Interview with Tim Sharp and Gent Lazri

2020 was a very weird year for musical life. Nevertheless, events emerged, concerts took place and CD were recorded before or between the lockdowns. 2021, some completely new events are to be born, inspired or catalysed by this time of changes and challenges. We met the organizers of two of them: Pop-up Messiah Choir conductor Tim Sharp (USA) and CHORALSPACE Founder Gent Lazri (Germany) and asked them about the process of creating something new in unsure pandemic times.

Dear Mr Sharp, dear Mr Lazri, your events will start in 2021, after a very difficult year for the whole music scene. Where did you find the strength to create something like this during very silent and worrying months?

TS: The strength for this project came from working with other choral conductors that were eager to keep activity and performance alive during this devastating time. They wanted to be a part of this initiative and encouraged me to keep planning and thinking about how we could create memorable experiences with our singers.

GL: At a certain moment during the last year, we all have recognized that this crisis will not simply disappear. The way out of this pandemic is a process of change into a new choral world. There are many opportunities connected with this new start. And there are many new skills needed as well.
It is a unique chance for the choral musician to not just accept the “new normal” but to design the new choral community. This opportunity feels extremely motivating to me.

Mr Lazri, you are starting a project called CHORALSPACE in Berlin, Germany, as well as online. Mr Sharp, you will be offering a very special sing along in Georgia, Tennessee and Oklahoma, USA. Please describe your events briefly.

GL: The CHORALSPACE Academy will be an online university featuring 38 workshops with leading personalities from all over the world and 8 creative sessions with students and mentors. We will offer a 360° academic program for students of all ages. The classes are designed to focus on motivating the participants to learn and create new projects. It will be an extremely practical approach to learning.

TS: The event is a “Pop-up Messiah Choir,” where people will sing in their cars or as they stand by their car in a parking lot and listen and sing to an FM radio transmission soundtrack and rehearsal instructions for Handel’s Messiah, all centered around a 1958 restored World Traveler Airstream trailer on wheels.

Starting an event in 2021, after a very complicated year during which the whole music world had to struggle for finances because of an obvious lack of income, how could you find the necessary financial support despite of the COVID crisis? Which organisations are behind these events?

TS: I am the originator and leader of this series of events. I will personally jumpstart the effort myself with my own financial resources, but I will draw on my institutional supporters at Trevecca University and the Center for Community Arts Innovation and the Tulsa Chorale for marketing and communication support. Further, the sponsoring choral organisations will bring “in kind” support through their marketing and communication efforts and in-kind, non-monetary support. The sponsoring organisation is the Center for Community Arts Innovation at Trevecca University in Nashville, TN (USA) and the Tulsa Chorale, Tulsa, OK. The project will always involve four collaborative choirs hosting the Pop-up Messiah Choir, will provide the parking lot for the event to take place and will assist in advertising and promotion.

GL: We do not have any financial support for the academy – so far. But we have an extremely motivated faculty that has committed to offer the classes for a very modest fee. The non-for-profit organization CHORALSPACE 2021 gGmbH will take over the organization and set-up the structure for the classes. The event is structured as a non-profit project and the costs for the online university will be shared by the participants. The crowd-funding structure and the financial commitment of the students are crucial for the success of the CHORALSPACE Academy.

In what ways is your event new?

GL: The academy sessions are spaces to learn, create and perform. The connection between these phases of the choral process will be a truly short one. In addition to the 38 workshops, there will be 8 creative sessions where students can develop and present their own projects. We will mentor this process and help the participants to realize their ideas. The CHORALSPACE performance projects are open to the participants of the academy to stage their ideas and collaborate with international ensembles. This is the innovative approach of the CHORALSPACE Academy.

TS: The “newness” of this experience is the use of older technology, short-range radio FM transmission, to teach and accompany choral music, the use of a retro application of an Airstream trailer to rally and attract a crowd of singers, and the use of a choral classic in Handel’s Messiah to use as a sing-along for a variety of trained and untrained singers.

