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9. INTERNATIONAL CHORAL COMPETITION
18. - 20. April 2008
COMPETING CHOIRS
Chamber choir Cantate was established in 1970 by conductor Gerard Franck. Since 2002, the chamber choir has been directed by Dion Ritten. This ensemble is composed of twenty-one female vocalists, varying from 20 to 45 years of age.
Choir's repertoire consists of both sacred and secular music, with emphasis on compositions from the 20th and the 21st century. Over the years Cantate has enjoyed triumph and acclaim at national and international choral festivals. In 2005, over 200 choirs participated in the Dutch Choir Festival, where Cantate was awarded the title of Dutch Choir of the year, after winning the first prize.
The choir has made several concert tours to Germany, Belgium, France, The United States of America and Italy. In addition to concerts, Cantate also performs at radio broadcastings and at workshops during their tours.
Every year the choir organises concerts, workshops and masterclasses with choirs, conductors or composers from the Netherlands or from abroad.
The "Girls choir of the Musischen Gymnasium Salzburg" consists of 28 female singers between 15 and 19 years of age. The singers are selected from the High School chorus, which has about 105 members who are emphasizing music in their education.
Founded in 2000, the choir has already achieved international recognition as winner of the International Youth choir competition in Celje, Slovenia, 2004, International Schubert choir competition, Vienna 2005, "Austria cantat" Graz, 2006. Last year the choir also won second prizes at International Music Landscape choir competition in Riga, 2007 and in the Final of the EBU competition "Let the Peoples sing", Wuppertal.
The choir toured to Germany, Slovenia and Italy, produced a CD with the Austrian Broadcast Station (ORF) and performed with the vocalist Bobby Mc Ferrin. Markus Obereder studied at the Mozarteum Salzburg and at the Louisiana State University, USA (music pedagogic, choral conducting). He teaches at the "Musisches Gymnasium", and at the Mozarteum Salzburg. He is Director of "Juvenis Chor", Director of the "Austrian Youth Choir Academy" and was conductor of the Eurochor 2005.
Codetta is a chamber choir based in Derry, N. Ireland. Its members are all originally from Derry but now live, work and study in towns and cities throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe. The wide-ranging repertoire of the choir is prepared at intensive weekend rehearsals held monthly throughout the year.
Codetta has given many concerts both locally and nationally, participated in the Advent Festival in Prague, successfully competed in a range of international choral festivals, and broadcast regularly on BBC Radio and Television. The choir is directed by Donal Doherty.
Bydgoszcz Music Academy Chamber Choir came into existence in 1986 on Janusz Stanecki's initiative. The choir consists of students from different faculties of the Academy: the Facultyes of Choir Conducting and Music Education, Music Composition, Theory and Sound Engineering as well as of Instrumental Music. The choir performed many significant vocal-instrumental works, such as Magnificat by J. S. Bach, Gloria by A. Vivaldi, Requiem by G. Faure and others in cooperation with Pomeranian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and Capella Bydgostiensis. A great number of a cappella compositions that are present in the choir's repertoire was part of the concerts in Poland and abroad: the National Miner's Day, Student Choir Festival in Wroclaw in 2005 and 2006, V. International Choral Festival in San Juan and Concert Tour in Argentina (Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Rosario) in 2006. The Choir won the Grand Prix at the National Polish Festival Legnica Cantat 2006 and earned the P.E.A.C.E. Trophy at the 53rd Cork International Choir Festival - May 2007.
Chamber choir De profundis works in Kranj since its establishment in 1990 with the conductor Branka Potočnik Krajnik. Choir's members are young singers from different parts of Upper Carniola region.
Choir's repertoire is focused on choral works by Slovene composers and on moderen choral music. Concerts and competitions home and abroad confirm high level of choir's artistic performance. They successfully toured in Europe and Canada. De profundis was awarded several highest prizes, the latter at last year's international choral competition in Talin De profundis published two compact discs and often records works by Slovene composers. The choir also records for national radio and television. Lately their focus is on concerts with thematic programme.
