, FranceTel: +33-1-47480116E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial TeamMichael Anderson, María Guinand, Saeko Hasegawa,Lupwishi Mbuyamba, Thomas Rabbow, Dolf Rabus,Leon Shiu-wai Tong, Jean-Claude Wilkens

Regular CollaboratorsMarian Dolan - Repertoire ([email protected])Cristian Grases - World of Children’s and Youth Choirs

([email protected])Jean-Marie Marchal - New CD Releases

([email protected])Nadine Robin - Events ([email protected])

Texts and TranslationsEnglish: Michael Anderson (coordination)Diana J. Leland and Irene Auerbach (text andlinguistic editing and revision)

French: Jutta Tagger (coordination)Marie-Paule Letawe (linguistic editing and revision)

German: Dolf Rabus (coordination),Dr. Lore Auerbach (linguistic editing and revision)

Spanish: Catalina Prieto (coordination),Juan Casasbellas (linguistic editing and revision)

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Template DesignMarty Maxwell

CoverDolf Rabus (Fireworks at the Opera House,

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Dossier:Around the World ChoralSymposiumGuest Editor: Steen Lindholm, Head ofWSCM8

John Høybye:A Danish Composer of Choral Music

Singing Boys at the World Symposium inCopenhagen 2008The Copenhagen Royal Chapel ChoirEbbe Munk

Schola Cantorum:Another Norwegian Choir at the WorldSymposium in Copenhagen

Danish Rhythmic Vocal MusicSteen Lindholm

The Education of Choral Conductors inGreenlandTom Møller Pedersen

Improvising with ChoirsJeffrey Sandborg

IFCM NewsIn Brief: Extracts from the IFCM Online NewsBillboard for Board and MembersJean-Claude Wilkens

The IFCM’s 25th Anniversary Celebration Hitthe High Point at the Biannual “Namur enChœurs” EventCatalina Prieto

Choral Conductors Without Borders: UpdateChristina Kühlewein

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Choral World NewsObituary: Petr Eben (1929-2007)

The First Swiss Children’s and Youth ChoirFestival (8-10 June 2007)A Successful Beginning

Song of Peace - March 2008

The Busan APEC Choral Festival andCompetition 2007Fred Sjöberg

Children’s and Youth CornerChildren’s and Youth Choral FestivalsAn Interview with Donna Otto and MornaEdmundsonCristian Grases

Collector’s CornerNew CD ReleasesJean-Marie Marchal

EventsCompiled by Nadine Robin

I. Conferences, Workshops & Masterclasses

II. Festivals & Competitions

Advertisers’ Index

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Contents

Next DossierArts Education:Choral Music as a Preparation for Life

Guest Editor: Steen Lindholm, Head of WSCM8

John Høybye: A Danish Composer of Choral Music

Singing Boys at the World Symposium in Copenhagen 2008The Copenhagen Royal Chapel ChoirEbbe Munk

Schola Cantorum:Another Norwegian Choir at the World Symposium in Copenhagen

Danish Rhythmic Vocal MusicSteen Lindholm, Head of WSCM 8

The Education of Choral Conductors in GreenlandTom Møller Pedersen

Improvising with ChoirsJeffrey Sandborg

Around the WorldChoral Symposium

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such an impression on me that I decided toshare it with my mates in the Copenhagensuburb of Norrebro where I lived. I gatheredthem for a rehearsal in the bike cellars andimitated as best I could the choir’s legendaryconductor, Mogens Wøldike. Here toobegan my career as an arranger, for the 4-voice SATB composition had to be arrangedfor 10-15 miserable kids without the faintestexperience of choral singing. I can no longerremember the results of this early experimentbut I do recall the unfailing enthusiasm withwhich I attempted the task.

Later came the formal training inmusicology at Copenhagen University and inchoral conducting at the Music Academy. Asa composer I am self-taught – more grandly Iam an “autodidact” – but my masters havebeen the many and various situations inwhich I have had the double role ofcomposer and conductor, rehearsing andperforming the works of other composers aswell as my own. The choirs have ranged frombeginner choirs to the Danish Radio Choir,the Hungarian Radio Choir and many other

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John Høybye

John Høybye (b. 1939) is one of the Danishcomposers writing a commissioned work for theWorld Symposium in Copenhagen. Both ascomposer and arranger he is an establishedname in Danish and Nordic choral music lifeand he has also conducted a great number ofDanish as well as foreign choirs and ensemblesat festivals, conventions and classes.Together with his choir TRITONUS he hastoured all over Europe as well as in the USA,China, Japan and Brazil, and he and the choirhave won several prizes at international choircompetitions.As a composer he has made an importantcontribution to the renewal of Nordic choralmusic, not least because he combines elementsfrom the "classic" choral sound and texturewith elements from gospel and jazz. Inaddition to his many compositions for adults hehas made several collections of songs andcantatas for children's and youth choirs, manyof which have been published in Denmark,Sweden, Norway, Germany and England.In 1993 the Danish Choral Society honouredhim as Choral Composer of the Year.Six years later he was honoured by the DanishComposers’ Society, who awarded him the1999 Prize.John Hoybye has directed workshops andcourses with his own music in Sweden,Norway, Estonia, Russia, England andGermany.

My debut as a choral conductor andarranger was way back in the 1950s at theage of 11. I had just been admitted into theprestigious Copenhagen Boys Choir and wasdeeply moved by the one of the choir’scentral pieces: the ‘Morning Hymn’ fromNiels Gade’s Elverskud (1854). This is amajor work of Danish romanticism and onewhich will be sung at the opening ceremonyof the 8th World Symposium on ChoralMusic this summer. The work had made

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professional choirs, as well as my own semi-professional choir for 35 years. I have been aguest conductor in Denmark and abroad onnumerous occasions, including at the EuropaCantat festivals and at a wide range of otherchoir festivals. It is healthy and informativeto be directly confronted with the performerswho are to breathe life into the notes thathave been crafted in the den back home.

As a composer my aim is to create choralmusic that is interesting to participate in andexciting to listen to. Of course no composerwould disagree with such a ‘proclamation’ –but it must be seen in the context of thedebate over the past 25-30 years on the roleof music in society and the discussion as towhy European music composition (includinglarge areas of serious choral music) has losttouch with its audience. Compared with theworlds of film, theatre and literature it isstriking how invisible an existence so-calledserious music leads. In the 20th century,avant-garde music was privileged withconsiderable state-support and kept alive by“good taste” – composers were notparticularly concerned with their audienceand much music was written that was self-reflecting, formulated as its own artisticproduct. Should the audience stay away,composers could always fall back on the roleof overlooked artist whose time wouldeventually come. Had not the history ofmusic taught us that many great composershad lived “before their time”?

That is no longer the way things are. Boththe audience and the decision-makers arecurrently asking severe questions of the artistand the usefulness of contemporary music.No arts budget is drawn up nowadays incontinuation of historical privilege. I myselfbelieve that artistic quality is not simply asealed-off quality of the musical work itself.It should also be evaluated on the basis ofexperience by the audience – and of course

A Danish Composer of Choral Music

the performers. This view is becomingincreasingly widespread, witness oursymposium motto: Choral Music meets itsAudience. The downside of this attitude is ofcourse that in its attempt to please itsaudience choral music resorts to all kinds ofpopulist methods and risks losing its artisticintegrity: It will be interesting to see whetherthe symposium concerts can maintain thegood balance between exciting their audienceand retaining their musical professionalism.

As regards how I myself try to include allthese elements in my music – from thesimplest children’s compositions to complexpieces for adult double choirs – there are anumber of common features:

Not just a cappellaThe a-cappella composition is the crown

jewel in the kingdom of choral singing, andit therefore constitutes a good part of myproduction. But the meeting between voicesand instruments is fascinating and offers theopportunity for variation and contrast. Asinger is the only musician who cannotautomatically find a note by placing a fingeron a string or a key; by includinginstruments the composer has access tomultiple liberties of modulation. For thisreason I often write for choir plus variousinstrumental ensembles, such as a jazz trio ofpiano, bass and drums;; or for oboe, harpand cello; or for choir and big band, or choirand strings.

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Dossier...John Høybye

Crossover musicI enjoy writing with a combination of

elements from the Afro-American traditionand from the classical western Europeantradition (crossover music). Thiscombination may consist simply of adding arhythmic instrumental group to the choir,but it is more interesting to integrate therhythmic element into the choralcomposition, which then acquires its ownindependent rhythmic life without the needfor other instrumental support. Rhythmicchoral music has undergone an amazingdevelopment in the Nordic countries – mostclearly in Denmark actually – and at thesymposium we shall meet three such pioneergroups.

Body percussion andchoreography

A common feature of attempts to makechoral music “interesting to participate inand exciting to listen to” is the use of bodypercussion and choreography. I have workedfor many years now with a professionalchoreographer towards a voice-and-bodyexpression that outwardly alerts the audienceand inwardly contributes to the singergaining a better understanding of the workbeing sung. In continuation of this we havealso worked towards the integration ofdramatic effects using lighting, video andslide projections.

Writing for a target groupI am also very conscious of writing for a

particular target group, taking into accountthe characteristics for its level and exploitingits strengths – while correspondinglyavoiding its weaknesses. This does notnecessarily involve weakening the forms ofexpression. Per Nørgård once said: “To writefor amateurs means imposing no greaterlimitations on the creative process than if youhad to do without a trumpet in a stringquartet.” This is because there is no actualproportionality between power of expressionand complexity. The simplest expression canbe the most powerful – a choir singing inunison can be more effective than part-singing; difficult rhythms and changingtimes are not in themselves a guarantee ofgreater expression. First and foremost it is aquestion of having something to say, andonly then of making the music inspiring,attractive, expressive and stimulating withinthe given framework.

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Example 1

Example 2

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...John Høybye

Example 3

Writing for childrenThe challenge of writing for children

thus consists of saying everything you wantto say on a smaller scale and with a smallerbrush than is available in other contexts. Anadult choir, for example, has twice as broad avocal ambitus as a children’s choir. It also hasa greater sound spectrum as well as thepossibility of contrasting male and femalevoices. Even more colours and brushes areavailable to the composer with a symphonyorchestra in mind. Yet it remains the case thatthe biggest brush and most colours do notnecessarily give the best results. A pencildrawing can be artistically as expressive andeffective as a large oil painting. It is a matterof recognising the outstanding qualities inthe drawing. In the case of children’s andyouth choirs this can lie in the clarity,freshness and charm which are distinctive tothis age-group, as well as in the truth andcredibility with which they – and inparticular children’s choirs – can speak tofeelings, atmospheres and conditions fromthe lost world of childhood.

That said, I must add that an excessiveand ongoing concern about the degree ofdifficulty in a composition can also be amillstone round the composer’s neck. Therecan be a sense of deliverance in ignoring allpedagogical anxieties and simply writing offthe cuff, as was the case when I made use ofthe honorific “Choral Composer of the Year”in 1993 to produce a work to be performedby an excellent choir for the awardceremony. This time I would neither berehearsing nor conducting the piece, andhow enjoyable it was simply to have amusical fling – without worrying whetherthe work was too difficult or would take toolong to rehearse!

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WorksMy production falls into 4 categories:

1. Methods of working with choirsI have worked for 35 years as an associateprofessor at the Music Department of TheDanish University of Education. Among myfields of work were the development ofmethods of working with choirs and choirpedagogy. I have published five books aboutthese subjects.

2. Music for children’s and youth choirsA long series of songs, cantatas, musicals andoratorios. Two examples:• The Grave is Empty from Hope, an EasterOratorio for youth choir (SSA) and anunorthodox instrumental ensemble:saxophone, electric piano, bass,percussion and church organ!(ex. 1)

• Alleluja – a motet in a crossover style, foryouth choir (SAB) and piano (ex. 2)

3. Music for adultsTwo types: one for average amateur

singers with a moderate difficulty, and theother without specific pedagogical premises,demanding at least a semi-professional levelof the performing choir. Three examples:a. Stand up, my dear from The Little

Mermaid. This movement is for acappella choir (SATB) in a classical-modern style with changing timesignatures (ex. 3)

b.Magnificat for soprano solo and acappella choir (SSAATTBB). This pieceneeds a professional choir (ex. 4)

c. Jubilate Deo for double choir a cappella,from Three Bright Motets in Stereo. Thispiece is often performed at competitionsbecause of its quick tempo andequilibristic texture (ex. 5)

Example 4

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...John Høybye

4. ArrangementsThese are of many different types:

folksongs, spirituals, arrangements for choirand rare instrumental combinations,rhythmic songs, the so-called Hoybye-Pedersen version of Duke Ellington’s SacredConcert, etc.

One example: Saenk kun dit hoved (Justsink your head) for choir and solo quartet(ex. 6)

Welcome to the website www.hoymusik.dkwhere you can listen to selected works and see acomplete list. •

Example 5

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Example 6

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Advertisement

Biographies:The Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir

(CRCC) is the only representative of thistradition in Scandinavia. Founded in 1924 byMogens Wøldike the choir quickly developedinto a full-time institution. The choir has beenresident at Copenhagen Cathedral since 1959and as part of its duties performs at stateoccasions and during royal visits abroad. LeFigaro has placed the choir alongside theVienna Boys Choir and that of King’s College,Cambridge, as one of the finest in Europe. Itworks regularly with the Danish NationalSymphony Orchestra and has made manyrecordings. The choir has received numerousprizes.

CRCC was greatly honoured to play amajor musical part at the wedding of His RoyalHighness the Crown Prince Frederik ofDenmark and Crown Princess Mary inCopenhagen Cathedral in 2004. Here thefinale of “A Noone of Night”, “Simple Prayer”,played an important role since it wasperformed right after the vows by CRCC,Helen Davies, Palle Mikkelborg and EbbeMunk.

In April-May 2008 the choir will tourAustralia, including Tasmania, and revisitSydney Opera House.

More information about the CRCC atwww.kdk.dk

Ebbe Munk (b. 1950) has been chiefconductor of the CRCC and choirmaster ofCopenhagen Cathedral since 1991. WithCRCC he has conducted the major choralrepertoire together with leading Danishorchestras as well as with baroque ensemblessuch as the Dufay Collective (London) and theEnsemble Lascaris (Nice). Ebbe Munk hastoured with Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choirin all parts of the world – at leadinginternational festivals as well as in concert hallsand cathedrals, such as Sydney Opera House,

12 Københavns Drengekor:One of the finest Scandinavianchoral traditions

Together with their artistic director EbbeMunk the choir will be busy during theWorld Symposium in Copenhagen next Julybringing up the question: what can be doneto improve the part taking of boys in the vastworld heritage of choral music originallywritten for them. This will happen not onlyduring workshops on the theme of BoysSinging Buxtehude and at the final concertwith Britten’s War Requiem, but also onTuesday 22 July when the choir will give aperformance of a unique new work: ANoone of Night, written for boys’ and men’svoices and a most unusual combination ofelectronic soundscape, trumpet, harp anddance. The composer is the renowned PalleMikkelborg who started this composition forEbbe Munk and the choir in 1997. Sincethen it has been revised several times forconcerts all over the world (Paris, London,Beijing, New York, Berlin, Sydney OperaHouse …) and for events concerning theDanish Royal family. A brand-new version,including dance by Barthelot Same Ekeme(Cameroun), will be presented inCopenhagen Cathedral during thesymposium.

The work has a strong musical unity ofstyle but creates its spirituality out of suchdifferent words as texts by William Blake,Rainer Maria Rilke, anonymous Celticwriters, Francis of Assisi and poems of ZenBuddhist origin.

Palle Mikkelborg writes about his work:It was with great pleasure that I accepted

Ebbe Munk's request to compose an ensemble of"spiritual" songs for the Copenhagen RoyalChapel Choir. I already felt familiar with anumber of possible writings to set, as texts ofbeauty and strength, of inexplicable simplicity

and power, have been a spiritual part of my lifefor many years. I made a careful choice of someof these texts, and just as carefully beganworking with them, although now in a newand much closer way, knowing well that thecommon central point of all texts would still bethe Unexplained Mystery (also after this"journey"...).

However, my respect for the words and theirpower has not made me fearful of expressinghow they can sound in my musical universe.

I choose to frame the choir with the sound ofthe harp. What other sound could one imagineas a frame for the human voice … in… TheNoone of the Night.

During the Buxtehude workshops, therewill be opportunities for the participants alsoto meet the Copenhagen Municipal ChoirSchool (Sankt Annæ Grammar School) whichwas founded as “home” for the choir in1924. With choral singing as one of themajor subjects for all boys and girls at theschool, Sankt Annæ Grammar School isinternationally considered a unique choralinstitution.

