2011 Choir Month (Photo: NOC)

Preparation for the great battle takes five long years between the Latvian Song & Dance Celebration. Thus once in a year the „Battle of Riga Choirs” is organized. In order to make it more attractive, the initiative takes conductors themselves making funny posters and video clips by choosing each year a different theme. You can find some examples from the last years here. You will notice that faces are all the same and maybe you can even recognize our artistic director for the World Choir Games 2014, Romāns Vanags?

This year is the year of Latvian Song and Dance Celebration. So in May 2013 it’s the last local battle before the great competition on June 29. The 2013 Riga Choir Month will gather 97 choirs in total – 9 senior choirs, 9 male choirs, 17 female and 62 mixed choirs and started with female choirs singing for the jury on May 6. On May 11 the first group of mixed choirs competed, on May 18 male choirs and female choirs will follow. However, the most exciting day will be on May 19 when the jury will hear the best of Riga choirs.

June 29 is going to be the day when from 11.00 – 22.00 the best Latvian choirs will compete in “The Battle of Choirs”. By the way, translated from Latvian one to one the competition is called “Song wars” (Dziesmu kari). But don’t worry; it’s going to be an impressive, peaceful celebration of song:

In the course of the video series „Coro fantastico“ we will show you during the next weeks entertaining and enjoyable reviews of international choir competitions and festivals in 2012. Maybe your choir is also already part of it?

We launch “Coro fantastico” featuring a group from Latvia: Lielvarde Children’s Choir .

(dt) The Lielvarde Children’s Choir is a fantastic Latvian children’s choir. This choir and its conductor Baiba Klepere belong to the most loyal choirs that have participated in international choir competitions and festivals held by INTERKULTUR so far. This likeable choir appeared for the first time on stage during the choir competitions series in Riva del Garda in 1997.

During their participation in the Choir Olympics 2004 in Bremen and the World Choir Games in Graz 2008 the little ones from Latvia proved the international audience and choirs from all over the world that they belong to the major players regarding choral music.

They did not only score gold in Bremen 2004 in the category „Folklore a cappella“, but also in Graz 2008 in the popular category „Children’s Choirs“. This achievement was something very special regarding the fact that the World Choir Games meanwhile belonged to the biggest choral competitions worldwide with 441 participating choirs from 93 nations.

But the children’s choir from Lielvarde does not only show high performance during competitions but also captures the hearts of the audiences.

During the last evening at the Grand Prize competition of the „Concorso Corale Internazionale“ in Riva del Garda 2012 they presented a very touching entrance. About 40 children, dressed in traditional costumes and bows in their pigtails, stood on stage and thanked the audience with a smile on their faces.

Our video shows you what these boys and girls are capable of when singing and chattering during mealtime and what they tell us.

(Photo: INTERKULTUR)

Starting 2014 INTERKULTUR takes over the organization of the Int. Choir Competition & Festival Bad Ischl in the beautiful Salzkammergut in Upper Austria. As the future project manager I attended this year’s event.

My first impression was that this event has a quite familiar atmosphere. Each choir has its own volunteer (members of Bad Ischl choirs), you feel at home immediately. It even seems a bit like time stands still in Bad Ischl…

There was a magnificent sunshine when the city welcomed 20 participating choirs, 20 degrees and blue sky, a fantastic view on snow-covered mountains – the Salzkammergut at its best.

On Saturday there were Friendship Concerts in the historic Trinkhalle, in the evening I attended the Opening Ceremony in Congress and Theater House, where also the competitions were held.

The next day I listened to a Gala concert. The atmosphere was great; the choirs in the audience put everybody in a good mood, especially the Choir of the Music School “Josef Marinkovic” from Serbia, who performed in the concert with even three groups: Girls’ Choir, Youth Mixed Choir and Ethno Group. More choirs singing in this concert were the Vocal Ensemble Fresco, the choir Brevis and the Chamber Choir Gloria, who entertained the audience with an Austrian “Waltz Medley”. They were all from Russia.

On Monday the competition closed with a spectacular ceremony after a long day of performances (Children, Youth Choirs, and “Folk Song” categories). The Ingenium Ensemble from Slovenia won the Grand Prize, and it was a great atmosphere in the hall. All choirs were partying, especially the Serbian and Slovenian groups – they brought the house down. When the competitions results were announced everyone was even more in high spirits. And then, when a Slovenian group won even the Grand Prize, the atmosphere culminated and it sounded like the cheering on a soccer ground. Afterwards the party still continued in front of the congress and theater house.

All in all I can say that I’m really looking forward to organizing next year’s event.

