Dear
choral lovers,
We would like to express our worries about the outcome of the Brexit
Referendum. Since 1960, we are striving to bring people together and
make them feel that they ultimately belong to a shared European
cultural continuum. We’ll never give up fighting for a Europe that
shall be united through its shared cultural heritage like choral
singing. We hope Britons will change their minds and whatever the next
years shall bring, choral actors from this stronghold of vocal culture
will continue participating in our activities!
So here are the June news from the choir world. Please forward this
newsletter to your singing friends, if you work in a choral
association, forward it to your members or translate the news which
you find essential into your own language.
With best wishes
Sonja Greiner, Secretary General
on behalf of the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat
La traduction franηaise sera disponible ulterieurement, mettez votre
profil ΰ jour (http://europeanchoralassociation.us12.list-manage.com/profile?u=fdf84c4c95438c43aff459734&id=5ca7f5af67&e=0136f1de90)
pour la recevoir ΰ parution.
Die deutsche άbersetzung wird spδter erscheinen. Aktualisieren Sie Ihr
, um sie spδter zu erhalten
Content:
* Choirs are the best “Friends of Choral Music”
* The World Youth Choir is in Europe – and will sing in Bonn!
* EUROPA CANTAT 2018 | Music Commission in Tallinn
* Meet the members!
* Kristina Veerde joins the Youth Committee of ECA-EC
* A report from the field…
* News from the European / International
Choral Network
* News from the European / International
Culture Network
* Get inspired
Support us: Donate!
** Choirs are the best “Friends of Choral Music”
————————————————————
The “Friends of choral music in Europe”, the association that supports
the development of the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat,
launched its 2016/2017 fundraising campaign.
This year, in addition to the traditionnal call for donations and
their own fundraising ativities, the “Friends” are asking choirs all
over Europe to do what they do best: to Sing!
Choirs are invited to organise fundraising concerts (or any other
event) for the benefit of ECA-EC during their next season of activity,
to help make a difference on the European continent, and foster the
development of singing across all ages and origins.
So if you are conducting, or singing in a choir, you may want to check
out the website www.ChoralFriends.eu
where you will find useful information and material to download if you
want to take part in this campaign!
Download the 4 page guide on organising a fundraising event!
** The World Youth Choir is in Europe – and will sing in Bonn!
————————————————————
** Summer concerts in Belgium and Germanyhttp://www.worldyouthchoir.org
————————————————————
** 13 July – 2 August 2016
————————————————————
This year, the World Youth Choir
will unite 42 young choral singers, age 19 to 27, from 26 different
countries to perform along a tour of 6 concerts a mixed sacred and
secular repertoire, under the artistic direction of world-renowned
conductor Filippo Maria Bressan.
The World Youth Choir is a genuine educational and social experience
drawing from diverse vocal traditions, aiming for the highest artistic
level, with an emphasis on music education, a professional artistic
approach and multicultural social interaction and exchange.
The Summer Session 2016:World Youth Choir
23rd July | Weikersheim, Germany
25th July | Mainz, Germany
26th July | Cochem, Germany
27th July | Brussels, Belgium
29th July | Bonn, Germany
Organised by ECA-EC in cooperation with Bonner Schumannfest
and with the support of the City of Bonn | 17.00 Singing in front of
Schumannhaus | 20.00 Concert in Trinitatis church
31st July | Wolfenbόttel, Germany
If you are interested in attending one of the concerts make sure to
follow our social media channels andwebsite
for the latest updates!
** EUROPA CANTAT 2018 | Music Commission in Tallinn
————————————————————
The ECA-EC Music Commission
is actively working on the next edition of the festival EUROPA CANTAT.
They met in Tallinn this month to check the venues in the city and
define the main lines of the programme. The festival 2018 will include
an event on the famousSong Celebration Grounds
under this huge concert shell!
We’ll keep you updated.
From left to right: Raul Talmar (EE), Jim Daus Hjernψe (DK), Αgnes
Erdιlyi (HU), Jean-Claude Wilkens (FR), Kaie Tanner (EE), Jan
Schumacher (DE), Burak Onur Erdem (TR) and Carlo Pavese (IT).