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The Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir

Singing Boys at the World Symposium in Copenhagen 2008

Ebbe MunkArtistic Director

Photo:

SusteBo

nnén

Palle Mikkelborg (trumpet) and Helen Davies (harp)playing with the CRCC

Beijing Concert Hall, Cathédrale Notre Dame(Paris), Washington National Cathedral, HongKong Centre of the Performing Arts, Sala SãoPaulo and Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro.

He has been conductor and jury member atseveral choir seminars in Denmark andabroad, for example at Princeton University’sNorth America Conference for ChoralConductors, and he is artistic counselor of theFédération des Choeurs de l’Union inBrussels. In 2003 Ebbe Munk and the CRCCreceived the Bettencourt Prize in Paris from theAcadémie des Beaux-Arts.

Palle Mikkelborg (b. 1941) has played aleading role in Scandinavian music for decades.Improvisation and creativity are at the centre ofhis artistic achievements. He started playing thetrumpet in 1956 and became a professionalmusician in 1960. His career started inCopenhagen’s many jazz clubs and in theDanish Radio Big Band. Here he developed hisskill as a composer and arranger. AmongMikkelborg’s greatest achievements with jazzmusic is the album “Aura” he recorded withMiles Davis. Another pearl in the Mikkelborgcollection is "Homage - Once upon a time",

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created together with the bassist Niels-HenningØrsted Pedersen (NHØP). Mikkelborg hastoured all over Europe and for many years hehas led his own groups. In 2001 he wasawarded the Nordic Council's Music Prize.With a calm and sensitive approach to music,Palle Mikkelborg is a searching musician. Hehas a pronounced and personal profile inspiredby a number of different genres. •

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ment

Today the singers are recruited from theInstitute, The Norwegian State Academy ofMusic as well as from the outside. Otherconductors have been among others CarlHøgset and Kaare Hanken. Since 2002,Schola Cantorum is conducted by ToneBianca Dahl, who graduated from TheNorwegian Academy of Music in 1991 witha Master of Arts in Choral Conducting. Dahlalso trained as a solo pianist and singer at theMusic Conservatorium in Stavanger andstudied choral conducting at the KodalyInstitute in Hungary. She is now professor ofChoral Conducting at the Norwegian StateAcademy of Music, the conductor of ScholaCantorum and the female choir Vocalis, and

is frequently invited to serve as lecturer forchoirs and choral conductors in the Nordiccountries and in Europe.

The repertoire of Schola Cantorum is amix of a cappella contemporary and olderchoir music with a focus on Nordic music,also including folklore. During the last fewyears, the choir has commissioned severalnew works from young composers. Of coursethe choir has an international standard and avery well balanced and fine sound, and itsintonation is very good. What distinguishesSchola Cantorum from most other choirs,however, is the tremendous energy theypossess when it comes to communication.

•

The famous European radio competitionLet The Peoples Sing 2007 has just had itswinner: the Schola Cantorum Choir of Osloconducted by Tone Bianca Dahl. And as theArtistic Committee of WSCM 8 hadpromised beforehand to invite the winningchoir to sing at the World Symposium inCopenhagen next year, you will have theopportunity to listen to this excellentensemble in addition to the other Nordicchoirs. Here follows a short introduction tothe choir and its conductor.

Schola Cantorum was founded by thefamous Norwegian composer Knut Nystedtin 1964, as a student choir connected to TheInstitute of Music at The University of Oslo.

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Another Norwegian Choir at the World Symposium in Copenhagen

Schola Cantorum

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For many years Denmark has beenconsidered an important base for developingthe so-called Rhythmic Vocal Music, and ournation was one of the first countries in theworld to set up a specific Rhythmic MusicConservatory (RMC), which is aninstitution of higher music education fundedand governed by the Danish Ministry ofCulture. Since its opening in 1986, RMChas developed a consistent string of degreeprograms in the field of contemporary music(i.e. pop, jazz etc.). Currently RMC providesfive educational strands in MusicPerformance, Music Education, Music &Movement Education, Music Technologyand Music Management.

RMC has state-of-the-art facilities: morethan 40 fully equipped class- and practicerooms, 2 concert halls, 4 recording studios, alibrary and various IT facilities. RMCteachers are all leading professionals in theirfield.

The Rhythmic Music Conservatory isbeautifully situated on the small group ofislands called Holmen, a few minutes outsidethe centre of Copenhagen and almost nextdoor to the Opera. Holmen is also the homeof The National Film School of Denmark,The Danish National School of Theatre andContemporary Dance, The Royal Academyof Fine Arts School of Architecture, thusoffering plenty of opportunities for studentsto collaborate across art forms. During theWorld Symposium 2008, we are also goingto use RMC for workshops on rhythmicmusic.

RMC degree programs are organizedwithin the 3-cycle structure based on theECTS credit point system, i.e. a three-yearbachelor program, followed by a two-yearmaster program. Upon completion of amaster program a limited number of highlytalented students can be admitted to an

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Steen LindholmHead of WSCM 8

additional two-year advanced postgraduateprogram.

Contemporary pop and jazz music isborder-breaking by nature - always on themove in search of new inspiration for themusic of tomorrow - across nationality,culture and language. Since its start in 1986the RMC has emphasized internationalrelations, at first through collaboration withsignificant informal music communities allover the world, more recently also throughactive participation in official networks andprograms.

While the RMC focuses on instrumentalmusic, vocal rhythmic music education iscentered at the music conservatories of thetwo cities of Jutland, Aalborg and Aarhus. Asthe only place in all of Europe, the NorthJutland Music Conservatory in Aalborgoffers a course with rhythmic vocal music asits main subject, culminating in Bachelors'and Masters' degrees. This institution alsohas on its staff the first Danish professor ofrhythmic choral singing and conducting.

Rhythmic Vocal EnsemblesThe World Symposium will be featuring

three Danish rhythmic vocal ensembles,from which the two are already well knownin the international field of music. The thirdis a quite new ensemble.

Touché is an a cappella jazz ensembleknown for big-band-like arrangements,awesome swing and tender ballads. Touchéembraces the best of jazz styles andarrangements: hot & sweet, cool & lyrical,trumpet imitations, vocal percussion andsmoky voices.

Touché consists of 14 singers, musicologyand music academy students, who togetherwith conductor/arranger Jesper Holm haveadapted the traditional Count Basie sound toan energetic a cappella big band style. Therepertoire is inspired by the repertoires of

Danish Rhythmic Vocal Music

The Singers Unlimited, The Real Group, andother major artists from the world of vocaljazz, alongside the performance of JesperHolm’s refined jazz arrangements of jazzstandards and Danish evergreens.

Ever since the first auditions back inFebruary of 1991, Vocal Line has beenthrough many exciting experiences andmusical challenges, lead by Jens Johansen,who was one of the pioneers of rhythmicvocal music in Denmark. Its liveperformances have taken it far and wide -not just in Denmark, but all over Europe aswell as the 7th World Symposium on ChoralMusic in Kyoto 2005. The primary field ofactivity has always been the concerts,though, and over the years, Vocal Line hasadapted its performances to various musicalas well as lyrical themes.

VoxNorth is an a cappella ensembleconnected to The Academy of Music inAalborg, and was founded by conductor JimDaus Hjernøe in 2005. They are alreadyknown for their “good groove” andimprovisational works. 18 singers, mostlystudents from The Academy of Music inAalborg (DK), with individual microphones,display depth and power in the style ofgroovy “World a cappella-music”. Theconductor sings in the group which containsstrong performers and soloists and the use of“outboard” equipment.

VoxNorth has adapted the style of BobbyMcFerrin’s improvised circlesongs and workswith a performance-style that allows theaudience to enjoy both warm and crisparrangements and improvised parts duringthe concert.

Enjoy all ensembles and the facilities ofthe Rhythmic Music Conservatory duringWSCM8.

E-mail: [email protected] •

16 DAKU therefore made an application tothe Danish Arts Council for financial supportto the pro-ject located in Greenland,including a pilot study and later on the realconductors' course. With greatunderstanding of the necessity of the project,the Arts Council approved the money.

In April 2007 Steen Lindholm and I wentto Maniitsoq, Greenland for a two-daymeeting with the representatives of QeqqaniErinersoquatigiit Kattuffiat. All subjects suchas previous basic training of the conductors,

their experience, knowledge of repertoire andtheir expectations etc. were discussed andmade clear. We were now able to set up aschedule for the course.

So in October this year the first trainingcourse for choral conductors was arranged inNuuk, Greenland with Steen Lindholm(DK) as instructor and Eva Brun Jørgensen(DK) as voice spe-cialist. 15 choirmastersfrom central Greenland had been flown in toparticipate in the three-day course. They hadvery different qualifications and experiences,

and almost all of them were practicallynovices.

Steen Lindholm taught basic subjectssuch as techniques, feeling of pulse andknowledge of repertoire, using Danish andGreenlandic compositions. Eva BrunJørgensen led the voice train-ing forindividuals as well as for the entire group.Both instructors demonstrated warm-uptechniques.

The group was highly motivated andworked with great concentration and in highspirits. Mem-bers of The NOPE choir ofNuuk participated in order to make thegroup into a full mixed choir. The students'conducting lessons were recorded on videotape, and it was obvious – comparing dayone to day three, that lots of progress hadbeen made. The overall opinion was that thetraining course was a great success.

As the main repertoire of most choirs isGreenlandic, the leaders do not have manyopportuni-ties to work with differentdynamics, changing times signatures orforeign languages. During the evaluation ofthe three days we therefore decided that thenext course should focus on these subjects.

Our plan is to arrange a further advancedcourse in 2008 if it is possible to raise thenecessary funds.

Just to be sure we posted at letter inSanta Claus’ big red post-box, which - aseverybody knows - is situated in Nuuk,Greenland (see photo). The letter contains apolite application for money.

At the end of the stay, QeqqaniErinersoquatigiit Kattuffiat asked formembership of The Dan-ish AmateurChoral Federation, so soon we shall have anew box in our organization chart.

E-Mail: [email protected] •

In October 2006 ‘The Danish AmateurChoral Federation’ (DAKU) had anapproach from Qe-qqani ErinersoquatigiitKattuffiat, the association of choirs inCentral Greenland. The asso-ciation consistsof a number of choral societies from a part ofGreenland, almost as big as Germany. Theapproach was partly information aboutchoral life in Greenland, partly an inquiryabout possible cooperation on the educationof choral conductors.

The choirs in the area have a rich sociallife and participate in lots of local events.Once a year all choirs meet in one big choralhappening. The singing language is - with afew exceptions – Greenlandic. It is obvious,that the large distances are a great problemon these occasions. You can only go byhelicopter or airplane, and the generallowering of prices you see these days on themarket of flight tickets has not yet reachedGreenland. It is really expensive to travel toand in Greenland.

The enormous distances have alsoprevented the implementation of earlierinitiatives to ar-range training courses forconductors – hence the approach to DAKUwith the inquiry whether the traditionalDAKU training for conductors here inDenmark could be opened for Greenlandicparticipants. The answer was, ‘Of course. Noproblem!’

But – after lots of correspondence anddiscussion with the Greenlandic leaders itwas obvious that the costs for theparticipants would be far too high due to thevery expensive travel costs to Denmark anddue to other normal costs of living, which alltogether were calculated at roughly ? 1,500per person.

DossierThe Education of Choral Conductors in Greenland

Tom Møller PedersenPresident of DAKU

(Danish Amateur Choral Federation)

Photo:

Tom

MøllerPede

rsen

Santa Claus Mailbox

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to introduce

choral musicians to the practice of using thechoir as an improvisatory instrument and,toward that end, to suggest a few methodsthat might encourage them to explore waysof making music with their singers, beyondthe printed page. The interactive nature ofthis introduction will allow the reader tohear the outcomes of some of the author’sand others’ “adventures” in this medium.(Editor’s note: It is possible to read thisarticle online:https://newbboard.roanoke.edu/webapps/cmsmain/webui/_xy-374194_1-tid_37gthEYdfrom where you are able to access the linksmentioned in this article directly).

What is Choral Improvisation?To those who work in this medium, the

words “choral improvisation” have come tobe used as a kind of shorthand to describethe vast landscape of possibilities available tochoirs and conductors. Often the phraseleads to confusion, as I experienced in myfirst exposure in Rotterdam, since mostmusicians correctly understand“improvisation” to mean creativity by theperformer in such areas as Baroqueornamentation, a Mozart cadenza or jazzsoloists recasting a tune; that is, some sort offree-play with pre-existing material. Choral“improv” shares this general meaning of playwith the pre-existing but casts a wider net.More attitude and approach than prescribedmethod, choral improvisation might well beclassified broadly as either extemporaneousor pre-planned, or some combination of thetwo.

IntroductionAt the 1999 World Symposium in

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, I attended apresentation on “choral improvisation” byGunnar Eriksson, the Swedish choralconductor, pedagogue and composer. Withso many offerings at the symposium, I mightnot have attended. After all, I reasoned,what was I going to learn about scat, or jazzfrom a Swede? But, curious, I went to theGunnar’s session expecting to discover newways to perform A Train. Instead, mymusical thinking was changed forever.

Within minutes, the room of over 100singers was swirling with complex rhythmsand evolving melodic textures, all built fromthe simplest material introduced quietly byEriksson to sections of the room. It was aDamascus Road experience for me, at onceexhilarating, inspiring and liberating. Thosemoments recaptured for me a childlike joy ofsinging and musical play beyond what hadbecome my dogged, daily pursuit of theperfect realization of the printed score.

When I returned to my choir, I wasdetermined to recreate a similar experiencefor my singers, our audiences, and myself,and so I began to experiment, guided byRotterdam memories and the exercisesGunnar had presented. From the beginningmy singers seemed to relish the freedom andsense of play we found in our sonicexperiments and, later, our audiencesresponded to those efforts in ways we hadnever experienced. People said again andagain, “I’ve never felt that way before.”

This newfound form of musicalexpression thus had been validated to meinternally and externally, and I wonderedabout the peculiar power and meaning weseemed to have tapped.

Two Types of ChoralImprovisation

The first type I call “spontaneous”improv. Here, music is generated extemporeby the performers (singers, players, and/orleader). The second variety involves somedegree of pre-planning, which might includea consideration of the melodies, rhythms,textures, techniques, and their sequence.These types may be practiced separately orinteract and, together, they capture infinitepossibilities.

Spontaneous ImprovisationThe most familiar model for this type is

the jazz combo—musicians improvising onknown or invented tunes, exchanging ideaswith each other in musical conversation. Insinger-initiated improv, individualsintroduce ideas and respond to those offeredby others. The guiding idea here is that it allhappens spontaneously whether in aninformal or a concert setting.

Spontaneous improvisation works best insmall ensembles where individuals are easilyheard and responded to. Bobby McFerrin is,perhaps, the best known recordedpractitioner of this type of extemporaneousvocal improv. Performances with his twelve-member Voicestra usually feature Mr.McFerrin initiating ideas that are respondedto and developed by the other singers. Thetextures and grooves established might thenserve as a backdrop for further, soloisticimprovs. Recordings of these types ofcollaborations can be heard in McFerrin’sCirclesongs. Because of the soloistic nature ofthis style of improvisation and spacelimitations of this article, I will focus thisdiscussion on improv techniques best suitedto larger ensembles.

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ICB Dossier

Jeffrey SandborgProfessor of Music and

Choral Director

Improvising with Choirs

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Dossier

...Improvising with Choirs

Creating Parameters for ChoralImprovisation

This cumbersome description attemptsto capture another dimension of improvisedchoral singing. In it the conductor/leadercoordinates the unfolding of musicalmaterials, some of which may be known tothe singers before singing the improvisation,on the spot. In this way it is similar to theaforementioned “spontaneous” version. Theimportant difference is that the conductorcomes to the improvisation with ideas as tohow they might connect, or who might singwhat. This is not to say that newideas—tunes, textures, rhythms,combinations, etc., cannot be introducedalong the way by the conductor or others.They frequently are.

Some Improvisation DevicesWhen working with the choir as an

improvisational instrument, all things arepossible: mouth sounds (extended vocaltechniques), microtones, overtones, clusters,quodlibets, pedals, ostinati, minimialisttechniques, clapping, movement, rhythmicgrooves, and juxtapositions of all kinds aresome of the elements that can be used toinculcate the sense of play and creativity inwarm-ups, rehearsals or breaks from theroutine. Singers themselves are often afertile source for ideas. Once comfortablewith the possibilities of new paths, singerscan be open for more adventuresomeapplications.

This discussion will focus on a fewcompositional processes that recall thoseused by composers throughout westernmusical history. And, our examples willfeature processes that develop textures andcontinuity rather than of rhythmic motives.

CanonWestern composers’ use of the canon and

its variations is traced to the Middle Ages,and canonic techniques allow easy, variablemanipulation of melodic and rhythmiccontent. The term “canon” is useddeliberately here, rather than “imitation”which more often refers to the freer imitativepolyphonic textures of the Renaissance thatgrew out of the isorhythmic and canonictextures of the late Middle Ages. As animprovisational device, the formulaic natureof canonic writing provides a simple way ofgenerating continuous polyphonyextemporaneously.