The locations for the first events have been identified as Atlanta, GA, Nashville, TN, and Tulsa, OK, and collaborators have been contacted. The FM transmission has been tested, and the 1958 restored World Traveler Airstream is being equipped for the center of focus and branding of the event as a “Pop-up Messiah Choir”.  The sheet music is being prepared for QR downloading by the singer, and singer editions are being prepared for seasoned singers as well as beginners that do not read music.

Why was it a need to create this event?

TS: The fundamental need is to focus attention on choral singing in an initiative of advocacy. This will be particularly helpful as we return to recruiting singers for our choirs following the pandemic. Handel’s Messiah was chosen because of its long history with collaborative large group sings, and because of its universal message of peace and reconciliation. Popular songs will also be used to warm up the pop-up choir, leading up to the Messiah sing-along. Any donations to the event will be distributed to support the collaborative choirs that will sponsor the pop-up community sing.

GL: The choral community is changing, and not just due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Artistic innovation, audience visibility and social inclusivity are themes that urgently need an international space for creation and realization. We need to educate and motivate choral professionals and amateurs to take the lead and broaden the focus of our choral activities.
Choral music plays a particularly important role in our communities. Many people have recognized this for the first time as choir singing was not there anymore. As we will be back, we need to rethink our position and the visibility of our role. It has never been enough to just expect to be recognized. Graduates of the CHORALSPACE Academy will play an active role in this process and our task is to give them the needed skills for their challenges.

Which is/are the target group(s) of your event?

GL: We address everyone involved in choral singing. Conductors and music educators are surely the main target group, but we wish to also reach singers, composers, and choir managers. In every choir there is a small group of motivated members that invest a lot of time for the ensemble. We would love to give to these members the tools they need for creating successful projects. In addition, we will connect them to an international choral network. Age is not part of our target group consideration. Learning is a necessity at every age.

TS: The target is both an effort in collaboration for various groups that have not worked together in the past to support choral singing, as well as people who would like to sing in a new and innovative setting. The desire is to bring people into proximity with singing organizations that they could sing with in the future. It is also a chance for people who love to sing Messiah to do so in an informal and fun setting.

Did you plan it before the pandemic?

TS: I had thought about the pop-up choir idea and the need to give attention to choral singing in a new way and in a non-threatening way, but the pandemic gave me the push to do it now. I coupled all of this with the idea of using the very popular idea of focusing on a remodeled Airstream trailer and using it to draw a crowd and draw attention to an event by the media.

GL: Yes. The need of an international online university for choral music has been there for a long time. The technical solutions and ideas came up during the first lockdown in Spring 2020.

Which challenges did the pandemic bring to the event organisation?

GL: The pandemic has been a promoting catalyst for the CHORALSPACE Academy. There is now a general acceptance of the need for innovation in the choral community.
At the same time, we all are missing stages and rehearsal halls. Their function within the choral biotope is particularly important and the actual challenge is to create a learning program without the comfort zone of these halls.

TS: The pandemic did not bring challenges, but rather, brought the idea into action due to the necessity of singing in a safe environment and in an outdoor setting. After the pandemic is under control, the idea will continue as a way to advocate for choral singing and to bring new singers into existing ensembles, and a way to draw attention to the beauty of choral singing.

Why should IFCM members attend your event?

GL: IFCM members are internationally well connected and extremely interested in innovative projects around the world. The CHORALSPACE Academy will offer to them a platform to learn, create and perform the own ideas.

TS: An IFCM member will be able to participate in this event as an act of choral advocacy, as well as to enjoy the singing experience itself. We have always started our World Choral Music Symposium with a community sing, and these events are following in the same tradition as we have experienced many times as we come together to experience the joy of singing a common piece of music.

General information

• Name of the event: POP-UP MESSIAH CHOIR (with Tim Sharp)
  When? Late-Spring 2021
  Where? First locations are Atlanta, GA; Nashville, TN; Tulsa, OK (USA)
  Website. TheTimSharp.com

• Name of the event: CHORALSPACE Academy 2021/22
  When? September 7, 2021 to June 28, 2022
  38 weekly workshops, every Tuesday at 19:00 (CET) (3 weeks of Christmas break in December/January and 2 weeks of Easter break in April)
  Where? From home or from any remote working and studying place in the world
  Website: www.choralspace.org

Edited by Clayton Parr, USA

Silja Fischer
Secretary General of the International Music Council

The COVID-19 crisis has revealed shortcomings in the world of arts and culture – weaknesses that were already there but have been exacerbated by the crisis. All artistic activities, from workshops to residencies to live events, have suffered as a result of lockdown or other restrictive measures. There is a wide-spread fear among cultural professionals that the longer their recovery is delayed, the more lasting the effects will be on these activities.