** Meet the members!
————————————————————
** Ung i Kor from Norway
————————————————————
Every month,we will present one of our member organisations and the
choral context in which they work! Let’s start with Ung i Kor in
Norway.
** The choral life in Norway?
————————————————————
Norway, with a 5 million strong population is often ranking high in
development indexes. And, with an estimation of about 7500 active
choirs gathering 5% of the population, it shows also a quite positive
involvement in collective singing. We have three member organisations
in the country: Norges Korforbund,
Norsk Sangerforum
that we wil present below:
A member of ECA-EC: “Ung i Kor”
————————————————————
Ung i Kor is the Norwegian federation for children and youth choirs
with 300 children’s, youth and student choirs and approximately 10.000
members in total in the whole of Norway.
Ung i Kor works for:
– Strongly advocating musical development
– Supporting members of the organisation, both financially and logistically
– Educating members in democratic work and process
Ung i Kor organises courses for singers, conductors and young managers
as well as festivals, workshops and summer schools. Additionally, Ung
i Kor manages the Norwegian National Youth Choir
– the premium choir for talented young singers in Norway. The
organisation is also currently running the project “Children sing”
with the goal of fighting poverty among children and youths and using
singing as a tool for inclusion and integration.
Ung i Kor is a member of the Nordic Association for Children and Youth
Choir organisations, Norbusang
, and the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat
. The organisation is also a member of the Norwegian Music Council
and the national organisation for children and youth organisations in
Norway: LNU (http://europeanchoralassociation.us12.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=fdf84c4c95438c43aff459734&id=a575dbbc63&e=0136f1de90)
.
Contact:
Ung i Kor
pb 47390506 Oslo
Trondheimsveien 2, Oslo, Norway
Tel: +47 22005640
info(at)ungikor.no (mailto:info@ungikor.no)
Find out more about the Choral world in Norway
** Kristina Veerde joins the Youth Committee of ECA-EC
————————————————————
If you were in Pιcs for the EUROPA CANTAT festival in 2015, you may
recognise Kristiina on the right practising her Hungarian language
skills.
Kristina Veerde joins the Youth Committee
on behalf of the Estonia Choral Association, organiser of the next
EUROPA CANTAT festival! We hope she will teach us a lot of complicated
Estonian words too!
** A report from the field…
————————————————————
** Alle Menschen werden Brόder, the spirit of the European Music
Festival for Young People
————————————————————
Neerpelt (Belgium), 29 April – 1 May 2016. A report by Ruben Smits
(ECA-EC Youth Committee
)
Note: the Neerpelt festival recently became member of ECA-EC
The skies are announcing the arrival of summer. Down below, the
streets of Neerpelt are filled with the same friendly spirit. This is
the 64th European Music Festival for Young People
(EMJ).
EMJ is held every year, alternating between a vocal and an
instrumental edition. This year, children’s and youth choirs from all
over Europe and beyond came together to celebrate diversity, kindness
and music during this renowned festival. Shortly before the festival,
on 22 March, Brussels was hit by terrorist attacks. Rutger Nuyts,
president of the festival, commemorated the attacks, and called out
not to give in, to continue embracing other cultures through love and
friendliness: “Alle Menschen werden Brόder” – immediately sung and
followed by a big empowering applause.
I am really glad that the EMJ creates an opportunity for today’s young
people to experience a celebration of diversity. Being in Neerpelt,
looking at and listening to the great variety of choirs (one of which
premiered an arrangement I wrote for them), I experienced how singing
creates brotherhood and friendship. For three days at least, the EMJ
created peace on earth. Let’s hope singing and the vocal arts will
never seize to do so.“ Ruben Smits (ECA-EC Youth Committee
)
** News from the European / International
Choral Network
————————————————————
** IFCM June Newsletter
————————————————————
Read the news selected by the International Federation for Choral Music in June
:
| In French – en franηais
| In German – auf Deutsch
In Spanish – en espaρol
| In Italian – in italiano
And the registrations for the 11th World Symposium on Choral Music
that will be held in Barcelona, from 22nd to 29th July 2016 are open.