As the canons Row Your Boat or FrèresJacques do famously, melodic material maybe repeated at the unison pitch level,however experimenting with entrances atdifferent pitch levels can yield strikingresults. The latter approach is demonstratedhere in the Swedish Christmas carol NuTändas Tusen Juleljus. The melody is heardin Recording 1, followed, in Recording 2, bya three-part canon of the melody in thefollowing order: bass enters at the fourth(A), the alto at the fifth (B) and the tenorsand altos sing the melody on the tonic (E),all at the interval of two beats.Recording 1: Nu Tändas tusen Juleljus,melody:

Recording 2: Nu Tändas tusen Juleljus,canon (order of entry IV, V, I), two-beatintervals of entrance

In this particular canonic treatment of NuTändas, the parts arrive in a suspension thatis resolved. The conductor and singers mayexperiment in advance to see whatcombinations may yield the most interestingresults and, in the process, might wish tocreate an arrangement.

Similarly, successive entrances of thecanonic material may occur at any interval oftime. Customarily Row Your Boat recurs atan interval of four beats, but why not three,or five beats? Or four-and-one-half? Anymelody can be played within these ways, andthis method can be an excellent introductionto extemporaneous music making fromwarm ups to performance.

Expanding Use of CanonA simple hymn can be reassembled as a

piece of imitative polyphony using canonicprinciples. In the following example, thehymn O Love Divine, What hast Thou Done?(heard in its entirety in Recording 3), eachvoice part enters sequentially (Recording 4)at the pitch levels found in the four-parthymn, in this case A/C#/A/E(Bass/Alto/Tenor/Soprano) and at theinterval of one measure. Order of parts’entrances, pitch and rhythmic intervals canchange every time.Recording 3: O Love Divine, four-partsetting

Example 1: Opening bars of O Love Divine

Recording 4: O Love Divine, four partsentering canonically

Entire polyphonic textures might also beused canonically. For example, any hymn (orany piece) might imitate itself at any intervalof time. John Taverner uses this model inHymn to the Virgin, for example.

http://faculty.roanoke.edu/sandbor/Recording1.mp3




conclusion, in keeping with the style of hisday. An ending does not have to be logical,or even decided in advance. Indeed, thepiece may meld into another piece oranother improvisation.

Below is a scheme for creating animprovisation on any familiar melody, usingmensuration technique. Each section of thechoir presents the melodic content of thesong in a meter posed by the conductor,which can be done extempore.A. Part I: 3/4B. Part II: 2/4C. Part III: 6/8D. Part IV: 3/2With melodies that are known by all, it is

easy to create polyphony using this processsimply by changing the mensurationsassigned to voice parts, the order that theyenter, and varying the mensurations in thesections as each finishes its melodicstatement. Similarly, the process opens upnumerous possibilities for recasting a four-part piece like a hymn or other pre-existingwork.

In the Recording 5 below, the first eightnotes of each line of the four parts of thehymn O Love Divine (Example 1) wereassigned different ostinato “mensurations” asa way to build a transition between differentsections of a program. In time, the pieceflowed into its familiar four-part setting.Recording 5: O Love Divine fragment(mensuration canon and ostinato)

Ad LibitumAd libitum choral singing in various

applications is familiar in 20th centurychoral composition. As an improv method,it can be a simple way to create evocativeatmospheres with varying textures.Recording 6 is a “Processional” created

ICB Dossier

19Mensuration CanonThe principles of mensuration canon

offer possibilities for interesting, beautifultextures from the simple materials. Thereader will recall that, with mensurationcanon, the composer assigns different metricvalues to a melody which is then given toeach voice. The “textbook example” of thistechnique is Ockeghem’s Missa Prolationem.Josquin’s Agnus Dei (Missa L’Homme Arme),seen in the following example, shows clearlythe principle of mensuration canon.Example 2: Agnus Dei from MissaL’Homme Arme; Josquin des Prez

Any familiar melody can generatespontaneously a type of mensuration canonby assigning to voice parts a metric value forthe melodic content. It is often easier toignore the original rhythmic values, therebyrelieving the singers of having to calculaterhythmic proportions as they sing.

Sometimes the conductor and performersmay wish to decide in advance how they wishthe piece to end. In Example 3, Josquincloses the movement with a “logical”

through a simple, pre-arranged plan using amajor scale. The special effects are “adlibbed” by a percussionist.Recording 6: Processional.

Scheme for Processional (Recording 6)• all voice parts began sing a major scalewith speed, phonemes, pauses, adlibitum.

• singers depart (ad lib) from scale torandom, chromatic pitches.

• as the singers reach concert position, theymigrate to the original scale.

• as a segue into the first piece, singerswere signaled to find opening chord ofopening piece.

Instrumental CollaborationThe availability of instrumentalists with

improvisational skills offers even moreopportunities for creativity and variety.Using Silent Night as a point of departure,the altos, tenors and basses were asked to“harmonize” the melody, sung by thesopranos with concurrent improvisation by aguitarist. The framework for this particularimprov, developed as a sort of theme andvariations on each verse of the carol, and wasused again and again as the basis for animprovisationRecording 7: Silent Night, (choir ad libharmonization setting with guitarimprovisation)

Instrumentalists eager to collaborate withchoirs in this way are helpful at keeping theball rolling as ideas develop. In extendedimprovisations, the conductor can pass thebaton to the players, as jazz musicians doamong themselves.




Dossier

...Improvising with Choirs

Improvisation as Concert MusicThe most ambitious use of the choir as an

improvisational instrument is to create anentire concert (or part of one)extemporaneously. The following recordedexcerpt from a performance by GunnarEriksson’s Gothenburg Chamber Choir, is arichly varied example of this sort of concert.In it the listener can hear the convergence ofthe two types of choral improv discussed inthe previous pages (performer-initiated/conductor- initiated) along withquodlibets, ostinati, pedals, clusters, canons,ad lib singing, and more. Most of themelodic and rhythmic elements were alreadyknown to the performers but how theconcert was to emerge was a mystery to alluntil it did. Like a chef preparing a mealwith no set recipe, and only the ingredientson hand, Eriksson combines and coordinatesthe musical elements. The instrumentscontribute freely to the development ofideas, provide transitional webbing and offertextural and timbral contrasts.Recording 8: Gothenburg UniversityChamber Choir, Gunnar Eriksson,Conductor, Lund, Sweden

BenefitsMusicians experimenting with the choir

as an improvisatory instrument will findmany rewards. Soon after I began blendingimprov into my rehearsals and concerts, Inoticed changes in individual singers, in thechoir as a whole, and in myself. Among thefirst things I observed was that this kind ofmusic making is great fun for all musicians,whatever their skills. My own singers’increased enjoyment has led to a more activeinvolvement in the learning process,curiosity and then, from these things, ever-growing confidence. From conversations inand out of rehearsals, I was aware that singers

were beginning to listen to other parts morecarefully, even critically, giving creativesuggestions for what we might do next. Ihave also detected an up tick in my singers’musical skills and more and freedom depthof sound. All of this is not to detract fromthe importance of all that is gained throughthe perfection of choral literature. Rather,choral improvisation, in its manydimensions, can establish and reinforce thevalues of good choral singing.

Listeners’ Responses“I must see the music,” an elderly man said,

in tears, after hearing an improvisation sungby my choir.

I sensed a special power in this kind ofmusic making when so many in ouraudiences responded with more emotionthan usual. While not everyone respondsthis way, choral improv moves peopleconsistently, and often in powerful ways.

What lies behind these unusually strongresponses? One reason might be that peopleenjoy experiencing new realities, to knowthat what they are hearing is unique.Sometimes there may be an element of magicto the way a particular improvisation, orimprov concert, unfolds. A more generalreason might be that, like other musicalexpressions, the continuous metamorphosisof improvisation symbolizes the lifeexperience, what Suzanne Langer oftendescribed as the invisible world of feeling.Like no other art, music symbolizes thetensions between order and chaos, beautyand ugliness, and it hints at other truths,other realities that have yet to beexperienced. And, of course, much of lifeitself is an improvisation: conversation,statecraft, thinking, parenting, games and a

multitude of other experiences that alternatebetween the invented and the planned. Therealm of improvisation, then, seems a naturalreflection of the human experience and cansuggest deeper understandings and insightswithin it.

The essence of improvisation seems to becaptured by Benjamin and RosamundZander in their book, The Art of Possibility*,in which they assert, “Art...is aboutrearranging us, creating surprisingjuxtapositions, emotional openings, startlingpresences, flight paths to the eternal.”

ConclusionGiven the fun, spontaneity and economy,

it would seem that the use of choralimprovisation has important and potentiallyrevolutionary implications for choral musicmaking in every corner of the world. It iseasy to get a room of people of any age andskill level making music in seconds, andenjoying the process. This was the childlikeresponse I had with Gunnar Eriksson inRotterdam. It is hoped that readers and theirsingers will be emboldened to search for theirown musical truths, in the rehearsal roomand in concert spaces.

* Benjamin and Rosmund Zander, The Art ofPossibility (New York, NY: Penguin books,2000), 3.

Dr. Jeffrey Sandborg is Professor of Music atRoanoke College in Salem, VA, USA, where hehas been Choir Director since 1985. Hereceived the D.M.A. in Choral Conducting andLiterature from the University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign. Sandborg is the authorof English Ways: Interviews with EnglishChoral Conductors.



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IFCMIn Brief: Extracts from the IFCM Online News Billboard for Board and MembersJean-Claude Wilkens

The IFCM’s 25th Anniversary Celebration Hit the High Point at the Biannual“Namur en Chœurs” EventCatalina Prieto

Choral Conductors Without Borders: UpdateChristina Kühlewein

IFCM News

International Federation for Choral Music

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ICB IFCM News

In BriefExtracts from the IFCM Online News Billboard for Board and Members

Jean-Claude WilkensIFCM Secretary General

Photo:

JuttaTagg

er

17th International Day of ChoralSinging

On 9 December the world sung in onevoice and in one heart to celebrate theInternational Day of Choral Singing. For themoment, is a pleasure to inform you that todate (12 December 2007) we have receivedcommunications from over 200 choirs in 58countries that have joined this cause. Duringthe whole weekend there were a number ofchoral events from students’ open air singingto concerts in huge venues and radio and TVbroadcasts dedicated exclusively to choralsinging. The International Day of ChoralSinging Proclamation was translated andread in more than 14 countries. To all whojoined this celebration: Thanks for Singing!Happy International Day of Choral Singing!

A complete report will be published inthe next issue of the ICB.

Changes at the InternationalCentre for Choral Music (ICCM) atNamur

The IFCM would like to inform you thatits Board decided to end the employment ofMr Jean-Marc Poncelet as the ExecutiveDirector of the International Centre forChoral Music at Namur, Belgium.

As the IFCM Secretary General, Mr Jean-Claude Wilkens, will temporarily be incharge of the Centre and Ms VéroniqueBour will take care of the dailyadministrative and financial tasks.

The ICCM has convened a GeneralAssembly in March 2008 in order to take thenecessary structural decisions and redefineits mission within the framework of theofficial agreements with its local partners(City, Province and State).

The projects administered by the ICCM,such as the World Youth Choir (winter andsummer sessions) will go on as planned.

Obituary: Andrew Fairbairn(1921-2007)

Andrew Fairbairn, educationist andpatron of music, died on 13 October. Hewas an important figure in the history ofchoral music in the UK, in Europe andbeyond.

He was the key figure in the organisationof the Europa Cantat VI festival in Leicesterin 1976 which gave rise to the BritishFederation of Young Choirs (BFYC). Underhis leadership, the National Youth Choir ofScotland and the Ulster Youth Choir inNorthern Ireland were established andcountless British and international choralevents organised. He also arranged the firstInterim Committee meeting in July 1981, inLoughborough, UK, devoted to producingdraft statutes for the new internationalorganisation to be created in 1982 under thename of IFCM.

We shall greatly miss Andrew, and willalways remember him and his humour aswell as his typical British correctness andpoliteness – he was the archetypal BritishGentleman.

ASWATUNA, an Arab ChoralFestival

The Arab Choral Festival Aswatuna is aninnovative and imaginative meeting of Arabchoirs and choral musicians together withSwedish musicians and choral musiciansfrom all over the world.

It will take place from 19 to 23 August2008 in the ancient city of Petra, Jordan aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site. The projectwill bring together choral musicians from thefive Arab peoples of the Levant: Iraq,Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine.Choral musicians from other Arab countriesand from the rest of the world are invited tojoin in this first choral celebration of musicalunity in the Arab world.The project is made possible through thegenerous support of Rikskonserter (ConcertsSweden) and is organized in collaborationwith the International Federation for ChoralMusic.Enquiries for participating and presenting:Ramzi [email protected] go to www.arabchoral.org

Creation of a National Federationof Choral Music in the Republicof the Congo

A General Assembly was held in PointeNoire, Republic of the Congo, lastSeptember in order to bring together themusical group managers and the persons incharge of the culture in Congo. The meetingwas lead by Mr. Gervais Hugues Ondaye(Music Committee of Congo) and Mr.Albert Kimbouala (director of theDepartment of Culture and Arts in PointeNoire).

They created the National Federation forChoral Music and set up an executivecommittee with the following officers:Mr. Laurent NTassani: President, in charge

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IFCM News

of the coordination, orientation and relationswith the IFCMMr. Cyr Ebina: Vice-President, in charge ofthe organization of a programme of activitiesMr. Jean-Claude NGoma: Secretary GeneralMr. Boris M. Moutsita Ngouma: in chargeof the communications and public relationsMrs. Nadine A. Ihou: in charge of thefinances and equipmentThis federation will organize its first festivalof choral music from 11-13 July 2008.Contact: [email protected] to this new federation!

Philip Brunelle HonouredHis Majesty the King of Norway has

nominated IFCM Board member PhilipBrunelle Commander of the RoyalNorwegian Order of Merit for promotingNorwegian music in the USA.

It was also noted that he is an outstandingand internationally acknowledgedconductor, pianist and music historian.

Mr. Brunelle is an honorary doctor atseveral universities and colleges, honoraryconductor at several of internationalorchestras and operas, and holds numerousinternational and national titles within themusic community.

The composers presented include EgilHovland, Ola Gjeilo (a young Norwegiancomposer living in New York City), EdvardGrieg as well as Trond Kverno and KnutNystedt.

The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit wasfounded by King Olav V in 1985 and isconferred on foreign and Norwegiannationals as a reward for outstanding servicein the interest of Norway. His Majesty TheKing is the Grand Master of the Order.

Obituary: Jean Tarnawiecki(1923-2007)

We learned from our Peruvian friend andtranslator for the ICB Alejandro Piscoya thatJean Tarnawiecki died on 19 November2007. She was an amazing teacher and thefounder of the choral movement in Peru.She will always be remembered as a greathuman being, a teacher and a friend.

Jean was present at the first meetingspreparing the creation of the IFCM and verysupportive of this federation. The choralworld will miss her.

Our deep condolences to her family andfriends.

International Music CouncilTakes Key Decisions for theFuture of the OrganizationPress Release (extracts)

The 32nd General Assembly of theInternational Music Council, held inBeijing, 14-16 October 2007, adopted aseries of key decisions that will pave the wayto building greater capacity of theorganization and its members to worktowards its vision of becoming the world’sleading professional organization dedicatedto the development and promotion ofdiverse music.

Drawing on the IMC’s mission toprovide exceptional value to its membershipby building knowledge, creating networkingopportunities, supporting and enhancingthe visibility of projects that help sustainpeople’s participation in musical life, theIMC will carry out its future actions inaccordance with a new strategic plan. Theseven strategic objectives have beentranslated into action lines for the comingbiennium.

In addition to normal business regardingnew admissions as well as exclusions andsuspensions, finance and budget, the

...In Brief

General Assembly adopted a newmembership structure that will allow anyorganization in the field of arts and culturethat subscribes to the IMC’s mission andobjectives, to become a voting member ofthe IMC. Along with this new structure, anew membership fee scale was also agreedupon.

The General Assembly re-elected RichardLetts (Australia) President for a second 2-year term.

The General Assembly also elected alsothree new members of the Executive Board:Sonja Greiner (Germany), Liane Hentschke(Brazil) and Timo Klemettinen (Finland).

Mr. Letts will be joined in the Board'sDirectorate by Beata Schanda (Hungary) asexecutive vice-president, Felipe de Leon(Philippines) and Peter Rantasa (Austria) asvice-presidents; as well as Lars Grunth(Denmark) as treasurer.