Let’s have a look at how the core values of the International Music Council, embedded in the Five Music Rights, hold up in the crisis and the response to it.

The Right for all children and adults to express themselves musically in all freedom

This right echoes the explicit provisions protecting the freedom of artistic expression and creativity that are to be found in article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as well as article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

In May 2020, IMC expressed its deep concern at the increase of attacks on freedom of artistic expression on a global scale, as documented in the Freemuse’s recent report “State of Artistic Freedom 2020”, which offers an in-depth analysis of 711 acts of violations of artistic freedom in 2019 in 93 countries. We continue to be alerted by reports from colleagues all over the world pointing to the COVID-19 crisis exacerbating the situation as global nationalist populism continues to restrict expression and emergency procedures are enacted that sometimes silence dissident voices.

The exceptional situation of the pandemic should not and will not distract our attention from the brutal reality that artists are extremely vulnerable in a world dominated by oligarchies of power and money.

The Right for all children and adults to learn musical languages and skills

The crisis affected those who teach and those who learn at equal levels, in classrooms, music schools and higher music education institutions.

The challenging shift to online teaching was mastered by teachers at varying levels but with equal willingness and enthusiasm. As with anything that relates to the digital realm, issues such as digital literacy, access to hardware and software, broadband availability etc. impacted teachers’ and learners’ capacity to cope with the situation.

We learned from IMC member Music Crossroads Academy Zimbabwe that they offered teaching programmes in WhatsApp format during the lockdown but had to face dropouts by students due to their incapacity to follow through. It is therefore with great relief that they opened the doors of their school for physical teaching again after the first lockdown.

In many countries, when schools started to open again, music lessons were among the first cut out of school programmes in 2020. Making music was out of all of a sudden, branded with a stigma. Many scientific studies tried to offer answers to the many questions raised as teachers and learners wanted to return to the rehearsal halls. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of its member, the National Music Council of the United States, IMC was able to contribute financially to a study launched by an international alliance of 125 performing arts organisations to examine aerosol rates produced by wind instrumentalists, vocalists, and even actors, and how quickly those aerosol rates accumulate in a space. While the insights seem to have allowed for some collective teaching activities to resume, the next question is about audiences being allowed back into performance spaces, which brings us to the next Right.

The Right for all children and adults to have access to musical involvement through participation, listening, creation and information

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift toward digital technologies beyond even the most ambitious forecasts. The roll-out of 5G, artificial intelligence and big data was always going to trigger more change and upheaval over the next five years than any other technology in the last 30 years. Already in May 2020, McKinsey Digital estimated that “The COVID-19 recovery will be digital” and shared a plan for the first 90 days of this discovery.

The worldwide lockdown has driven our social interactions and our consumption of culture almost entirely into the digital space. The cultural and creative sector has thus become the testing ground for exceptions and limitations on intellectual property regimes in order to facilitate access – albeit in certain circumstances and conditions – to creative content. Streaming of, and access to, creative content has become indispensable in dealing with the adverse conditions of lockdown imposed in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Internet access has become an essential service despite the fact that approximately 46% of the world’s population do not have access to an Internet connection.

This being said, we have to acknowledge that not all artistic expressions are fit for streaming, and that the “virtual choirs” are but an illusion of collective singing as the readers of the International Choral Bulletin will be the first to flag.

The Right for all musical artists to develop their artistry and communicate through all media, with proper facilities at their disposal

According to a UNESCO publication[1], the most widespread measure (other than direct financial aid) taken by governments has been the creation of fee-based platforms for streaming artistic content. The authors suggest that, perhaps without fully realizing it, public authorities, through financial support to these platforms, have in practice done what numerous analysts had been suggesting as a response to the growing domination of major online multinationals with their opaque algorithms: setting up a public portal giving access to national content. The question is whether these measures will indeed mean a transposition to the digital world of actions taken by public institutions such as national theatres, or broadcastings of major festivals on public holidays.