** News from the European / International
Culture Network
————————————————————
** European Music Council Statement
————————————————————
** Chairman Ian Smith: Statement on the UKs EU Referendum
————————————————————
Dear members and friends of theEuropean Music Council,
I write as Chair/President of the European Music Council to express my
deep regret and sorrow that at yesterday’s referendum, the UK voted to
leave the European Union by a narrow margin of 52% voting to leave and
48% voting to remain. The EMC remains at the core of my being and my
responsibilities as Chair are if anything strengthened by this
regrettable vote. I am happy to report that Scotland voted by a clear
majority of 62% to remain as part of the EU and that could, of course
lead, not only to the break up of Europe, which we all fear, but the
break up of the UK too.
The majority vote has come almost entirely from an English-based
populace who fear continuing immigration and want to retain control of
the UK which is, in my view a misplaced priority and fails to grasp
that we are stronger together. From a cultural and artistic
perspective this is certainly the case and is why the European Music
Council is strong and that strength comes from our members and our
shared priorities and vision for music as a universal language that
knows no barriers wherever it is practiced across all genres, all
abilities and for the benefit of all peoples.
We will remain strong and focussed on our European and global agenda
and I hope it is clear that what has just happened in the UK must make
us all vigilant and ensure that we unite through the common language
of music that is and remains our passion.
Ian Smith, Chair of the EMC
** Culture Action Europe statement
————————————————————
** on the European Union Youth Orchestra case
————————————————————
Context: Upon an ad-hoc resolution of the EU Commission, the EUYO
received a special funding outside of the regular legal framework of
the Creative Europe programme. CUlture Action Europe reacted with a
clear statement:
Culture Action Europe acknowledges the relevance of the EUYO’s work
and its uniqueness.
Nonetheless, we express concern at the manner in which this matter is
being handled. It leaves a bitter taste of doubt to how funding
decisions can be made and does not address the limits of the Creative
Europe programme. Moreover, any negative impact of the case on the
Creative Europe Culture budget would be unacceptable.
Other high quality organisations and networks have had to close down
or are struggling with minimal budgets following negative funding
decisions. They however did not receive such support from the
Parliament and Commission. The decision to find a “creative solution”
in this case is being viewed as highly unfair and bears the risk of
reflecting negatively on the perception and trust in the impartiality
of culture funding at an EU level.
The EU project needs the contribution of culture to overcome its
dramatic challenges and to help promote a positive image in a phase of
growing skepticism towards the Union’s institutions.
If and when ‘bureaucratic procedures’ do not adequately serve the
‘interest of our citizens’ the legislator is in called upon to assess
and subsequently reform policy and procedures, not limiting
interventions to a particular case.
We therefore call upon the institutions to guarantee the independence
and transparency of the decision making process, indispensable for
building confidence in equal opportunities for all, involving the
sector in a through assessment of Creative Europe and its
implementation.
Read the full CAE Statement
here.
** Get inspired
————————————————————
A quick collection of links you may find interesting… if you care
about vocal music!
Lessons in Ancient music, from a bathtub
————————————————————
** How an old forgotten songbook brings back children songs to Afghan
families…
————————————————————
** The French National Youth Choir wins “Florilθge Vocal de Tours” prizes
————————————————————
Multiple prizesawarded to the choir
which will join the International May Choir Competition next year.
**
A blog often worth reading: Chris Rowbury
————————————————————
Often interresting contributions:
**
“The intelligent choir”, a presentation by Jim Daus Hjernψe
————————————————————
A nice four minutes video
produced by PFI (FR),
with a member of our music commission.
European Choral Association – Europa Cantat
Weberstr. 59a – 53113 Bonn (DE)
Tel: +49 228 9125665
You can support the work of the association by
the “Friends of Choral Music in Europe”
* organizing fundraising activities
* making a direct donation!
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