See you in Bad Ischl in spring 2014!

(Photo: Tomaso Marchesini)

The category winners at a glance:

A1 – Mixed Choirs Difficulty Level I
Falu Kammarkör, Sweden (conducted by Tony Margeta)

A3 – Female Choirs Difficulty Level I
Tonika Riga, Latvia (conducted by Inga Cimina)

B1 – Mixed Choirs Difficulty Level II
Skali Mixed Choir Jelgava, Latvia (conducted by Maija Branka)

B3 – Female Choirs Difficulty Level II
Akademski Zbor Filozofskoga Fakulteta u Zagrebu “Concordia discors”, Croatia (conducted by Vinko Karmelić & Marina Jurković & Jurica Bošković)

S – Sacred Choir Music
Stockholms Musikgymnasium Youth Choir, Sweden (conducted by Helene Stureborg)

G1 – Children’s Choirs
“Gioia di Cantare” Torun Music School Children Choir, Poland (conducted by Renata Szerafin-Wojtowicz)

G2 – Youth Choirs of equal voices
Koritsia, Sweden (conducted by Karin Fagius)

G3 – Mixed Youth Choirs
Stockholms Musikgymnasium Youth Choir, Sweden (conducted by Helene Stureborg)

F – Folklore
The Duke of Cornwall Singers, South Africa (conducted by Yvette Schoeman)

Congratulations to all participating choirs! Please find a list of all results in detail here.

Photo: INTERKULTUR

This means one thing only: “Venezia in Musica” has started again – for the 11th time already.

26 groups from 11 nations are there this year – a group from Mexico had to cancel at the last minute and did not come. However, all others are there and during the upcoming days they enjoy the Italian spring and an exciting choral competition.

In prior to the official opening the participants had gathered for the big choir parade through Jesolo – accompanied by saxophones and clarinets of Rossmoyne Senior High School Band from Australia.

This morning the first groups perform in the competitions starting with “Musica Sacra” categories. We wish all singers good luck and a great time in Italy!

Pictures from yesterday can be found on flickr.

Photo: INTERKULTUR

It was yesterday around 5:30 pm when very popular tunes were sounding in the Herrengasse in front of the Landhaushof in Graz: “There’s a place for which I care with that friendly small town flair, a place to call my own…” Sure thing, this is “City of my heart”, the hymn of choral events in Graz; a melody which is still staying in the heads of many people. It started with a solo by Anja Obermayer but about 70 more word-perfect Graz people mixed with the audience then and sang along.

This flashmob in celebration of the World Voice Day (WVD) was a great promotion for the upcoming European Choir Games 2013 (July 14 to 21, 2013). Starting in the afternoon several choirs sang a World Voice Day street concert at the information booth in the Herrengasse. There was a jazz solo by Anja Obermayer and even some beatboxing. The activity had been initiated by Franz Herzog, “City of my heart” composer and member of the artistic committee for the European Choir Games.

Had you also organized special activities for the World Voice Day? We want to learn more, shoot an e-mail to choirreporter@interkultur.com

My colleagues at the press conference

These are great news, what do you think? Of course we and our partners had prepared this announcement for quite some time, and it was great to finally inform the whole world today.

Morten Lauridsen was guest at the 2012 World Choir Games already. He was fascinated by the event and promised directly to come back in 2014. I still remember him saying: “I’m just impressed about what has happened here, to have conductors and choral singers from all over the world coming together to sing and making music. A wonderful experience. I meet people who sing my music, from Indonesia and from all over the world, coming to me and say ‘Thank you for your music’. I’m very inspired by this.”

I was even able to discuss The Real Group’s contribution to the World Choir Games in Riga personally. We had lunch together in Frankfurt after their concert a few weeks ago where we talked about the details. Their bass singer Anders Jalkéus acted as an adjudicator for our competions several times already and some of you might also remember the performance of The Real Group in the ORF TV Show during the World Choir Games 2008 in Graz…

And also The King’s Singers are somehow connected with our competitions. I guess you know Bob Chilcott? In the 80ies and 90ies he was singing with The King’s Singers himself. Two years ago he acted as adjudicator for one of our competitions where he talked about his time with the group in a seminar.

So, today in Riga was pretty good. I’m really looking forward to having all these outstanding artists at the World Choir Games 2014!

Yours
Jelena

Snow is falling in Riga (Photo: INTERKULTUR)

Nevertheless we started to visit the various venues directly after my arrival – and we walked most of the way. To date I had seen all venues only on photos, now I finally got a personal impression. The city offers fantastic halls, I’m thrilled – and they’re only waiting for YOU!