Governments have accelerated plans to develop broadband Internet in rural and remote areas, which have become critical for businesses and the education system in particular. Many artists throughout the world have deliberately chosen to offer free access to vast quantities of creative content during the crisis. However, as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)[2] points out, it is important to ensure that these kinds of flexibility, in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, are targeted on the demonstrated lack of access and limited to the objective of remedying that lack of access for the duration of the crisis. Because art is work and needs to be remunerated…

The Right for all musical artists to obtain just recognition and remuneration for their work

The crisis has revealed gaps in the social and economic protection available to those at the heart of the cultural and creative industries, the artists and cultural workers who are often freelancers with multiple employers, placing a strain on the schemes that already existed.

The crisis has also sped up the digital transformation, raising real questions about the financial viability (without State support) of cultural enterprises, the media and non-profit organisations and about the working conditions of artists and cultural workers.

We have noted that the measures adopted to cope with the crisis are mainly of two kinds: either they aim to respond to urgent needs, such as wage support, compensation for losses, social insurance contributions, holidays and fast-tracked aid payments, or they are the same as found “in normal times”, but with changed parameters to fit the circumstances, such as aid for skills development, investment in infrastructure, market development etc. To a very large extent, these intervention mechanisms are not specific to the arts and culture sectors.

However, we have also noted that many levels of government – national, regional and local – have come to the aid of creators, bodies and enterprises, acknowledging the fundamental role of these actors and institutions in the wellbeing of communities, a role that has come into even sharper focus in lockdown.

In Africa and Latin America especially, measures aimed at meeting basic needs such as delivering meals or providing social assistance to the poorest households have emerged, bearing in mind that these measures benefit the many artists and creators in the informal sector. Certain collective management organisations also quickly mobilised by paying royalties in advance to authors, composers and performers, many of whom fall between the cracks of the safety net of government aid as they do not meet the criteria for assistance programme dedicated to freelancers or small or medium-sized enterprises.

In conclusion…

The arts and culture community is a fragile ecosystem to which governments have devoted years, if not decades, of patient and methodical support, through cultural policies and major public investment, in many countries. All these efforts could be for naught unless something is done. Artists will no longer exercise their talents. Creators will no longer be able to practice their trade. Whole swathes of the value chain could go under (think of concert venues), which would have a devastating effect both on people’s right to take part in cultural life and on the diversity of cultural expressions.

Faced with the globalisation of markets and the digital shift, the cultural and creative industries and the cultural sector as a whole are left with no choice but to adapt by developing new skills, practices and business models.

More than ever, we need to stand united as we strive for a healthy global musical ecosystem and a world where every child and adult can learn, experience, create, perform and express themselves through music and where artists receive recognition and fair remuneration.

Edited by Mirella Biagi, UK/Italy

Silja Fischer grew up in East Germany and studied in Berlin, Moscow and Hamburg. She joined the General Secretariat of the International Music Council in 1993 where she occupied several positions before her appointment as Secretary General in 2009. In this capacity, she is in charge of official representation, cultural policy matters, membership relations, fundraising as well as programme implementation. Since the International Music Council is an NGO official partner of UNESCO, Silja also liaises with the UNESCO Secretariat as well as with diplomatic representatives of the UNESCO Member States. Silja strongly believes in strategic collaborations for effective and efficient advocacy work. Besides her passion for music and its transformative power, she likes to discover places, meet and connect with people, drink wine, enjoy the sea breeze and nature.

[1] https://en.unesco.org/creativity/publications/culture-crisis-policy-guide-resilient-creative

[2] Francis Gurry, “Some Considerations on Intellectual Property, Innovation, Access and COVID-19”, WIPO, 24 April, 2020,
www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/dg_gurry/news/2020/news_0025.html.