Three distinguished personalities wereelected to join the circle of HonoraryMembers of the IMC, chosen from amongthe world's outstanding professionals,educators, performers and composers:Gengchen Fu (China), Einar Solbu(Norway) and Zuqiang Wu (China).

Over 70 delegates attended the meeting,and 36 nations were represented.

The Assembly was held in conjunctionwith the 2nd IMC World Forum on Musicand hosted by the Chinese MusiciansAssociation, with the support of a number ofsponsors and partners.Information: International Music Council,Silja Fischer, 1 rue Miollis, 75732 PARISCedex 15, FranceE-mail: [email protected]: www.unesco.org/imc

For more recent news, please consultwww.ifcm.net •

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Catalina Prieto has a Master’s degree in musicand is currently studying for a Master’s degreein Cultural Management. She is an assistant inthe International Centre for Choral Music inNamur, Belgium. She has sung with the WorldYouth Choir.E-mail: [email protected]

Translated from the Spanish by Ian Jones,Belgium •

IFCM News

26 organizations and conductors from the fivecontinents were read out, was attended bynearly 40 personalities of the internationalchoral world and was a fitting prelude to theeagerly awaited concert by the famousSwedish ensemble, The Real Group. Playingto a full house in the Namur Theatre, thefirst part was given by the Belgian groupWitloof Bay. Their jazz programme includedsuch well-known songs as Sweet Lorraine andMy Father and will long remain in thememories of the audience as the high spot ofthe Festival.

The IFMC’s year of celebrations hit thehighpoint at this festival. It was a climax ofthe first 25 years of a Federation that will liveon for many more years and continue to gainstrength. I hope to be around for the GoldenJubilee! For now, and to conclude this shortreport: Happy Birthday to the IFCM!

Namur was dressed up for a gala event from26 to 30 October, demonstrating why it isknown as the choral capital of the world.More than 3,000 people gathered in thevarious venues in the capital of Wallonia tolisten to choral performances of variouskinds. Audiences heard a range of styles fromtraditional African music sung by thecolourful La Grâce choir from theDemocratic Republic of Congo, to highlydemanding works by contemporarycomposers from the Swedish ensemble VocesNordicae, the fresh young style of theEnglish Voces8 and the sound experimentsof the German Consono chamber choir.

Belgian choirs were not left out. A choirfrom the French Community appeared atevery evening concert. These includedunforgettable performances from Ishango,Polypholia, Terpsichore and Ottavina.

It needs to be stressed that in addition tothe evening concerts, the Festival programmeincluded workshops and clinics run by theabove-mentioned international groups thatenabled the participants to encounter novelrepertoires and ways of making choral music,to interact with conductors and spend ahappy time singing with people sharing theirpassion for choral music.

For five days, Namur was transformedinto a veritable city of song! TheInternational Federation of Choral Musicmade the right choice in opting for thissetting as the culmination of its 25thanniversary celebrations. On Friday 26October, the Governor of the Province ofNamur hosted a reception for 77 guests fromthe choral world and on Saturday 27October it was the turn of IFCM President,Lupwishi Mbuyamba, to offer a dinner at theChâteau of Namur to celebrate 25 years ofwork and efforts to unite the world in asingle voice. The dinner, at whichcongratulation cards from choral

The IFCM’s 25th Anniversary Celebration

Catalina PrietoAssistant in ICCM

hit the High Point at the Biannual “Namur en Chœurs” Event

Photo:

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bus

∂inner at the Château of Namur: Marie-Paule and Lupwishi Mbuyamba, Martine Jacques and Noël Minet

Composers’ CornerIf you would like to take

responsibility of this section,please contact the ManagingEditor at [email protected]

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28 similar conductor training initiatives thatthey developed in Norway, in the Andeanregion, in South-East Asia as well as in theFrench-speaking countries of West Africa.Appointed members of the committee willshape the ideas of this meeting and prepare apresentation of CWB to the Board of IFCMin March.

The following delegates were present:Alberto Grau, Venezuela (Fundación ScholaCantorum de Venezuela, Honorary Patron ofCWB); Maria Guinand, Venezuela (IFCMVice President, Fundación Schola Cantorumde Venezuela); Daniel Garavano, Argentina(IFCM Board member and chairman of the

Conductors’ Commission, President of theInternational Choral Competition ofTrelew); Andre de Quadros, USA (IFCMadvisor and chairman of the Multiculturaland Ethnic Commission, Professor andDirector of the School of Music at BostonUniversity); Thiérry Thiébaut, France (ACJFrance); Thomas Caplin, Norway (choralconductor, Associate Professor at theHedmark University College); VanceGeorge, USA (director emeritus of the SanFrancisco Symphony Chorus); and ChristinaKühlewein (IFCM Program Coordinator).

More information to come in ICB's nextissue! •

A Choral Conductors Without Borders (CWB)discussion took place in Caracas from the22nd to the 24th of November, hosted bythe Andean Development Bank CAF and theFundación Schola Cantorum de Venezuela.

The fruitful 3-day brainstorming meetingled to a first definition of goals, prioritiesand directions of CWB as a sustainabledevelopment program that will reach out tothose conductors/choral leaders who lackaccess to professional guidance andmentorship, and will create insightfulleadership committed to the social values ofchoral singing.

The delegates shared their experiences of

Choral Conductors Without BordersUpdate

Christina KühleweinIFCM Program Coordinator

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deCaracas

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WorldObituary: Petr Eben (1929-2007)


The First Swiss Children’s and Youth Choir Festival (8-10 June 2007)A Successful Beginning

The Busan APEC Choral Festival and Competition 2007Fred Sjöberg

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ICB Choral World News

Obituary: Petr Eben (1929-2007)

Czech composer Petr Eben died on 24October 2007 at the age of 78, after a longillness.

Petr Eben was born in Southern Bohemia(Czech Republic) and started his musiccareer at an early age, playing the piano whenhe as only six, then starting with the organ atthe age of nine and beginning to composeshortly after. As a teenager he wasimprisoned in Buchenwald together with hisfamily. After the war he resumed his studiesin Prague, studying piano and composition.

He became a well-known organist andtaught musicology in Prague, where hebecame professor for composition at theAcademy of Music in 1991.

Petr Eben was considered one of the mostimportant Czech composers of our times.He wrote many compositions includingballet music and songs but was known bestfor his works for choir and for organ,including the church opera Jeremiah andmany commissioned works. A large numberof his works have been recorded on CD.

Petr Eben was an Honorary Member ofthe IFCM and participated in IFCM’sEuropean Symposium on Choral Music inLjubljana in 1995, an event for which hecomposed Vae gentibus.

The choral community shall greatly missthis wonderful composer.

If you wish to send a message to hisfamily, you can write to David EbenE-mail: [email protected] •

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The First Swiss Children’s and Youth Choir Festival(8-10 June 2007) A Successful Beginning

Press ReleaseTwenty-eight choirs consisting of some

900 children and young people from all fourlinguistic regions of Switzerland spent aweek-end in the cities of Zollikon andZurich at the first Swiss Children’s and YouthChoral Festival (SKJF). This festival, theconcept of which was new for Switzerland,was initiated and realized by Michael Gohl.“Only very few of the approximately 1000Swiss children’s and youth choirs ever meetother choirs; and till now there has neverbeen a Swiss festival where choirs couldspend more than a day singing together”, hesaid. “The aim was the creation of a newforum which would initiate lasting andstrengthening impulses for the work ofchildren’s and youth choirs.” With that inmind, special conditions were created for amusical and special framework allowing thechoirs to meet and to listen to each other,thus making possible the exchange of newmusic and performance concepts as well associal encounters across the linguisticbarriers. About 20 “choir-to-choir concerts”were organised with three choirs taking partin each, as performers and as each other’saudience. The four “best choirs” from eachlinguistic region were invited to perform atthe “gala concert”, while for the “festivalconcert” each choir had the right to apply.The final concert consisted of a surprisepresentation of the festival’s “highlights”.This concept enabled fruitful encounters totake place, e.g. between shy “festival novices”who had never participated in a festival andfirst-class choirs like the Coro CalicantusLocarno or the Swiss Youth Choir. Theopening session of the festival was highlyentertaining: each choir introduced itselfthrough a musical “calling card” lasting amaximum of fifteen seconds. On theSaturday, all those choirs that wished to doso had the opportunity to attend workshops

with subjects like “choir and dance”, “bodypercussion”, “circle songs” or “Africanmusic”. The evening event, entitled “OpenStage”, allowed the young people to presentthemselves in which ever way they chose.On the Sunday, the choirs fanned out intothe surrounding region, to participate inreligious services or matinees. The mainconcerts were moderated in three languages,not by professionals, but with a lot ofhumour and imagination, by the femalemembers of the Zurich Youth Choir (whoalso served as the pilot choir for the OpenSinging). The Open Singing too was given anew shape by the organisers; in order tocreate a festival identity, the choirs did notonly sing together at the beginning and theend of the major concerts, but sometimesalso between the main parts of theprogramme. The festival songbook SKJF_07contains mostly Swiss compositions andfolksong arrangements. Five of them hadbeen commissioned specially for the festivaland were premiered there.

The IFCM indirectly helped this festivalto become reality: Michael Gohl hadorganised the first Swiss choral forum duringthe World Youth Choir summer session in2003 on the Hasliberg, Switzerland. Thepresence of the World Youth Choir fired theimagination of the representatives of thevarious choral associations, music colleges,music school associations and churches intosetting up, amongst other things, the“initiative group” for festival for children’sand youth choirs. Thanks to the success ofthis first festival this summer, theorganisational committee of the 2009 festivalwhich is to take place in Schaffhausen hasalready been established. Over and abovethis, the newly created “Verein SKJF“(Association SKJF) aims at linking up andencouraging other activities among the Swisschildren’s and youth choirs, hoping that infuture an increasing number of Swissrepresentatives will take part in internationalchoral festivals.

Website: www.skjf.ch

Translated from the German by Jutta Tagger,France •

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33“There have been very few periods during mylifetime when there hasn’t been a warsomewhere…and at this very moment ourthoughts are with all those in regions of theearth who are engaged in conflict. I thinkwe have to pray as never before for peace tosettle, as we sing Dona Nobis Pacem”-Sir David WillcocksVancouver, B.C., July 2006

BackgroundFrom international military offensives to

ethnically motivated killings to gangwarfare, our world is full of violence – everyday. Simply to wish that things weredifferent is not enough to make them so.This project seeks to bring thousands – oreven millions – of voices together toproclaim loudly that peace in our world is offundamental importance.

The ProjectMusic is a powerful force. It can inspire,

fill with joy and awe, and move hearts.Music can also warn and plead, and it canlament. Music – and indeed all art – thataspires to something greater than merebeauty has always made a great impression,and can be a voice of warning orcommemoration in society. In March 2008,we are seeking to create an internationalmusical appeal for peace, using words thathave been sung for centuries: Dona NobisPacem - Grant Us Peace.

How to ParticipateProgram one or more “Dona Nobis

Pacem” works, or works with other textsthat explicitly ask for peace, on a new oralready-scheduled concert in March 2008.Inform the organizers (see below) of thedate, program, participants and location ofyour performance. Performances can also beinformal – e.g. gathering a group of singers

to perform in a park, public square, or othernon-traditional venue.

How We Will HelpThe goal is to make this an international

project, with participation across all 50 statesand in multiple countries. The “Song ofPeace” organizers will publicize the eventsand communicate with the media about theproject as a whole. The more concrete dataabout the numbers of people and localesinvolved that we have, the more publicattention we will be able to obtain. We will


maintain as comprehensive a database of theDona Nobis Pacem performances as possible,help connect people who are trying to find aperformance or looking for performers, andsuggest suitable works.

Questions, Contact, More InfoFor any further information, and to be

counted as a participant, please [email protected].

Visit www.SongOfPeace.org for updates,lists of “Dona Nobis Pacem” works, lists ofconcerts, and more. •

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Choral World NewsThe Busan APEC Choral Festival and Competition 2007

Fred SjöbergVice-President of Europa Cantat

From 31 October to 4 November, manychoirs from all over the world gathered inBusan, South Korea, for the third APECChoral Festival and Competition, always avery pleasant event. The Artistic Director ofthe festival was Dolf Rabus, Germany, whodid a great job putting everything togetherand making the organisation work so well.Chair of the jury was Prof Volker Hempfling(Germany); the other members were OscarEscalada (Argentina), Fred Sjöberg (Sweden),Saeko Hasegawa (Japan), Yang Li (China)and Gu Cheon and Bae Seung-Taek (SouthKorea). Alongside the intensivecompetitions, there were also workshops andOpen Singing. Workshop conductors wereAna Maria Raga (Venezuela), JonathanVelasco (Philippines) and Stan Engebretson(USA). The evenings were filled withconcerts both in and outside the city.Everything was very well organized and thehalls for both the competitions and for theconcerts were excellent.

The winners in each category were:Grand Prix:- University of the East Chorale(Philippines)

Mixed voices:- Adam Mickiewicz University Chamber

Choir (Poland)- University of the East Chorale

(Philippines)Equal voices:- Max Reger Vereinigung (Germany)

Rock/Pop/Jazz:- University of the East Chorale(Philippines)

Ethnic:- Khabarovsk Yelan Choir (Russia)- Bundanggu Mother’s Choir (Korea)

Best conductor overall:- Krzysztof Szydzisz, conductor of theAdam Mickiewicz Chamber Choir(Poland).

Busan is a very friendly, beautiful andpleasant city. With participants from all overthe world the organizers must and should beboth proud and happy. If you have not beento South Korea take a chance and participatenext time.

Fred Sjöberg is a Swedish choral conductor, aVice-President and member of the MusicCommission of Europa Cantat and theSecretary of the Eric Ericson Foundation.


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Advertisement

Children’s and Youth Choral FestivalsAn Interview with Donna Otto and Morna EdmundsonCristian Grases

World of Children’s & Youth Choirs

Children’sand Youth

World of

Choirs

If you would like to write an article andsubmit it for possible publication in thissection

Please contact Cristian Grases, Editor

Email: [email protected]

Donna Otto and Morna Edmundson are twodistinguished Canadian musicians andconductors that organize the Coastal SoundInternational Choral Festival in Vancouver,Canada. They were also heavily involved in thefirst edition of the World of Children’s Choirsfestival in 2001, where they took the task ofbringing together 2001 children in a massivechoral gathering. In the last edition I spokeabout the importance of choral festivals forchildren and youth in the education anddevelopment of our future leaders and itspotential impact on future internationalunderstanding. I sat down with Morna andDonna during their festival to get them to sharetheir experience as organizers of choral festivals,so that others might feel encouraged also toundertake the organization of such importantevents as choral festivals (big or small), or justfeel compelled to participate in them with theiryouth ensembles.

Cristian Grases (CG): I guess the main pointof our meeting today is to let others around theworld know the importance and advantages ofa festival like this…why do we do it?… why dowe go through the trouble of putting an eventlike this together?...in your specific case, whatsparked the need for a festival like the CoastalSound?Morna Edmundson (ME): It probably camefrom the experience of the World of Children’sChoirs, but the festival did not have to bethat big… and also because “CoastalSounds”, having a youth mixed choir (whichis somewhat unusual) could host such anevent. So, when we thought of developingour own festival, we wanted to representboth equal and mixed voices. There are a lotof festivals where treble voiced choirs can go,but not that many for mixed choirs, so wewhere thinking of serving both.Donna Otto (DO): Also, once my own choirattended an international festival and I saw

the musical and personal growth achievedwhen meeting children and musicians fromother places, I thought it was necessary toshow the complete experience to thecommunity from where they come and totheir parents. One tries to describe whathappens and they try to imagine it; but it isnot until they are actively involved in theprocess and they hear the sound of the 300or 400 singers that they realize the depth ofthe interaction. So it really educates thecommunity.

CG: So your first festival with the CoastalSound was a smaller one, which is certainlymore manageable. Besides, if the event is smalland something goes wrong, it is somehow asmall mistake. You learn from it, and it allowsyou to build your background and experiencefor future events…DO: …and you are also able to work out thelogistics, especially within the community;so you give them the opportunity to get toknow what a festival is all about and to buildthe working relationships that are key for thesuccess of any event like this. It is from herethat you can grow into bigger festivals.

CG: So, what does one need to undertake afestival like this in one’s community?ME: Well, first of all I think you need toattend one or two, take your choir andexperience it as a participant. Then backhome, you need at least two years to plan itand advertise it properly. You also need tohave a venue which, ideally, allows the choirsto live, eat and rehearse in the same place,and that ensures the safety of theparticipants. You also need a good place tosing because if someone is going to travel along way, we want to ensure that they havethe best places to sing. And then you need avenue for the final concert which is a

challenge because it has to be big enough forall participants to sing.