Mixed ensemble Krog was founded in 2005 and consists of young singers from different choirs such as Academic choir Tone Tomšič, mixed youth choir Veter, male choir Vinko Vodopivec, Chamber choir RTV Slovenija and more. The members are encouraged to take singing lessons and to develop individually. The choir's intention besides sociability is to offer constant mixed ensemble that is willing and able to perform the best of choral music. In the first year they focused on preparing the repertoire and having concerts in Slovenia. In April 2007 the choir took part at the international competition in Bad Ischel (Austria ) and won the fist prize with the highest number of points. They concluded the season with a concert in Ljubljana as the first part of two-year project of review of sacred music through time.
Mixed Chamber Choir Ljubljanski madrigalisti was founded in 1991. The repertoire of the choir consists of genres from all musical periods. The choir's focus is mainly on a capella music but they also performed vocal-instrumental works with RTV Slovenia Symphonic Orchestra and other Slovene choirs.
In April 2007 the choir received a gold plaque at the 20th Slovene National Choral Competition Naša Pesem 2007 and in September 2007 proudly presented the 7th compact disc "Close to heart".
Chamber choir Vox Carniolus was established in 1998 by Primož Kerštajn and has been under the artistic guidance of Michele Josia since 2005. In 2006 the choir recorded compact disc "Zrelo je...". At the national competition Naša pesem 2007 Vox Carniolus received the third prize, the gold plaque and several special awards. In the same year they were the winners of two first prizes at the competiton in Italy "In...canto sul Garda". Conductor Michele Josia was born in Rome and finished his studies in choral conducting and composition. He composed music for many short movies and documentaries for RAI television and participated at the festivals home and abroad.
Founded in Tolosa in 1983, Hodeiertz stood out throughout all these years for the quality and originality of its programmes. The choir is proud of many awards won at national and international competitions (among them, the 3rd prize at the International Contest in Gorizia, Italy in 2003) and performances at several festivals: USA, France, Italy, Australia (IV World Choral Music Symposium) Music Fifteenth in San Sebastian, London (for British Association of Choir Conductors in 2001), in India in 2006 invited by Indian Embassy. The choir has also recorded a CD with "Missa Brevis" and "Missa Pro defunctis" of Javier Busto and two CDs (Umama and Umama 2) where choral singing and jazz music are combined.
Enrique Azurza studied choral conducting in Basque Country and in Stockholm, with Anders Eby. He has conducted the Choir Hodeiertz of Tolosa since 1985. In 1997 he founded the Vocal Ensemble KEA with the aim of promoting contemporary choral music. Since 1999 he also conducts the Choir of the University of the Basque Country (Bilbao). He is member of the musical committee at the International Choral Contest of Tolosa and a member of the jury at competitions and international festivals.
Under the lead of conductor Maria van Nieukerken the choir is focused on combining the singing with a theatrical aspect, in this way making modern music more fun and accessible for audience. They also strive to show the plethora of wonderful Dutch compositions in their repertoire.
They are often invited to perform with orchestras like the Dutch Youth String Orchestra and organizations like Europa Cantat. This year's Maribor is special for the choir because it will be the first time they will be able to share their joy of singing with a foreign audience.
Mr Bengt Ollén has conducted the Stockholms Musikgymnasiums Choirs since 1994. Yearly the choirs take part in international competitions and festivals. The choirs have a reputation of a very clear, warm sound with good technique and experiences. The school and the choirs are a well-known name in the music life of Sweden. Yearly they do co-operations with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Stockholm. Bengt Ollén has also conducted the Sofia Vocal Ensemble since its establishment in 1993. He was educated at the Music College of Gothenburg. He is a teacher of choir and choir conducting at Stockholms Musikgymnasium. Furthermore, he is a teacher of choir conducting at the Municipal Music Institute of Stockholm. Mr Bengt Ollén is frequently engaged as a guest teacher and a conductor at festivals, workshops and concerts, nationally and internationally.
The choir Capella "Oreya" was founded by Alexander Vatsek in Zhytomyr (Ukraine) in 1986 as an amateur municipal choir. The Capella "Oreya" is an adult mixed choir which consists of 35 members.
"Oreya's" repertoire includes compositions from 12th to 21st century. There are more than 500 pieces of Ukrainian folk and church music, contemporary Ukrainian and world music, and masterpieces of western music in choir's repertoire.
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