Dr. Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan

Heavenly voices in concert halls, moving music during masses, weekly rehearsals with choristers — these are the things that have changed in the choral scene for the past nine months. Things have been different than usual as musicians have now utilized digital technology to produce a choral performance — learning a piece individually, recording them to perfection, and taking a video in front of the camera, soon to be stitched together into  one production.

But amid this trying time of adjustment and solitude, where social interaction has shifted to the virtual scene, choral groups consisting of children and youth have stepped up and used their art to inspire, to express, and to connect—as music soars beyond boundaries and extends its wings to where harmony is needed most.
Last June 24, 2020, the Treble Association of the Philippines, Inc. (TCAP) successfully launched the Young Voices of the World through a virtual choral performance — with the theme Sing As One, music by Jude B. Roldan and lyrics by Ignatia Mariae Adeline, Charise Eryka Delson and Jude B. Roldan — in unity with children and youth choral artists from different countries as the world fights against the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative, which was premiered on Youtube, featured 37 amazing choirs from 17 countries including our scholar choirs, the Young Voices of the Philippines and Kantabella. These choirs are from Asia, Africa, America, and Europe.
The TCAP, Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to cultivating young choral artists, spearhead research and development for children and youth choral movement, and promote Philippine music within the country and across the world. Aside from the Young Voices of the World, they have also launched variations in Asia and the Philippines, connecting 37 treble choirs across the globe with music. For the group, choral music is more than a discipline thatcultivates exemplary skill and artistry, but also an effective medium to unify people through message and song—harmonizing for hope and solidarity amidst the adversity.

Here is the list of choral groups for your reference:

Young Voices of the World

• Cantemus Children’s Choir (Hungary) cond. Maestro Dénes Szabó
• Hamilton Children’s Choir (Canada) cond. Ms. Zimfira Poloz
• Kantabella (Philippines) cond. Mr. Jude B. Roldan
• Kinderchor der Staatsoper Unter den Linden (Germany) cond. Mr. Vinzenz Weissenburger
• Kodaly Conservatory Children’s Choir (Greece) cond. Mr. Michalis Patseas
• Leioa Kantika Korala Children’s Choir (Basque Country, Spain) cond. Mr. Basilio Astúlez
• Ponomaryov Vesna Children’s Choir (Russia) cond. Dr. Nadezhda Averina
• Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir (USA) cond. Dr. Janet Marie Hostetter
• Soul Sounds Academy (Sri Lanka) cond. Ms. Soundarie David Rodrigo
• Tygerberg Children’s Choir (South Africa) cond. Ms. Karina Erasmus
• The Bel Canto Youth Chorus of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem (USA) cond. Dr. Joy Hirokawa
• Young Voices of the Philippines (Philippines) cond. Mr. Jude B. Roldan and Dr. Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan

Young Voices of Asia

• Hai Sing Catholic Secondary School Choir and Punggol Secondary School Choir (Singapore) cond. Mr. Marcus Lee
• Ikeda Junior Choir (Japan) cond. Ms. Kayoko Shibuya
• Kuala Lumpur Children’s Choir (Malaysia) cond. Ms. Susanna Saw
• Saint Angela Choir(Indonesia) cond. Mr. Roni Sugiarto
• Seongam International Trade High School Choir (Korea) cond. Ms. Kwon Yong-sik
• Taipei Philharmonic Youth and Children’s Choir (Taiwan) cond. Ms. Sandy Fu
• Wattana Girls’ Chorus (Thailand) cond. Mr. Sathit Sukchongchaipruk
• Kantabella (Philippines)
• Young Voices of the Philippines (Philippines) cond. Mr. Jude B. Roldan and Dr. Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan

Young Voices of the Philippines Festival Choir

• Baao Children & Youth Choir, cond. Mr. Hermelino Briones
• Bitik Children’s Choir, cond. Mr. Ron April Frias
• Calasiao Children’s Chorus, cond. Mr. Gilbert Allan Dispo
• Dagupan City Children’s Choir, cond. Virginia Llamas-Mendoza
• Dreamweavers Children’s Choir, cond. Ms. Perlyn Joy Enriquez
• Himig Zamora Children’s Choir, cond. Mr. Ivan Grulla
• Kilyawan Boys Choir and Voces Aurorae Girls Choir, cond. Mr. Mark Anthony Carpio
• Laoag City Children’s Choir, cond. Mr. Vernix Magayano
• Las Piñas Boys Choir, cond. Mr. Armando Salarza
• Loboc Children’s Choir, cond. Ms. Lea Claudia Cal
• Mandaue Children & Youth Chorus, cond. Mr. Dennis Gregory Sugarol
• Raz Singing Cherubim, cond. Ms. Alijah May Raz
• Savio Singers, cond. Mr. Frinz Charles Casas
• St. John the Baptist Children’s Choir, cond. Mr. Bryan Lejano
• Voices of the South Children’s Choir, cond. Mr. Peter Buaya
• Young Voices of the Philippines, Living Learning Children’s Chorus, and Prayer Bible Fellowship Children’s Choir, cond. Mr. Jude B. Roldan and Dr. Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan

Dr Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan completed her Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education degree at Saint Paul University Manila. She also graduated as a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, cum laude and Master of Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music. She teaches conducting, large ensemble classes and music education at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music, Centro Escolar University Conservatory of Music and Graduate School. To promote Filipino choral music and in their advocacy to strengthen the children’s choral movement in the Philippines, Theresa, together with her husband Jude, arranges Filipino folksongs and writes choral music for children’s choirs. They also founded the Treble Choir Association of the Philippines and its scholar choirs, the Young Voices of the Philippines and Kantabella, of which she is the conductor and the co-artistic director. They organised Groundwork for Choirs, a series of choral workshops for conductors around Southeast Asia, and released their book Groundwork for Part-Singing, a collection of short pieces to develop choristers’ ability to sing in parts. Her choral works have been published, performed and premiered at various choral festivals and competitions around the world.These works were published by Hal Leonard Publishing Company and Pavane Publishing in the USA. She was one of the featured composers at the 2015 Pacific International Choral Festival in Eugene, Oregon, USA. As a sought-after choral instructor, children’s choir conductor, guest conductor and choral clinician, Theresa has given conducting master classes, presented choral and music education lectures and led workshops around the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and the United States of America. She has also been invited to adjudicate in prestigious international choral festivals and competitions and has served as chairwoman for choir competitions in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in the Philippines. Currently, Dr Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan is also the Vice President for Projects of the Philippine Choral Directors Association. Email: mtvizconderoldan@yahoo.com

Edited by Christopher Lutton, UK

ADICORA (2020): Esteban Conde Ferreyra (President). Academic Committee: Viviana Bognar, Andrea Aventuroso, Elisabeth Guerra, Angela Burgoa, María Soledad Gauna, Macarena Gómez Delgado

The “Conducting in Children and Youth Choral Singing” event was held on Zoom from September 27 to October 2, 2020.  Sponsored by the Association of Choir Conductors of the Argentine Republic (ADICORA), the event featured a series of debates moderated by qualified professionals, as well as interviews with 70 personalities renowned in the choral field. Our purpose was to generate interaction, debate and discussion and to raise professional awareness on issues related to the challenges faced by contemporary communities.

CHILD AND YOUTH CHOIRS – Where and When

In Argentina, child & youth choral activities take place in schools, clubs, cooperatives, churches, town halls, recreational centers, union centers and cultural organizations, each of which takes on the characteristics of that organization. Choir projects are begun either on the conductor’s own initiative or derived from educational or cultural programs that encourage their development. These choral activities are not always supported financially by the institutions and organizations where they take place:  The conductors are often poorly paid, working hard at their jobs with remarkable dedication and out of love for choral singing. Voices can be heard warning of the urgent need to provide equal opportunities to all children and young people in our country through:

• Public policies that support programs for training child and youth choirs, with budgets protected by law to guarantee their continuity.
• Curricular spaces for training teachers, music teachers and choir conductors, with specific content related to children’s choral singing, children and youth voices and repertoires suitable for each age.
• The formation of collaborative working teams that guarantee greater inclusion so that the right to sing receives more than mere lip-service.