CG: And you also need a team that helps you.How is this team structured?ME: We created a legally separate not-for-profit organization especially for this festival(which is pretty common) because thebudget could somehow dwarf the one of thehosting organization. And we have a boardof about ten people working on this projectfor two years; most of them were involved inthe previous festivals which is great becausethe past collective experience helps with theplanning of the next event. Of that team,about half have a good knowledge of choirsfrom touring with us in the past. This allowsall the artistic considerations always to bepresent in all the meetings. This board helpsyou with the concept of the festival, andespecially they help raise the funds and workon community relations, to find the singingvenues and the accommodation. That is whywe look for people with strong connectionsin the community.

CG: Ok, so you have a board and an artisticteam…ME: …and we also have staff. We startedwith the festival manager, part-time, about18 months before the event. And heprogressively dedicated more of his timeuntil it became a full-time position …DO: …to which we added an assistantfestival manager, a technical director who isin charge of moving all the equipment toeach concert venue, and in the last month weincluded professional stage managers (oneper concert venue).ME: And it is very important that theinformation gets distributed early enough inthe process so it is not just in the heads ofone or two people. Instead the informationstarts flowing to the team of people involved

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Cristian Grasesconductor and composer

Children’s and Youth Choral Festivals

ICB World of Children’s and Youth Choirs

An Interview with Donna Otto and Morna Edmundson

World of Children’s and Youth Choirs

38

...Children’s and Youth Choral Festivals

so specific tasks get delegated to themembers of the organizing team. Thus yourjob becomes one of overseeing that whatneeds to be done does get done by theresponsible group.

CG: And then you need people like aphotographer, someone in charge of soundrecording, and probably a person in charge ofmarketing and promotion.DO: These are positions for which you canhire staff or sometimes find volunteerswithin the same community. You can doquite a bit with volunteers, but you mustunderstand and respect their limited timecommitment. The volunteers are really theheart and soul of the organization.

CG: Who does the budget?DO: The board, but Morna was involvedjust because of her past and currentexperience with other festivals.

CG: So it is very important to have someonewho has had past experience with otherfestivals to help with your festival budget.ME: Yes, for sure, because at a certain pointquite early-on you have to say how much itwill cost to attend, and you don’t want tofind out later that you didn’t add up all thenumbers correctly.

CG: Having your choirs involved as hostsobviously brings all the advantages to them,and of course, you have a group of people(choristers and parents) that constitute the coreof your volunteers; but it doesn’t make any sensefor them if you don’t invite internationalchoirs. How difficult is this?ME: Well, luckily there are someinternational publications in which we canadvertise and market the event so that itreaches the community of ensemblesworldwide. The publications from ACDA,

IFCM and Chorus America help spread theword.DO: I have personally given postcards toconductors at international conventions andworkshops and some of them come to yourevent because of that interaction. So it is thepersonal connection, director-to-directornetworking. Also, the reputation of theclinicians is very important and certainlyhelps other choirs to decide to come to aparticular festival.

CG: So it is not only marketing, but you as thehead must travel to the big international eventsand network with everybody, personally invitepeople, get the information to key people thatwill in time help you spread the word…DO: …and then encourage the people thathave successfully attended your past festivalsto spread the word, so the reputation of anevent progressively builds up.

CG: For me these festivals are tremendouslyimportant because of a key word:understanding. In events like this kids come tounderstand other kids, other cultures, otherways of doing things and behaving. The morediverse the population of choirs, the greater theunderstanding.DO: Well, the mandate for our festivalincludes the words “building bridges ofunderstanding”

CG: So in a festival it’s important to balancerehearsal time with spaces for social interactionand exchange. What is your experience in thisregard?ME: To ensure the musical aspect of this,one of the keys is finding clinicians who canchoose appropriate repertoire and who canaccomplish a good musical result in thelimited time these festivals can offer. Youmust also emphasize to the choirs theimportance of preparing the music ahead oftime. Based on the premise that the musical

Final concert rehearsal, with Bob Chilcott and Cristian Grases

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39aspect will work, the festival can provide thechoirs with some free time in the schedule inthe hope that the social interaction willhappen. You can’t force people to interact,but you can certainly create an environmentconducive to it happening. This doubleexperience, musical and social, istremendously advantageous for your singers.DO: I agree. We organize our festivalbecause we understand its power. One of mysingers made it all worth for me when shesaid: “I could not speak to this other singer,but when we where on stage we held hands

and we sang the same song!” And I said tomyself, “That’s why!”

CG: Absolutely. Our communities need to seethat and we must understand that these kidsare the future leaders of our world, leaders whowill have tremendously profound experiencesand understanding of the world in which welive; and who will return home with a bag ofmemories that will help them make futuredecisions.

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Cristian Grases obtained a Master’s degree inchoral conducting with Alberto Grau andMaría Guinand in Caracas. He works as acomposer, guest conductors, workshop leader,educator and jury member in North and SouthAmerica, Europe and Asia. He is a member ofthe International SongBridge Committee. Atthe moment he is working on his doctoraldegree (conducting and composition) at theUniversity of Miami under Dr. Jo-MichaelScheibe.

E-Mail: [email protected] •

New CD ReleasesJean-Marie Marchal

Collector’s Corner


If you would like a CD to be consideredfor review

Please contact Jean-Marie Marchal,Editor

CIMCAvenue Jean 1er, 2B-5000 NamurBelgium

Email: [email protected]

The new recording from the FretworkEnsemble and the Choir of MagdalenCollege of Oxford offers us an interestingplunge into Anglican works by William Byrd(c. 1540-1623), with a selection of diverseanthems (including Prevent us, o Lord, or OLord, make thy servant Elizabeth), chambermusic for organ, violas and solo tenor, threeIn Nomine for violas and two Fantasies fororgan. Splendid music indeed, shown off tofine effect by the varied program.Unfortunately, the large cast takes its respectfor Byrd’s artistry to the point of producing amodest reading that does not do full justiceto the works nor ever fully realize theirexpressive potential. (One exception is RyanLeonard, brilliant on organ.) Likewise, thetrebles’ intonation and precision are morethan once in jeopardy, leaving us hungeringfor something more. Interesting, but notfully polished. (Byrd – Second Service andConsort Anthems – Harmonia MundiHMU 907440).

By contrast, the new recording by PaulVan Nevel and the Huelgas Ensemble ismagnificent from start to finish, both in itschoice of songs and their interpretation. Thealmost didactic program takes its timeexploring three major Renaissance masses,representative of as many different schools:

the famous Franco-Flemish (Missa “Tous lesregretz” by Roland de Lassus), the Roman(Missa Ut re mi fa sol la by GiovanniPierluigi da Palestrina) and last, the richlyornamented late English Gothic (ThomasAshewell’s Missa Ave Maria). The singers’technical perfection, the ensemble’sremarkable tone quality, and its sparkling,eloquent interpretation are truly nothingshort of marvelous. A great musicalmoment. (Harmonia Mundi HMC901922)

Admittedly, anthologies devoted to thechoral works of Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) are hardly overrepresented in recordstore bins. Thus the new recording by theChamber Choir of Namur, under thedirection of Jean Tubéry and accompaniedby the Baroque orchestra Les Agrémens,makes an interesting find. In addition toseveral works for organ, brilliantlyinterpreted by David Van Bouwel, we findtwo motets and three cantatas, all absolutelymagnificent. The motets Jauchzet dem Herrnand Gott is unser Zuversicht are tackled withwarmth and energy. Using a single voice oneach part subtracts nothing from theopulence of the writing, while offering it aremarkable clarity. Based on choralmelodies, the cantatas Jauchzet dem Herrn,Was Gott tut, das is wohlgetan and Christ lagin Todesbanden are true masterpieces of the

German Baroque, with their typicalalternation of concertante airs and choirs.Jean Tubéry and his musicians give us theeloquently pleasurable sensation of a readingthat is both serene and stimulating.Recommended. (Ricercar 255).

Cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bachalways draw raves from performers andmusic-lovers! Among several new releases,let us first mention two by John EliotGardiner, the Monteverdi Choir and theEnglish Baroque Soloists, recorded in 2000during the famous “Bach Pilgrimage”. Thefirst volume (Number 6 in the upcomingcomplete set) covers cantatas for the 12thand 13th Sundays after Trinity Sunday(BWV 33, 35, 69A, 77, 137 and 164), whilethe second (Number 23) dwells on the musicBach left for the 1st and 2nd Sundays ofEaster (cantatas BWV 42, 67, 85, 104, 112,150 and 158). Throughout these recordings,one finds the same undeniable qualities thatwere present in the preceding volumes, aswell as a few of their defects. The performersknow their Bach through and through, andthe technical quality of their performances(although variable from one soloist toanother) fully measures up to theirreputation. But Gardiner’s approach, sorefined and coherent overall, at times lacksthe daring, the passion, the convictionneeded to generate full excitement (Soli Deo

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ICB Collector’s Corner

New CD Releases

Jean-Marie MarchalDirector of the Namur Centerfor Choral Singing (Belgium)

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42 enjoyed great popularity at the time and longremained in the repertoire of German choirsthanks to various later re-editions. Thisphase of Homilius’ work is on display here ina representative selection that shows hisdiverse sources of inspiration. Homiliusknew how to create variety in his structuresand arrangements, ensuring that the genrewould not appear to be simply stuck intradition. Real vitality, a wide variety ofsound styles and perspectives, constantattention to the text, at times truly dramaticaccents – all are on display in this recording.As a result, one never tires of listening overand over again to the seventeen motets inthis anthology, admirably performed by achoir whose warm, fruity timbre and naturalexpressiveness are carefully and preciselyguided by a director who knows how tobring out details without ever losing the line,who reveals the power as well as thesubtleties of polyphonic language. The workof a master-craftsman! (Homilius – Motets –Kammerchor Stuttgart, dir. Frieder Bernius –Carus 83.210).

The two Liebeslieder Walzer cycles (op. 52and 64) of Johannes Brahms have alwaysbeen a big hit. These “love songs for fourvoices and four-handed piano” are indeedthe delight of choirs worldwide, especially soin light of a happy streak of popularity.Given all that, of course, one could entrustthese works to a “simple” vocal quartet,although this may not always prove a wisechoice. Indeed, the soloists’ voices might notalways harmonize well if they lack experiencesinging polyphony, with all its specificdemands. From this point of view, thequartet gathered here (M. Petersen, S.Doufexis, W. Güra, K. Jarnot) convincinglymanages to find an interesting balancebetween their individual timbres and thenecessary unity of energies and expressiveleaps. (Harmonia Mundi HMC 901945).

We continue with another very highquality recording, an essential work of the20th century vocal repertoire: KarlheinzStockhausen’s Stimmung. An experimentalwork that explores the very essence ofspeech, Stimmung presents singers withtechnical challenges (modes of soundproduction, improvisation based on a seriesof 50-some models…), as well as a kind ofmystical experience that seeks to bring souland voice into harmony. Connectionsbetween the singers, and the technical andhuman baggage each brings with them, comeinto play to such an extent that eachperformance of this work is essentiallydifferent. Let’s say that this new recording isparticularly refined and, as a result, of astupefying beauty (Paul Hillier & Theatre ofVoices, Harmonia Mundi HMU 807408).

Another original find: the GillesBinchois Ensemble and Dominique Vellard,who have distanced themselves this timefrom their preferred repertoire (medieval andRenaissance vocal music)… as if somehowthe better to return to it! Indeed, we havehere a recording of works composed byDominique Vellard between 1999 and 2005on several sacred texts in the “grandtradition”: Messe (without Credo), StabatMater, the motets Caligaverunt oculi mei andO vos omnes, the Seven Last Words of Christ onthe Cross. The composer expresses himself

Gloria 143 and 131). The other recordingoffers us three Bach cantatas for theChristmas season, all making use ofcornettos and trombones, instruments rarelyemployed by the composer (BWV 64, 121and 133). Here we have the NantesChamber Choir and Les Agrémens, underthe direction of Jean Tubéry. The Frenchdirector decided to entrust all the solo partsto choir members, which lends an originalcharacter to the recording and makes itrepresentative of a true work of servicemusic. As a result, Bach’s music is playedwith sparkling naturalness, a continual desirefor balance and eloquence, and completelyfree of ostentation (Ricercar 257).

For their part, the RIAS Kammerchor, theBerlin Academy for Ancient Music andDaniel Reuss offer us a new version ofSolomon, one of the most beautiful oratoriosby George Frideric Handel. Coming afterGardiner (an authority in choral matters,with his indispensable Monteverdi Choir)and McCreesh (the only one to proposeperforming the work without a break), Reussoffers us a reading that brings out the tenderand contemplative aspects of the oratorio,with numerous moments of pure poetryalong the way. The more withdrawn andsolemn pieces can surprise hearers by theirrelative sobriety (restrained tempos), but thesincerity and tranquil assurance of this newreading make for quite interestingcomparisons with rival versions. (HarmoniaMundi HMC 901949.50).

Gottfried August Homilius (1714-1785)spent the major part of his career in Dresden,first as organist, then Cantor of theKreuzkirche and of the Frauenkirche, whereworship services were Protestant, whereas thecourt chapel (where Heinichen, Zelenka andHasse worked) remained faithful toCatholicism. This relatively prolificcomposer wrote more than two hundredcantatas, oratorios and motets, which


...Article Title...New CD Releases

using a limpid musical language andsomewhat condensed writing, whichpromote a perfect understanding and readingof the text. A sober, measured work, a bitaustere perhaps but authentically sincere,without any artifice, that evolves essentiallyin a modal context (notably through the useof plain chant) and at times reminds one ofthe harmonic constructions of Poulenc. Thismusic flings a sensitive and intelligent bridgeacross a thousand-year–old tradition ofsacred music. A wonderful discovery.(Glossa GCD P32301).

In ending, I invite you to taste the charmsof the latest anthology recorded by theexcellent men’s choir Orphei Drängar, whichpays tribute here to the arranging skills of itsdirector, Robert Sund. A varied and veryattractive repertoire (La vie en rose, LaCucaracha, La Muerte del Angel, LondonderryAir, Sophisticated Lady, among others,including works by Sund himself – FyraSåger för Manskör). One couldn’t dream up abetter ending for this column! (BIS-NL-CD-5030)E-mail: [email protected]

Translated from the French by Anita Shaperd,USA •

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ICB Collector’s Corner

Advertisement

EventsCompiled by Nadine Robin

I. Conferences, Workshops & Masterclasses

II. Festivals & Competitions

Events

We are pleased to provide these lists ofinternational festivals, competitions,conferences, workshops and master classesto our members. They are based on thebest information available to us. However,we advise you to check the specific detailswith the organizers of the individual eventthat you may be interested in attending.

IFCM does NOT specifically recommendany of the events listed. However, weencourage you to check with the ‘ChoralFestival Network’(www.choralfestivalnetwork.org) whosemembers have signed the IFCM “TotalQuality Charter”, which is an agreementto follow the minimum requirements ofquality, transparency and fairness forchoral festivals.