Afterwards we warmed up in a bar with a cup of chocolate. The colleagues and I discussed the upcoming days, because we will be very busy. There are many business meetings this week and on Wednesday we will have a press conference – I strongly recommend checking our website then, because there is fantastic news to come!

My best wishes from still wintery Riga,

Jelena

P. S. This time Constanze did not come with me to Riga, unfortunately. She’s also project manager for the European Choir Games 2013 in Graz and is really busy with this event until July…

Jana (r.) with Jelena (l.), Photo: INTERKULTUR

We got to know Jana at one of our last business trips to Riga and were happy to convince to work with us. When our partners from Latvia came to Germany in February she officially got into the project and had the chance to meet the whole INTERKULTUR family.

In order to introduce her to you as well, we asked her a few questions:

Name:
Jana Kalniņa

Working for INTERKULTUR since:
March 2013

What was your job before?
I have been project coordinator of World music festival “Porta” and of Festival of Spatial objects “The way through the Chrismas trees”

What are you doing for INTERKULTUR now?
I am the Latvian Choral Relations Representative in the INTERKULTUR team.

What do you like most about your job?
Working with people with whom I can share common passion!

Which object is essential on your desk?
Pen and to – do list.

Which object on your desk is essential but indispensible?
The rest of at least 20 pens

What are you mostly looking forward to the World Choir Games in Riga?
I am looking forward to the joyful spirit which we will create all together!

What will be special about a World Choir Games held in Latvia?
For the first time WCG will be held in the country which has so long and rich choir singing traditions. Singing is an essential part of our national identity and history. Therefore this is going to be an event important not only to participants, choir members and music professionals but also to many people of our country who will cordially welcome participants of WCG in Latvia – the land that sings.

Do you have choir experiences? What do you like about choral music?
Since my childhood till now (with some interruptions though) I have been singing in vocal ensembles, children, female, youth and mixed choirs, with which I have experienced some of the most remarkable moments of my life. To me the choral music gives a chance to experience unusual and powerful emotional unity.

With whom would you like to sing a duet one day?
Elīna Garanča

With whom would you NEVER like to sing a duet?
I would never sing with a person who DOESN’T like to sing.

What do you like to sing
…while cleaning up: singing along with “The B-52`s”
…under the shower: opera arias
…in your car: anything that doesn’t motivate me to overspeed!
…in a karaoke bar: Eurythmics “Sweet dreams”

What do you like to listen to…
…at work: Radio Klasika
…at home: from Monteverdi to “The dead Kennedys”
…in your car: Emir Kusturica and The no smoking orchestra
…in a concert: Anything that can inspire me!

Which song is just like written especially for you?
“I will survive”

We’re so happy about Jana’s support on the ground and are looking forward to meeting her again in Riga on April 8!

Best regards
Constanze & Jelena

The category winners at a glance:

A1 – Mixed Choirs with compulsory piece
Vox Caelestis Vegyeskar, Hungary
conducted by Valéria Szebellédi

A2 – Male Choirs with compulsory piece
Stockholms Musikgymnasium Male Choir,, Sweden
conducted by Bengt Ollén

A3 – Female Choirs with compulsory piece
Aurin Nőikar, Hungary
conducted by László Durányik

B1 – Mixed Choirs without compulsory piece
Vikár Béla Kórus Géza, Hungary
conducted by Géza Ludmány

B3 – Female Choirs without compulsory piece
Shimizu Nishi Gashodan, Japan
conducted by Kiyomi Fujiwara

C1 – Chamber Choirs of equal voices
Ensemble Vocapella Limburg, Germany
conducted by Tristan Meister

C2 – Mixed Chamber Choirs
Városminor Kamardórus, Hungary
conducted by Andrea Ney

F – Folklore
Female Chamber Choir “Banjalucanke”, Bosnia and Herzegovina
conducted by Mladen Matović

G1 – Children´s Choirs with compulsory piece
Detski Khor Gosudarstvennoy Opery, Russia
conducted by Elena Nakishova & Elena Konovalova

G2 – Youth Choirs of equal voices
Kodály Iskola Aurin Leánykara, Hungary
conducted by László Durányik

G3 – Mixed Youth Choirs
Szegedi Tudományegyetem Juhász Gyula Pedagógusképző Kar Argenteus Vegyeskara, Hungary
conducted by Gábor Kovács

P – Pop, Jazz, Gospel
Greg is Back e.V., Germany
conducted by Martin Seiler

Find a list of all results in detail here. Congratulations to everybody!