SCHOOL CHOIRS – Everybody can sing

In a session on the fundamental issue of school choirs, teachers from throughout Argentina shared their experiences working for a better future for choral music and the integral education of our children and young people. Thanks to these experiences, we became aware of their implications and impact: the common denominator of all was the emphasis on conductors’ training. With patience, confidence, and, of course, technical resources, we can make a significant difference for the soul of any student. Schools should be places where individualities are respected, potentialities restored, and the right to sing guaranteed.

“The school is the place to learn par excellence and the choir must be there.” Maestro Ricardo Barrera

Other issues addressed were state policies and institutional decisions needed for these projects to succeed, since teachers’ commitment, competence and will-power are often insufficient. We recall Zoltan Kodály’s words: “May the music belong to everyone” and we state the urgency of recovering classroom singing.

VOCAL PEDAGOGY – Who will sing?

Round-table participants included doctors, speech therapists, otorhinolaryngologists, pedagogues, composers, directors, singers, actors, vocal technique teachers, university teachers, musician-therapists, and choir singers. These people represented the professional body that deals with youth singing issues and it is the one to be addressed when undertaking the teaching of choral singing. Their specialties are usually not elaborated deeply enough in the curricula for our teaching and university degrees. To compensate for this deficiency, interdisciplinarity and the cooperation of teachers are required.

In this round, the topics covered were:

• Characteristics of a child’s voice
• Voice change
• Transgender voices
• Inclusion of non-binary people in choirs
• Adapting choral music to people’s abilities
• Functional and aural scientific knowledge on vocal peculiarities

REPERTOIRE – “Singing has meaning, understanding and reason”

By doing interviews and holding a live round-table discussion with prominent conductors, composers and arrangers from the country’s different socio-educational and artistic-cultural sectors, we sought to broaden perspectives and concepts related to child and youth choral repertoires.

The choice of these repertoires is based on different relevant aspects:

• Guidance and stimulation of the psychomotor and cognitive development of the singers.
• Momentum for new Argentinian choral productions composed for different child and youth groups

We understand the choice of repertoire as a dynamic fact that demands study, dedication, exploration, curiosity and creativity to open ourselves to new possibilities, as well as sensitivity to connect with the concerns and needs of both choirs and audiences.

SINGING AND MOVEMENT – From rehearsal onto stage?

We set out to study body movement in choral activities from different perspectives, with the intention of moving away from the existing regional belief that considers that practice to be an “extra” on stage, one that is useful only for warming-up voices in rehearsal. We affirmed that our voice and our body should not be perceived as two separate entities, but as one single unit.
To illustrate this, García Malbrán, from the neurosciences field, shared concepts such as the crossmodal model, defined as a “lexical encounter (not an overlapping), an example of conjugating a visual message with a sound message that activates multimodal neurons” while Alberto Grau, talking about eurythmics, stated that “the child singer becomes an actor; for this reason he or she must exercise the body rhythm and think about musical works together with body expressions”.
Likewise, new concepts arose regarding the roles of conductor and choir, the most relevant being: The conductor as a moderator; innovative leadership; the intelligent choir (more horizontal leadership) and the importance of working on the corporality of the conductor. These brand-new concepts break with the modernist tripod (composer, performer and listener).
In conclusion, we reaffirm our readiness not only to enlarge inclusive spaces in the curricula but also to increase the number of places in our country where teacher and school training occur.

ADICORA National YouTube channel
http://adicora.org/

Edited by Anita Shaperd, USA

The Association of Choir Conductors of the Argentine Republic (ADICORA)  is composed of choir conductors from all over the country, working together in16 subsidiary and 5 regional delegations. The national management is led by a Counseling Directory, whose members are from different provinces, and an Honorary Consultant Council comprised of the most prestigious Argentinean choir conductors. We work in ADICORA to empower choir conductors and choral activities. We organize and manage congresses, seminars, workshops, and choir festivals in every province of our country through the creation of subsidiaries in the different regions to attend to specific needs. Agreements and collaborations with official organizations and national or international NGOs support professional conductors and promote recognition of original choral pieces by contemporary Argentinean composers and arrangers, prompting the creation and publication of new compositions for all voices as well as arrangements of popular and folk music.  From the start, this Association has created ties to public and private institutions, counselling them on the creation of new choirs as well as strengthening the environment of the choir conductor.
International Communications Secretary: adicora.internacional@gmail.com
Artistic Secretary: artistica.adicoranacional@gmail.com

Edited by Katie Maxfield, Canada

Peter Broadbent
conductor

At any international choral festival over the last 30 years it was almost inevitable that one would see a group of happy, smiling people gathered around one particular man – sometimes in a wheelchair, sometimes standing with the help of his trusty crutches – but always radiating warmth, humour and a passion for life.