Please submit event information forpublication to:

IFCM International OfficeAttn. Nadine RobinZ.A. Le MesnilChemin des CarreauxF-14111 Louvigny, FranceEmail: [email protected]

International Workshop for Choral Conductors,Mexico City, Mexico, 4-9 Feb 2008. Choralconducting for children's choirs with SannaValvanne (Finland), who created a singing methodcalled "Making Music Body and Soul". Contact:ECVT "Voce in Tempore A.C.", Tel: +52-44-5533319470, Email: [email protected] Website: www.voceintempore.org

28th Annual National Conductors’ Symposium,Vancouver, Canada, 4-9 Feb 2008. Six applicantswill be chosen from across Canada, the UnitedStates and overseas to participate as conductors,receiving significant time with the VancouverChamber Choir in rehearsal and performance. Asmany as ten additional applicants will be selectedas observers and be involved in all aspects of theSymposium, including one opportunity toconduct. Contact: Jon Washburn, Manager,Production & Communications, Tel: +1-604-7386822, Fax: +1-604-7387832,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.vancouverchamberchoir.com

1st International Forum - Voice, Youth and ArtsManagement, Caen, France, 6-10 Feb 2008.Organized by IFCM in cooperation withPolyfollia. Three-day forum for future managersin the field of choral music. Contact:International Federation for Choral Music,Christina Kühlewein, Tel: +33-2-31733881, Fax:+33-2-31735415, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.ifcm.net

Musica International Session, Luxembourg,Luxembourg, 17-22 Feb 2008. Join those whohave become regular participants of suchworkshops, and experience an intense week offriendship, working together drowned in theinternational choral repertoire. Contact: MusicaInternational, Tel: +33-3-88361754, Fax: +33-3-88365783, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.musicanet.org/en/workshops.php

International Conference "Performing ArtsTraining Today", Bovec, Slovenia, 14-17 Apr2008. Open to performers, performing artseducators and teachers from all over the worldinterested in the research of topical questions andprocesses in contemporary performing artseducation and training. Contact: Lisa Rich,project coordinator, Tel: +44-020-81332593,Email: [email protected]

Kurt Thomas Cursus, Utrecht, Netherlands, 3-12 July 2008. Course for choral conductors withchamber choir or orchestra. Contact: Unisono,Tel: +31 30 23 35 600, Fax: +31 30 23 35 651,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.amateurmuziek.nl

5th International Singing Course of Sant Cugat,Catalonia, Spain, 7-12 July 2008. Singinglessons, workshops in Alexander Technique,singing and conducting, lectures and a finalconcert. Contact: Camerata Santcugat, Tel: +34-609209903, Fax: +34-627474262, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.cameratasantcugat.com

International Summer Choir Academy,Sarospatak, Tokaj, Hungary, 9-19 July 2008.Orchestra conducting course for choir conductorswith Andras Farkas (Switzerland) and HansruediKämpfen (Switzerland). Choir workshop for choirsingers with Zsuzsanna Mindszenty (Hungary)and Zoltan Sandor (Hungary). Contact: AndrasFarkas, Tel: +41-21-7284727, Fax: +41-21-7284763, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.choiracademy.hu

Sarteano Chamber Choral Workshop: YoungAdult Division, Sarteano, Italy, 11-18 July 2008.For singers ages 15- 20, who are looking for astrong chamber ensemble experience. The twenty-eight member ensemble will be directed by SimonCarrington and will perform a cappella musicfrom madrigals to the twentieth century. Dailysessions using the Rohmert Method of FunctionalVoicetraining with Bronislawa Falinska. Clinicswith Brian OConnell. Contact: SarteanoChamber Choral Conducting Workshop, Tel: +1-781-6520158, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.sarteanochoralworkshop.com

European Seminar for Young Composers "ChoralComposers Today", Aosta, Italy, 13-19 July2008. For choral conductors with compositionand elaboration experience. Directors: Vic Nees,Jonathan Rathbone, Bruno Zanolini and CarloPavese. In collaboration with Europa Cantat.Contact: FENIARCO (Italian Federation ofRegional Choir Associations), Tel: +39-0434-876724, Fax: +39-0434-877554, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.feniarco.it

8th World Symposium on Choral Music,Copenhagen, Denmark, 19-26 Jul 2008.Contact: Choral Denmark, Steen Lindholm, ,Email: [email protected] - Website:www.choraldenmark.org

World Youth Choir Summer Session 2008, HonkKong, Macau and Guangzhou, China, 19 July-11Aug 2008. In collaboration with Hong KongTreble Choirs Association. Conductor: Hak WonYoon (Rep. of Korea) and Stephen Zegree (USA).Contact: International Center for Choral Music,Véronique Bour, Tel: +32-81-711600, Fax: +32-81-711609, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.worldyouthchoir.net

28th International Society for Music Education(ISME) World Conference, Bologna, Italy, 20-26July 2008. ISME Commission Seminar's Calls forPresenters: research, community music activity,early childhood music education, education of theprofessional musician, music in mass mediapolicies, music in schools and teacher education,special education. Contact: ISME InternationalOffice, Tel: +61-8-9386 2654, Fax: +61-8-93862658, Email: [email protected] - Website:www.isme.org/

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ICB Events

Conferences, Workshops & Masterclasses

Events

46 Choral Conducting and Vocal Group Technique,Freiburg, Germany, 30 July-9 Aug 2008. WithVolker Hempfling, Sabine Horstmann, WelfhardLauber, Michael Reif and Maria Tönnesmann.Apply before: 15 April 2008. Contact: ArbeitskreisMusik in der Jugend, Tel: +49-5331-46016,Fax: +49-5331-43723,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.amj-musik.de

Sarteano Chamber Choral ConductingWorkshop, Sarteano, Italy, 1-8 Aug 2008. For fullconductors, conducting auditors and singers.Vocal pedagogy using the Rohmert method offunctional voice-training, and clinics ondeveloping a vital chamber choir. Conductingmaster classes with Simon Carrington in theafternoon. Contact: Sarteano Chamber ChoralConducting Workshop, Tel: +1-781-6520158,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.sarteanochoralworkshop.com

Choral Conductors Retreat with RodEichenberger, Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA, 4-8Aug 2008. A 5-Day professional developmentworkshop for conductors of choirs at all levels.Features large octavo packet, conductor positionsopen, daily conducting instruction, academiccredit available. Contact: Wanda Gereben,Executive Director, Choral Conductors Retreat,Tel: +1-808-5950233, Fax: +1-808-5955129,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.ChoralConductorsRetreat.com

7th Vocal Pop & Jazz Days, Soesterberg,Netherlands, 16-23 Aug 2008. A challengingsinging week for 90 pop & jazz singers andconductors, who would like to improve their skillson singing, conducting, interpretation, timing,blend and more. Contact: Frans Walter, Tel: +31-33-4701600, Email: [email protected] - Website:www.vpjd.nl

Banff Choral Workshop, Banff, Alberta, Canada,18-23 Aug 2008. For amateur choral singers,students, and educators. Rehearsing andperforming with one of North America's eminentchoral ensembles: the Vancouver Chamber Choir,under the guidance of Jon Washburn. Repertoireincluding Carl Orff 's Carmine Burana. Contact:The Banff Centre, Victoria Evans, Tel: +1-403-7626157, Email: [email protected]

Anders Eby Masterclass, Hanover, Germany, 2-5Oct 2008. Choir: Camerata Vocale Hanover,cond. Hans-Dieter Reinecke. Contact:Arbeitskreis Musik in der Jugend, Tel: +49-5331-46016, Fax: +49-5331-43723, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.amj-musik.de

English Weekend, Doesburg, Netherlands, 13-14Oct 2007. Choral evensong in the east of theNetherlands: Byrd, Stanford, Macpherson, Smithwith Jeremy Jackman. Contact: Andrew van derBeek, Tel: +44-1249-730468,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.lacock.org

Vocal Jazz with Bertrand Gröger, Bad Kissingen,Germany, 24-26 Oct 2008. Conducting, feeling,rhythm, timing, arrangements. With B. Gröger,conductor of the Freiburger Jazzchor. Contact:Arbeitskreis Musik in der Jugend, Tel: +49-5331-46016, Fax: +49-5331-43723,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.amj-musik.de

International Seminar and Workshop onIntercultural Dialogue, Debrecen, Hungary, 27-31 July 2008. Open to everyone interested in thetopic of the conference, specially intended forconductors, choral music organisers, choralsingers, social workers from all over the world.Invited lecturers: Nigel Osborne (UK), LauraHassler (Netherlands), Father Ivo Markovic OFM(Bosnia-Herzegovina). Contact: Europa Cantat -Central Eastern European Centre (ECCEEC), Tel:+36-1-4110038, Fax: +36-1-4110039, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.europacantat.org/ecceec/

Summer School for Conductors – Masterclass,Hamar, Norway, 27 July-3 Aug 2008. Instructor(masterclass): Dale Warland (USA). For choirconductors with good practical and theoreticalskills who want to work with choir at high levels.A qualified rehearsal-choir will be available. Thesummer school has altogether 9 different courses,for singers and conductors at all levels. Contact:Norges Korforbund, Tel: +47-22-396850,Fax: +47-22-396851,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.kor.no

Choral Conductors Retreat with RodEichenberger, Alexandria, Virginia, USA, 28 July-1 Aug 2008. A 5-Day professional developmentworkshop for conductors of choirs at all levels.Features large octavo packet, conductor positionsopen, daily conducting instruction, academiccredit available. Contact: Wanda Gereben,Executive Director, Choral Conductors Retreat,Tel: +1-808-5950233, Fax: +1-808-5955129,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.ChoralConductorsRetreat.com

...Conferences, Workshops & Masterclasses

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Events

48 9th International Choral Competition Maribor2008, Slovenia, 18-20 Apr 2008. For up to 12selected choirs: female, male and mixed with 16 -48 singers (free accommodation and meals). Folksongs (non-competitive) and three competingprograms (compulsory, free and Grand Prix).Deadline for applications: 23. 10. 2007 Contact:Mihela Jagodic, JSKD, Tel: +386-1-2410525, Fax:+386-1-2410510, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.jskd.si

7th International Meeting of Children’s Choirs,Var et Bouches du Rhone, France, 23-27 Apr2008. Contact: Ensemble Polyphonique enProvence, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.aicler-provence.fr

International Choir and Folksong Choir Festival,Bratislava, Slovak Republic, 24-27 Apr 2008.Competition, workshop, concerts in the Bratislavachurches. Contact: Bratislava Choral Agency, Tel:+421-905-111827, Fax: +421-265-957054,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.choral-music.sk

Torrevieja Habaneras Contest for Children's andYouth Choirs, Torrevieja (Alicante), Spain, 25-27Apr 2008. Contact: Manuel Martinez, Tel: +34-965-710702, Fax: +34-965-712570, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.habaneras.org

12th International J. Villarroel Choir Festival,Isla de Margarita, Venezuela, 29 Apr-3 May2008. Non competitive Festival. Concerts,workshops and conferences by famous conductorsfrom Venezuela and abroad. Contact: Casa de laCultura Mons. Nicolás Eugenio Navarrese, Tel:+58-416-6955740, Fax: +58-295-2625048,Email: [email protected] [email protected] -Website: www.festivaljuliovillarroel.com

54th Cork International Choral Festival, Ireland,30 Apr-4 May 2008. Opportunity to compete inthe prestigious Fleischmann International TrophyCompetition. Open to any choir of internationalstanding (except specifically children's choirs).Apply before 1 Nov 2007. Contact: CorkInternational Choral Festival, Tel: +353-21-4223535, Fax: 353-21-4223536, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.corkchoral.ie

29th Children’s Choir Festival “Fröhlich sein undsingen”, Halle (Saale), Germany, 1-4 May 2008.Open to all children’s choirs. Contact: ManfredWipler, Kinderchorfestival, Tel: +49-345-7808000, Fax: +49-345-7757103, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.kinderchorfestival-halle.org/

3rd International Choir Competition "Walthervon der Vogelweide", Innsbruck, Austria, 1-4May 2008. Contact: Chorverband Österreich,Tel: +43-1-5869494, Fax: +43-1-58694944,Email: [email protected] - Website:www.chorverband.at

56th European Music Festival for Young People,Neerpelt, Belgium, 1-5 May 2008. Competitionfor children's and youth choirs from all overEurope and beyond. International jury,workshops, concerts. Contact: EuropeesMuziekfestival voor de Jeugd, Tel: +32-11-662339, Fax: +32-11-665048, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.emj.be

Musica Sacra International Festival,Marktoberdorf, Germany, 9-14 May 2008.Musica Sacra is a unique festival which bringsmusic and dance from the five major worldreligions into Allgäu region, organising concerts inwhich Christians, Jews, Moslems, Buddhists andHindus meet and perform together. Contact:Musica Sacra International, Tel: +49-8342-8964033, Fax: +49-8342-40370,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.modfestivals.org

Canti veris Praga, Prague, Czech Republic, 21-24Feb 2008. International choir festival forcontemporary chorus production and the work ofZdenek Lukas which will culminate with an awardnamed after him. Contact: Music Travel Agency,Tel: +420-224-916899,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.agencyMTA-Stadler.com

6th Jubilee Easter Festival Musica Religiosa,Olomouc, Czech Republic, 12-16 Mar 2008. Forchoirs in all categories from all around the world.Contact: Festa Musicale, Tel: +420-585-237373,Fax: +420-585-237373,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.festamusicale.cz

Toronto International Choral Festival, Canada,27-30 March 2008. Massed rehearsals andconcerts, choristers interaction, sightseeing. GuestConductor: Nick Page. Contact: TorontoInternational Choral Festival, Arts Bureau for theContinents, Tel: +1-613-2343360, Fax: +1-613-2362636, Email: [email protected] -Website: http://www.abc.ca

2nd Pan-Hellenic Congress on Children's Songs,Athens, Greece, Apr 2008. Contact: Pan-HellenicAssociation of Conductors of Choral &Instrumental Ensembles, Tel: +30-210-2824894,Fax: +30-210-2844588, Email: [email protected]

11th Hawaii International Choral Festival,Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, 6-12 Apr 2008. Study,rehearse, and perform with Dr. Karen Kennedy.Apply before: March 7. Contact: Ross Taosaka,Executive Director, Hawaii Int'l Choral Festivals,Tel: 1-808-5240815 ext 257, Fax: +1-808-5241507, Email:[email protected] -Website: www.oahuchoral.com

1st International Choral Competition forChildren's Choirs "Il Garda in Coro", Malcesine,Italy, 15-19 Apr 2008. Children must be bornafter 1 Jan 1992. Two categories: Secular andsacred music. Apply before: 31 Dec. Contact:Associazione Il Garda In Coro, Renata Peroni, Tel:+39-045-6570332, Fax: +39-0464-508647,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.ilgardaincoro.it

Festivals & Competitions

Chimay Musica Sacra, Chimay, Belgium, 15-18May 2008. In collaboration with Music SacraInternational of Marktoberdorf, Germany. MusicaSacra is a unique festival which brings music anddance from the five major world religions,organising concerts in which Christians, Jews,Moslems, Buddhists and Hindus meet andperform together. Contact: Vitamine Music asbl,Tel: +32-60-311511 or +32-60-210429,Email: [email protected] [email protected]: www.musica-sacra.be

Podium 2008 - Choral Waves, Sackville, NewBrunswick, Canada, 15-18 May 2008. Contact:New Brunswick Choral Federation, Tel: +1-506-4533731, Fax: +1-506-4574880, Email:[email protected] -Website: www.mta.ca/podium2008

Ottawa Music Festival, Canada, 16-19 May2008. Contact: Ottawa Music Festival - ArtsBureau for the Continents, Tel: +1-613-2343360,Fax: +1-613-2362636, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.abc.ca

3rd International Sacred Music Festival,Bratislava, Slovak Republic, 21-25 May 2008.Competition, workshop, concerts in the Bratislavachurches. Contact: Bratislava Choral Agency, Tel:+421-905-111827, Fax: +421-265-957054,Email: [email protected] - Website:www.choral-music.sk

4th International Choir Festival Mundus CantatSopot 2008, Sopot, Poland, 21-25 May 2008. Forchoirs from all over the world. Exchange ofcultural traditions, strengthening natural humanbonds. Contact: Festival Office Mundus CantatSopot, Tel: +48-58-5558458, Fax: +48-58-5558442, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.munduscantat.sopot.pl

3rd International Sacred Music Festival,Bratislava, Slovak Republic, 22-25 May 2008.Competition, workshop, concerts in the Bratislavachurches. Contact: Bratislava Choral Agency, Tel:+421-905-111827, Fax: +421-265-957054,Email: [email protected] - Website:www.choral-music.sk

A cappella Festival of Vocal Music, Leipzig,Germany, 22-25 May 2008. Open to youngtalented vocal groups (3 to 8 singers) of allnationalities with a max. age of 28 years. Allgroups will compete in one category, with as wellas without amplification. Contact: International ACAPPELLA Contest Leipzig, Tel: +49-341-91075575, Fax: +49-341-9102245, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.a-cappella-contest.com

21st International Choir Festival, Vranov nadToplou, Slovakia, 22-25 May 2008. Non-competitive festival for all kinds of choirs.Concerts, seminars, workshops, discussionevening, meeting of choirs etc. Contact: VilmaKrauspeová, Tel: +421-57-4422849, Fax: +421-57-4422849, Email: [email protected] - Website:www.ozvena.sk

Competition Festa Choralis 2008, Bratislava,Slovak Republic, 28 May-1 June 2008. For choirsin all categories from all around the world.Contact: Festa Musicale, Tel: +420-585-237373,Fax: +420-585-237373,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.festamusicale.cz

7th Pärnu International Choir Festival, Estonia,29 May-1 June 2008. Festival, concerts and folksong competition for amateur choirs of allcategories. Contact: Pärnu Choir Festival NPO,Tel: +372-55-634407, Fax: +372-627-3125,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.kooriyhing.ee or www.prkf.ee

37th International Competition "Florilège Vocalde Tours", France, 30 May-1 June 2008. Limitedto ensembles from 12 to 40 choristers.Qualification round (a cappella), final round(including one piece with piano). Four categories:mixed choirs, male or female voice choirs, mixedvocal ensembles, free program / and a specialChildren's Choir International Competition.Special "Renaissance" Prize. Prize for a FirstProduction work. Contact: Florilège Vocal deTours, Tel: +33-2-47216526, Fax: +33-2-47216771, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.florilegevocal.com

36th International Choir Festival of Songs 2008,Olomouc, Czech Republic, 4-8 June 2008. Forchoirs in all categories from all around the world.Contact: Festa Musicale, Tel: +420-585-237373,Fax: +420-585-237373,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.festamusicale.cz

6th Choral Singing Contest of South AmericanFolk and Popular Music, La Plata, Argentina, 6-8June 2008. Performance of two compulsory piecesand others to be chosen freely from works by theMercosur countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,Chili, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru,Uruguay or Venezuela. Contact: AAMCANT, Fax:+54-221-4258326,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.aamcant.org.ar

6th Choral Singing Contest of South AmericanFolk and Popular Music, La Plata, Argentina, 6-8June 2008. Open to worldwide amateur choirsinterested in the music of this cultural region.Festival dedicated to the memory of LilianaCangiano, one of the greatest Argentineanconductors and arrangers. Contact: AsociaciónArgentina para la Música Coral, Tel: +54-221-4258326, Fax: +54-221-4258326, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.aamcant.org.ar

1st Mendoza Choralography Competition,Mendoza, Argentina, 17-22 June 2008. For allchoirs around the world. Theme: choirs inmovement. Contact: Fundación COPPLA,Cantapueblo, Tel: +54-261-4255238, Fax: +54-261-4201135, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.coppla.org.ar

2nd World Festival Grand Prix St. Petersburg2008, Russia, 18-22 June 2008. For choirs in allcategories from all around the world. Contact:Festa Musicale, Tel: +420-585-237373, Fax:+420-585-237373, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.festamusicale.cz

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ICB Events

Events

50 11th Alta Pusteria International Choir Festival,Alto Adige-Südtirol, Italy, 25-29 June 2008.Non-competitive festival in the heart of theDolomites: concerts, open-air reviews, day-meetings. Contact: Alta Pusteria Festival Office,Via Emilio Albertario 62, 00167 Roma, Italy. Tel:+39-06-53276119, Fax: +39-06-53276119,Email: [email protected] - Website:www.festivalpusteria.org

1st Sintra International Choir Festival, Sintra,Portugal, 26-29 June 2008. Festival combiningthe joys of an international choral festival with theoutstanding facilities for concerts in this beautifulvillage of Sintra, world heritage (culturallandscape). Contact: Sintra International ChoirFestival, Tel: +351-21-9162628, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.sintrachoirfestival.com

International Choir Festival "Cantemus",Zrenjanin, Serbia, Yugoslavia, 26-30 June 2008.Non-competitive festival for choirs in allcategories. Contact: International Music Center,Tel: +381-2363-993, Fax: +381-2363-993,Email: [email protected] [email protected]

International Festival of Sacred Music, Vienna,Austria, 27-30 Jun 2008. Performing festival inVienna and surroundings. Contact: Chorus MM,Tel: +43-662-645972, Fax: +43-662-645972,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.chorus2000.com

4th International Cantus MM Festival of SacredMusic, Vienna, Austria, 27-30 June 2008.Performing festival in Vienna and surroundings.Contact: Chorus MM, Tel: +43-662-645972, Fax:+43-662-645972, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.chorus2000.com

7th International Boys' & Men's Choral Festival,Prague & Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, 30June-7 July 2008. Non-competitive internationalfestival hosted by the Boni Pueri, (Czech BoysChoir), Amabile Boys & Men's Choirs (Canada)and Chor Leoni (Canada) for boys, male youthand men's choirs. Master conductors: Dr JamesLitton, Diane Loomer, Robert Sund. JaroslavKrcek with guest Ensemble Amarcord. Rehearsals,concerts, masterclasses, and leadership program.Contact: The University of Western Ontario, Dr.Carol Beynon, Tel: +1-519-6612111 (ext. 84613),Email: [email protected] - Website:www.internationalchoralfestival.org

International Choral Kathaumixw, Powell River,Canada, 1-5 July 2008. Join adult, youth andchildren's choirs from around the world in 20concerts, competitions, common singing, seminarsand social events on the shores of Canada'smagnificent Pacific Coast. Guest artists &international jury. Apply before 1 Nov, 2007.Contact: Powell River Academy of Music, Tel: +1-604-4859633, Fax: +1-604-4852055,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.kathaumixw.org

Melodia! South American Music Festival, Rio deJaneiro and Buenos Aires, Brazil and Argentina,2-14 July 2008. Guest conductor: Doreen Raoconducts. Accepting applications from youth andchildren's choirs (treble and mixed voices), as wellas youth orchestras. Outstanding artisticexperiences are combined with once-in-a-lifetimecultural and outreach opportunities. Contact:Alessandra D’Ovidio, Classical Movements, Inc.,Tel: +1-703-6836040, Fax: +1-703-6836045,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.ClassicalMovements.com

Youth Choirs in Movement, Bonn, Germany, 18-22 June 2008. For equal voice children's andyouth choirs, interested in experiencinginterdisciplinary work, mixing choral music withother fields of arts (theatre/opera, dance, cinema,etc...) and in learning how to move on stage.Contact: Europa Cantat - European Federation ofYoung Choirs, Tel: +49-228-9125663, Fax: +49-228-9125658, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.EuropaCantat.org

10th International Festival D'Canto 2007, Isla deMargarita, Venezuela, 18-22 June 2008. Galaconcerts, international competition in variouscategories, workshops, conferences byinternational conductors, open singing, etc....Contact: Fundacion D'Canto, Angel MarinoRamírez, Executive Coordinator,Email: [email protected] -Website: http://festivaldcanto.tripod.com

3rd International Children's and Youth ChoirFestival "Touch the future", Rheinland-Pfalz,Germany, 20-29 June 2008. For children andyouth from around the world. An upper voicechoir festival with choir theater and show choirelements. Guest Choreograph John Jacobson andartistic director Judith Janzen direct the childrento a wonderful experience of song and dance.Many opportunities for choirs to present themusic of their country and meet new friends.Contact: Juventus Vocalis, Judith Janzen,Tel: +49-6235-3230, Fax: +49-6235-4910246,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.touch-the-future.com

11th Pacific International Children's ChoirFestival (PICCFEST), Eugene, Oregon, USA, 24-30 June 2008. Bob Chilcott guest conductor andPeter Robb artistic director. Non-competitiveevent. All participating choirs present 3performances plus festival chorus performances atthe Oregon Bach Festival and the PICCFEST GalaConcert. Space limited to 10 choirs. Contact:Oregon Festival Choirs, Tel: +1-541-4659600,Fax: +1-541-4654990, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.piccfest.org

...Festivals & Competitions

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ment

26th International Choir Festival of Preveza -14th international Choir Competition of SacredMusic, Preveza, Greece, 3-6 July 2008. Formixed, equal voices', children's, chamber vocalensembles, mixed youth choirs & choirs ofByzantine chant. Repertoire must include acompulsory piece, a piece composed before 1800,a piece composed during 1800 - 1950, a piececomposed after 1950 & a folk song from thechoir's country of origin. Contact: Choral Society"Armonia" of Preveza, Tel: +30-26820-24915 /29852, Fax: +30-26820-29852,Email: [email protected] -Website: http://users.otenet.gr/~armonia4/

ICB Events

10th International Cantus MM Choir andOrchestra Festival, Salzburg, Austria, 3-6 July2008. 10 selected choruses or orchestras of any ageand composition (also dance groups).Performances in Salzburg and surroundings.Contact: Chorus MM, Tel: +43-662-874537, Fax:+43-662-874537-30, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.chorus2000.com

43rd International Days of Choral Singing,Barcelona, Spain, 7-13 July 2008. Workshops:Mass E flat D 950 for soloists, choir and orchestraby Franz Schubert with Jordi Casals (Catalonia),music by Manuel Oltra with Ramon Noguera(Catalonia), "News and Classic", popular songs ofour time, musical hits by Lloyd Weber and otherswith Fred Sjöberg (Sweden). Apply before 15March. Contact: Federació Catalana d'EntitatsCorales, Tel: +34-93-2680668, Fax: +34-93-3197436, Email: [email protected] - Website:www.fcec.cat

Events

52 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod,United Kingdom, 8-13 July 2008. Choirs,musicians, folk singers and dancers from allcorners of the world compete in the world'sleading festival of music and dance. Contact:Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Tel:+44-1978-862000, Fax: +44-1978-862005,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

5th World Choir Games, Graz, Austria, 9-19 July2008. For all kinds of choirs from all around theworld. Contact: Choir Olympics, Tel: +49-6403-956525, Fax: +49-6403-956529, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.musica-mundi.com

13th Niagara International Music Festival,Niagara region, Canada, 9-13 July 2008.Concerts in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls andGrimsby. Contact: Niagara International MusicFestival, Arts Bureau for the Continents, Tel: +1-613-2343360, Fax: +1-613-2362636, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.abc.ca

Cantus Salisburgensis Kaleidoscope of Nations,Salzburg, Austria, 10-14 July 2008. Kaleidoscopeof Nations. For choirs and orchestras. Specificpieces to be performed. Contact: Cultours CarlPfliegler, Tel: +43-662-821310, Fax: +43-662-82131040, Email: [email protected] - Website:www.cultours-europe.com orwww.cantussalisburgensis.at

Rhapsody! Prague Children’s Music Festival,Vienna, Salzburg and Prague, Austria and CzechRepublic, 10-21 July 2008. With guest conductorMs. Joan Gregoryk. Participating choirs willperform at famous venues in three of Europe'smost musical and historical cities: Vienna,Salzburg, and Prague, highlighted by the GrandConcert in Prague's Smetana Hall with aprofessional orchestra. Choirs will enjoy aworkshop, musical exchanges and sightseeingtours. Contact: Zhongjie Shi, ClassicalMovements, Inc., Tel: +1-703-6836040, Fax: +1-703-6836045,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.ClassicalMovements.com

International Choral Festival "Choeur de Mer",Pointe Noire, Republic of the Congo, 11-13 July2008. For all choirs from all over the world.Workhops, exchanges, concerts, sightseeing tours.Apply before: 1 March. Contact: FédérationNationale de la Musique Chorale de la Républiquedu Congo, Tel: +242-5505344, Email:[email protected]

2nd International Male Choir Festival,Barcelona, Spain, 12-18 July 2008. Contact:Federació de Cors de Clavé, Tel: +34-93-3199777,Fax: +34-93-3197622,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.menschoirs.net

Europa Cantat junior 5, Nevers, France, 12-20July 2008. For children's and girls' choirs (equalvoices) aged 10-18. With Lionel Sow (France),Scott Alan Prouty (France/USA), Zimfira Poloz(Kazakhstan/Canada), Cristian Grases(Venezuela/USA), Sanna Valvanne (Finland/USA),Marleen Annemans (Belgium), Michael Gohl(Switzerland). A Europa Cantat internationalstudy tour is organized in parallel with DenisMenier (Belgium). Contact: Europa Cantat Junior5, Tel: +33-6-77445383, Fax: +33-3-86684884,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.europa-cantat-nevers.com

37th International Festival & Competition"Youth & Music in Vienna", Vienna, Austria, 12-15 July 2008. For youth choirs, bands andorchestras! The Festival program includes bandparades through the Inner City of Vienna, massconcerts on St. Stephen’s Square, individualconcerts for all participating music ensembles inVienna and surrounding, (Upper age limit: 29years). Contact: Association for InternationalCultural Exchange, Michael Haring, Tel: +43-664-1800905, Fax: +43-1-3175460, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.austrianfestivals.at

European Academy for Young Composers, Aosta,Italy, 13-19 July 2008. For composers andaspiring composers interested in choral music andchoral conductors with composition andelaboration experience. Apply before: 30 April2008. Contact: FENIARCO (Italian Federation ofRegional Choir Associations), Tel: +39-0434-876724, Fax: +39-0434-877554, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.feniarco.it

2008 Hong Kong International Youth andChildren's Choir Festival, Hong Kong, China,14-17 July 2008. Choral and solo competitions,concerts and workshops. Four categories for groupcompetition: children (16 or under), youth choir(29 or under), contemporary music and folklore(29 or under). Two categories for solocompetition: vocal class I (16 or under), vocal classII (17 - 29). Contact: Hong Kong Treble Choirs'Association, Tel: +852-2381 9262, Fax: +852-2380 7302, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.hktreblechoir.com

International Choir Festival Se Oye un Cantodesde México, Mexico, 15-21 July 2008.Contact: Producciones Creativas, AdministrationDirector, Martha Leticia Alejo, Tel: +52-55-12513747, Fax: +52-55-12513750, Email:[email protected]

Pacific Rim Children's Chorus Festival,Honolulu, Hawaii, 15-23 July 2008. 9-dayresidential program designed to provide treblechoirs an opportunity to experience the cultures ofthe Pacific Rim through their choral musicrepertoire in an interactive, non-competitiveenvironment. Contact: Pacific Rim MusicResources, Wanda Gereben, Tel: +1-808-5950233,Fax: +1-808-5955129, Email:[email protected] -Website: www.PacRimFestival.org

33rd Oratorio Festival Musique en Morvan,Autun, Saône et Loire, France, 17-27 July 2008.For all singers. Apocalypse of Saint James (JeanFrançaix) conducted by Philippe Forget. Contact:A Coeur Joie, Tel: +33-4-72198342, Fax: +33-4-78434398, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.acoeurjoie.com


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ICB Events

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26th International Music Festival, Cantonigròs,Spain, 17-20 July 2008. Competition andexhibition of mixed choral music, female voices,children’s choir and popular dances. Contact:Anna Jover & Joana Gonzal - FIMC 08, Tel: +34-93-2326444, Fax: +34-93-2463603, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.fimc.es

5th International Choir festival of Sacred Music,Rottenburg, Germany, 17-20 July 2008.Competition in different categories anddifficulties. Contact: Domsingschule Rottenburg,Tel: +49-7472-25062, Fax: +49-7472-26798,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.chorfestival-rottenburg.de

8th World Symposium on Choral Music,Copenhagen, Denmark, 19-26 Jul 2008.Contact: Choral Denmark, Steen Lindholm,Email: [email protected] - Website:www.choraldenmark.org

Europa Cantat International Singing Week,Tarragona, Spain, 19-27 July 2008. For mixedchoirs, female choirs and individual singers. WithPéter Erdei (HU), Javier Busto, (ES), VictorAlarcon (Chile), Jonathan Rathbone (UK),Edmond Colomer (ES). Contact: Associació CorCiutat de Tarragona (Setmana Cantant), Tel: +34-977-227721, Fax: +34-977-230514, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.setmanacantant.org

Orientale Concentus 21st Century InternationalChoral Festival, Suzhou, China, 20-24 July 2008.Festival and competition for mixed choirs, male &female chorus, youth & children's choirs andfolklore choirs. Contact: ACE 99 Cultural pteLtd, Nelson Kwei, Artistic Director,Tel: +65-6342-1941, Fax: +65-6449-6566,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.21ccad.com.sg

Events

54 53rd International Choral Contest of Habanerasand Polyphony, Torrevieja (Alicante), Spain, 20-27 July 2008. Outdoors habaneras, polyphony inthe auditorium "Eras de la Sal" on theMediterranean Sea coast. Apply before: 31 Jan2008. Contact: Certamen Int'l de Habaneras deTorrevieja, Tel: +34-965-710702, Fax: +34-965-712570, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.habaneras.org

11th Cantilies, Auvergne, France, 22 July-2 Aug2008. International choral meeting includingworkshops for children aged 8 to 16. Contact: ACoeur Joie France, Tel: +33-4-72198340, Fax:+33-4-78434398, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.acoeurjoie.com

13th international Choral Festival en Provence,Var et Bouches du Rhone, France, 22-30 July2008. Contact: Ensemble Polyphonique enProvence, Email: [email protected] - Website:www.aicler-provence.fr

7th International Choral Festival "José MaríaBravo Márquez", Medellín, Colombia, 23-28June 2008. Contact: Jorge Hernán ArangoGarcía, Ensamble Vocal de Medellín,Tel: +57-4-2668172, Fax: +57-3127913071,Email: [email protected]

23rd Béla Bartók International ChoirCompetition and Folklore Festival, Debrecen,Hungary, 30 July-3 Aug 2008. Competition incontemporary choral music for six categories andfestival for collective singing and vocal folk music.The "Grand Prize" winner of the competition willbe invited to the "Grand Prize of European ChoralMusic" competition held in Tours in 2009. Applybefore: October 31st, 2007. Contact: FonixEvents Organizer NPO, Tel: +36-52-518400, Fax:+36-52-518404, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.bbcc.hu

Amakwaya International Choir Festival andCompetition, Johannesburg, South Africa, 30July-3 Aug 2008. Friendship Concerts,competition in different categories, African musicworkshops including African drumming, singingand dancing. Contact: Choral SA, Tel: +27-12-3475244, Email: [email protected] - Website:www.choralsa.net

5th International Choral Festival Mario Baeza,Valparaíso, V Región, Chile, 30 July-3 Aug 2008.Open to mixed, male, female and chamber choirs.Contact: Waldo Aránguiz-Thompson, Tel: +56-2-2259977, Fax: +56-2-2233240, Email:[email protected]

Vivace International Choir Festival 2008,Veszprém, Hungary, 31 July-4 Aug 2008. Specialcombination of festival, competition and miniconcert tour focused on the joys of life. Contact:c/o Városi Müvelödési Központ, Tel: +36-88-429693, Fax: +36-88-429693,Email: [email protected] [email protected] -Website: www.vmkveszprem.hu

6th International Choral Festival andCompetition - The Singing World, St.Petersburg, Russia, 1-6 Aug 2008. For choirs andvocal ensembles of various styles, levels and originsfrom all over the world. Event promoting long-term contacts among choirs. Contact:International Choral Festival and Competition -The Singing World, Mrs Anna Solyanikova, Tel:+7-812-3283921, Fax: +7-812-3283921, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.Singingworld.spb.ru

7th International Youth Chamber ChoirMeeting, Usedom Island (Baltic Sea), Germany,1-10 Aug 2008. For 7 youth chamber choirs fromall over the world. Workshops. Choir to choir-concerts, special concerts on the island.Conductors will be: Carlo Pavese (Italy), LoneLarsen (DK/USA/SE), Thekla Jonathal(Denmark). Contact: Arbeitskreis Musik in derJugend AMJ, Tel: +49-5331-46016, Fax: +49-5331-43723, Email: [email protected] - Website: www.amj-musik.de

5th Nordic Baltic Choir Festival, Tartu, Estonia,5-10 Aug 2008. Contact: Eesti Kooriühing -Estonian Choral Society, Tel: +372-6-274451, Fax:+372-6274450, Email: [email protected] [email protected] - Website: www.kooriyhing.ee

Festivalensemble Stuttgart 2008, Stuttgart,Germany, 12 Aug-1 Sep 2008. Open to all choralsingers worldwide aged between 18 and 30.Auditions will take place in Europe, Canada, theUS and Russia during March 25th and April 11th2008 (recorded auditions are also possible).Contact: Tobias Ebel, Festivalensemble Stuttgart,Tel: +49-711-6192119, Fax: +49-711-6192151,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.festivalensemble.org

6th International Choral Festival "San JuanCoral 2008", Argentina, 14-19 Aug 2008.Concerts and workshops. Non-competitive choralfestival, for 8-10 selected non-professional, mixed,female, male and chamber choirs. Selection on thebasis of audition tapes. Deadline for application:15 Mar 2008. Contact: María Elina Mayorga, Tel:+54-264-4234284, Fax: +54-264-4234284,Email: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] - Website:www.sanjuancoral.com.ar

6th Festival de Corais de Belo Horizonte, MinasGerais, Brazil, 15-24 Aug 2008. Contact: Festivalde Corais de Belo Horizonte,Tel: +55-31-34255625,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.festivaldecorais.com.br

5h International choir Festival, Brasov, Romania,17-24 Aug 2008. Singing week with ateliers,concerts, open singing, ateliers for children.Romanian music, music from French-speakingregions, German Romantic music, Swiss music,music from the Balkan and light music.Management course for conductors. Contact:Asociata Româna de Cânt Coral, Tel: +40-268313325, Email: [email protected]

International Singing Week, Zrenjanin, Serbia,Yugoslavia, 18-26 Aug 2008. For choirs, vocalgroups, singers, conductors. Ateliers: “Song fromthe Danube”, “Balkan sounds”, “Movement andmusic are inseparable”, “Music for children’schoirs”, Vocal Pop/Jazz…, "Choir to choir”concerts. Contact: International Music Center,Tel: +381-2363-993, Fax: +381-2363-993, Email:[email protected] [email protected]


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ICB Events

Orfest International Festival of Choral Music,Ljutomer, Slovenia, 19-23 August 2008. Non-competitive festival linked to musical and culturalactivities for participating choirs. Contact:Kulturno dru tvo Orfej Ljutomer, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.orfest.si

Europa Cantat International Singing Week,Szczecin, Poland, 24-31 Aug 2008. For mixedchoirs, youth choirs and individual singers as wellas conductors. With Benedykt Blonski (Poland),Marek Toporowski (Poland), Robert Sund(Sweden), Alexei M. Rudnevsky (Russia). AEuropa Cantat international study tour isorganized in parallel with Anna Tarnowska(Poland). Contact: Festival Office, the PomeranianDukes' Castle, Tel: +48-91-4338841, Fax: +48-91-4347984, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.zamek.szczecin.pl

Europa Cantat Int'l Singing Week "Alpe AdriaCantat", Lignano Sabbiadoro (UD), Italy, 31Aug-7 Sep 2008. For mixed choirs, children'schoirs, vocal groups, conductors and individualsingers. With Mario Giorgi (Italy), Pier PaoloScattolin (Italy), Robert Ray (USA), SteveWoodbury (Italy), Thomas Kiefr (Denmark),Johan Rooze (Netherlands), Maria Dal Bianco(Italy), Fred Sjöberg (Sweden), Andrea Crastolla(Italy). A Europa Cantat international study touris organized in parallel with Andrea Crastolla(Italy). Contact: FENIARCO, Tel: +39-0434-876724, Fax: +39-0434-877554, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.feniarco.it

Tonen2000 - 5th Edition 2008, Westland,Netherlands, 19-21 Sep 2008. Open to mixedchamber choirs and ensembles up to 36 non-professional members, male and female ensemblesup to 24 non-professional members (professionalconductor preferred). Contact: Tonen2000, JosVranken, Tel: +31-174-245520, Fax: +31-174-245520, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.tonen2000.nl

Choralfest 2008, Perth, Australia, 29 Sept-3 Oct2008. Music Through the Ages Festival.Workshops with guest conductors RodneyEichenberger (USA) and Eduardo Lakschevitz(South America). Apply before: 31 January.Contact: The Australian National ChoralAssociation, Tel: +61-8988-15885, Fax: +61-8988-15349, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.anca.org.au

1st International Festival Interfolk in Russia, St.Petersburg, Russia, 1-4 Oct 2008. For folkgroups, vocal and instrumental ensembles, choirsand dance groups of various styles, levels andorigins from all over the world. Three categories:vocal, instrumental and dances. Contact:International Choral Festival and Competition -The Singing World, Mrs Anna Solyanikova, Tel:+7-812-3283921, Fax: +7-812-3283921, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.Singingworld.spb.ru

Taiwan International Choral Ensemble Festival,Taipei, Taiwan (China), 3-10 Oct 2008.International competition: 5 Oct. (age above 18,all kinds of choirs). Master workshop: 8-10 Oct.(conducting and vocal Jazz master class). Tourarrangements upon inquiry. Contact: TaiwanChoral Music Center (TCMC), Tel: +886-2-23692354, Fax: +886-2-2364 2515, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.tcmc.org.tw

5th International Choir Competition, Sofia,Bulgaria, 8-11 Oct 2008. Competition for mixedchoirs, equal voices, children’s choirs, mixed youthchoirs, chamber ensembles and categories forRenaissance and Modern Music. Contact: Friendsof Choral Music Foundation, Tel: +359-2-9641111, Fax: +359-2-9641110, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.fcmf.visa.bg

Festival Magic Mozart Moments, Salzburg,Austria, 9-12 Oct 2008. Voices from all over theworld and the Salzburg Cathedral Choir &Orchester conducted by Prof. János Czifraperforming together Mozart’s Great Mass in c-minor KV 427 at Salzburg Cathedral. Singers arerequired to have sung that piece before. Contact:Cultours Europe, Tel: +43-662-821310, Fax: +43-662-82131040, Email: [email protected] -Websites: www.magicmozartmoments.at orwww.cultours-europe.com

International Festival of Choir Ensembles,Montevideo, Punta del Este, Colonia, Minas, SanJosé, Salto and Paysandú, Uruguay, 11-19 Oct2008. For choral ensembles from all over theworld. Contact: Infinito - RealizacionesCulturales, Tel: +598-2-9018025, Fax: +598-2-9018025, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.infinitorc.com

Lago di Garda Music Festival, Italy, 16-19 Oct2008. International festival of music for choirsand orchestras on Lake Garda. Artistic director:Mag. Peter Laskowski. Contact:MusikReisenFaszination Chor- undOrchesterreisen,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.lagodigarda-musicfestival.com

20th Cantapueblo - La Fiesta Coral de América,Mendoza, Argentina, 28 Oct-2 Nov 2008 - Riode Janeiro, Brasil, 4-9 Nov 2008 - Guarenas,Venezuela, 11-16 Nov 2008. Tribute to LatinAmerican choral music. Master Class, conferences,concerts, tango dance. Contact: CantaPueblo - LaFiesta Coral de América, Tel: +54-261-4255238,Fax: +54-261-4201135,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.coppla.org.ar

International Festival of Advent and ChristmasMusic, Bratislava, Slovak Republic, 4-7 Dec2008. Competition, workshop, concerts inchurches. Contact: Bratislava Choral Agency, Tel:+421-905-111827, Fax: +421-265-957054,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.choral-music.sk

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International Choir and Folksong Choir Festival,Bratislava, Slovak Republic, 23-26 Apr 2009.Competition, workshop, concerts in the Bratislavachurches. Contact: Bratislava Choral Agency, Tel:+421-905-111827, Fax: +421-265-957054,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.choral-music.sk

38th International Competition "Florilège Vocalde Tours", France, 29-31 may 2009. Limited toensembles from 12 to 40 choristers. 3 Rounds:Qualification (a cappella) on Friday– Final Round(including one piece possibly with piano) onSaturday – Grand Prix (on Sunday). The absolutewinner will be nominated for the 2010 EuropeanGrand Prix. 4 categories: mixed choirs, equalvoices (male or female), mixed vocal ensembles,and free program / Prix spécial Renaissance / Prizefor a first production work. Contact: FlorilègeVocal de Tours, Tel: +33-2-47216526, Fax: +33-2-47216771, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.florilegevocal.com

12th Pacific International Children's ChoirFestival (PICCFEST), Eugene, Oregon, USA,24-30 June 2009. Sandra Snow guest conductorand Peter Robb artistic director. Non-competitiveevent. All participating choirs present 3performances plus festival chorus performances atthe Oregon Bach Festival and the PICCFESTGala Concert. Space limited to 10 choirs.Contact: Oregon Festival Choirs, Tel: +1-541-4659600, Fax: +1-541-4654990, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.piccfest.org

2nd California International Choral Festival andCompetition, San Luis Obispo, California, USA,25-28 June 2009. Competition in the beautifulSan Luis Obispo Performing Arts Center onCalifornia’s Central Coast. Mixed choirs (aged18+) of at least 16 and no more than 60 singers.Apply before: Sep 2008. Contact: Patricia Harris,Executive Director, Tel: +1-805-4406050,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.californiachoral.org

Rotonda con Esprit International Choir andOrchestra Festival, Eisenstadt and Vienna,Austria, 25-28 June 2009. Festival devoted toJoseph Haydn in the cultural and human vibrancyof the Austrian State of Burgenland. Contact:Cultours Carl Pfliegler, Tel: +43-662-821310,Fax: +43-662-821310-40, Email:[email protected] - Website: www.cultours.at

International Choir Festival "Cantemus",Zrenjanin, Serbia, Yugoslavia, 25-29 June 2009.Non-competitive festival for choirs in allcategories. Contact: International Music Center,Tel: +381-2363-993, Fax: +381-2363-993, Email:[email protected] [email protected]

5th International Cantus MM Festival of SacredMusic, Vienna, Austria, 26-29 June 2009.Performing festival in Vienna and surroundings.Contact: Chorus MM, Tel: +43-662-645972, Fax:+43-662-645972, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.chorus2000.com

3rd Coastal Sound International Choral Festival,British Columbia, Canada, 29 June-5 July 2009.A world class choral festival in a world classdestination: Canada’s Vancouver region will hostchildren’s and youth choirs in a mountain topexperience with guest conductors: FrancescoNúñez and Adam Con. Contact: Coastal SoundInternational Choral Festival, Kevin Spragg,Festival Manager, Tel: +1-604-469-5973,Fax: +1-604-469-5974,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.coastalsoundmusic.com

11th International Cantus MM Choir andOrchestra Festival, Salzburg, Austria, 2-5 July2009. 10 selected choruses or orchestras of any ageand composition (also dance groups).Performances in Salzburg and surroundings.Contact: Chorus MM, Tel: +43-662-874537, Fax:+43-662-874537-30, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.chorus2000.com

IHLOMBE South African Choral Festival, CapeTown, Pretoria, Johannesburg & Game Park,South Africa, 8-20 July 2009. Festival inassociation with the Choral Institute of SouthAfrica – CHORISA. Travel to Cape Town,Pretoria, Johannesburg & a Game Park. Concerts,individual and shared with top South AfricanChoirs, Workshops with famous ChoralConductors, African drumming, dancing, andsinging. Contact: Jayci Thomas, ClassicalMovements, Inc., Tel: +1-800-8820025, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.ClassicalMovements.com

27th International Choir Festival of Preveza -15th international Choir Competition of SacredMusic, Preveza, Greece, 9-12 July 2009. Formixed, equal voices', children's, chamber vocalensembles, mixed youth choirs & choirs ofByzantine chant. Repertoire must include acompulsory piece, a piece composed before 1800,a piece composed during 1800 - 1950, a piececomposed after 1950 & a folk song from thechoir's country of origin. Contact: Choral Society"Armonia" of Preveza, Tel: +30-26820-24915 /29852, Fax: +30-26820-29852, Email:[email protected] - Website:http://users.otenet.gr/~armonia4/

Cantus Salisburgensis Kaleidoscope of Nations,Salzburg, Austria, 9-13 July 2009. Kaleidoscopeof Nations. For choirs and orchestras. Specificpieces to be performed. Contact: Cultours CarlPfliegler, Tel: +43-662-821310, Fax: +43-662-82131040, Email: [email protected] -Website: www.cultours-europe.com orwww.cantussalisburgensis.at

38th International Festival & Competition"Youth & Music in Vienna", Vienna, Austria, 11-14 July 2009. For youth choirs, bands andorchestras! The Festival program includes bandparades through the Inner City of Vienna, massconcerts on St. Stephen’s Square, individualconcerts for all participating music ensembles inVienna and surrounding, (Upper age limit: 29years). Contact: Association for InternationalCultural Exchange, Michael Haring,Tel: +43-664-1800905, Fax: +43-1-3175460,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.austrianfestivals.at

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Events

58 Alta PusteriaThe Banff CentreCarus-VerlagChoral Conductors Retreat with Rod Eichenberger (Pacific Rim Music Resources)Classical Movements, Inc.FeniarcoHawai’i International Choral FestivalHawai’i Pacific UniversityHong Kong Treble Choir AssociationInternational Choral Competition of HabanerasNorwegian Choir AssociationPacific International Children’s Choir Festival PICCFESTPacific Rim Music ResourcesOrientale Concentus - Nelson KweiSmall World “The Black Folder”World Youth Choir Summer Session in Hong Kong (HKTC Association)World Symposium on Choral Music 8 (Choral Denmark)

p 35p 47p 25p 58p 60p 43 & 59p 27p 11p 21p 13p 33p 31p 51p 57p 29p 39p 53


A regularly up-dated list of all events may befound on our website: www.ifcm.net

Pacific Rim Children's Chorus Festival,Honolulu, Hawaii, 14-22 July 2009. 9-dayresidential program designed to provide treblechoirs an opportunity to experience the cultures ofthe Pacific Rim through their choral musicrepertoire in an interactive, non-competitiveenvironment. Contact: Pacific Rim MusicResources, Wanda Gereben, Tel: +1-808-5950233, Fax: +1-808-5955129, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.PacRimFestival.org

Europa Cantat Festival 2009, Utrecht,Netherlands, 17-26 July 2009. Spectacular vocalfestival with participants from Europe andbeyond. Workshops by international conductorsin all vocal genres. Open singing, concerts: sing &listen, international contacts. Contact: EuropaCantat Festival 2009, Tel: +49-228-9125663, Fax:+49-228-9125658, Email:[email protected] - Website:www.ecu2009.nl

Melodia! South American Music Festival, Rio deJaneiro and Buenos Aires, Brazil and Argentina,22 July-3 Aug 2009. Guest conductor: DoreenRao conducts. Accepting applications from youthand children's choirs (treble and mixed voices), aswell as youth orchestras. Outstanding artisticexperiences are combined with once-in-a-lifetimecultural and outreach opportunities. Contact:Alessandra D’Ovidio, Classical Movements, Inc.,Tel: +1-703-6836040, Fax: +1-703-6836045,Email: [email protected] -Website: www.ClassicalMovements.com

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