Jacques Vanherle (Jac) was a great ambassador for France, for culture and above all for choral music. His background as a teacher of Classics gave him an enviable ability to articulate his knowledge of history, his understanding of politics local, national and international, and to share his enthusiasm through ECA – Europa Cantat, the IFCM and other organisations. The word charisma is used very loosely these days, but Jac certainly possessed it. His unquenchable curiosity took him all over the world from his student days when he and a group of friends travelled Europe in a van, with little money but no fear. The instinct for learning to know a country through its people, and his ability to make friends were essential qualities when it came to spreading his love for music, believing it to be a great unifying force for good. This belief made him a tremendous friend to many, and a formidable opponent to those who did not share his views. He was able to argue with great skill to persuade politicians and businessmen to support his festivals and understood the language needed to do so – a rare talent.

In an editorial for a special edition of Europa Cantat Magazine dedicated to “Music and handicap” 10 years ago, Jac wrote movingly and vividly about the effect that singing in a choir had on him. He was born with Hemiplegia and cerebral palsy at a time when there was little understanding or assistance for a handicapped child. His parents insisted that he should attend a normal school, where he learned an important lesson:  When you don’t run quickly at school, you try to run more quickly than your little fellow pupils with your head. At 13 he went to a religious boarding school where he was deeply unhappy, and it took him a term to learn how to defend himself against his fellow adolescents. However, there was a boys’ choir at the school where a transformation took place as he discovered his voice, the extraordinary emotional and sensory power of singing with others, and a growing self-assurance. Later, when I joined the university choir and understood that the sweet eyes of a pretty soprano were directed less towards my deformed legs than towards the charms of a young and – of course – handsome singer, I gained even a little more self-confidence and serene acceptance of my handicap.

This awareness of what music, and particularly choral singing, could do for the individual was to dominate the rest of his life, because he wanted to inspire others, and to demonstrate that everyone could gain from the experience. I met Jac & Marie in Tours in 1992 and was delighted to be invited with the Joyful Company to a Festival he was organising in Falaise the following year. Les Polyfolies de Falaise packed an unbelievable amount of activities into three days, involving hundreds of amateur singers, over 2500 school children and included Eric Ericson’s Chamber Choir amongst the guests. It was a great experience for the JCS, which was followed by several other trips to Normandy, and most importantly for my wife and me it was the beginning of a precious friendship with the Vanherles.

Every festival, every concert, every workshop, every event organised by Jac & Marie, supported always by their close friend Sylvain, was immaculately organised. Together with Marie’s choir they became L’Art et La Fugue, presenting concerts, sometimes staged and costumed, always presenting music in an approachable and involving way for the listeners. They invited choirs from many of the countries they visited to join their summer festivals and developed more and more of a reputation in the Department. I am sure that all the choir directors who brought groups to any of Jac’s festivals would feel as I did the pleasure of working with organisers who are also performers. When arriving at a new venue one discovered that everything discussed beforehand had been prepared, and music stands, lighting, staging were all in position. Copious amounts of chilled water (even Normandy can get hot in the summer) and food for the time between rehearsal and concert were naturally planned. The audiences were always enthusiastic and increasingly knowledgeable, because Jac was always on hand to introduce the music and to make the performance an event.

Jac’s growing reputation in the Region and beyond allowed him to develop the educational aims which had been so apparent in Falaise, and early in the new Millennium he shared with me and other friends the plans he had for an International Showcase for choirs and vocal ensembles. Inspired by the Theatre Festival in Avignon, which as well as providing a huge range of performances for a large public, was also visited by all the important Theatre Directors and Producers. Over three or four years he developed his plans, setting up Polyfollia as a non-profit company, finding the funding for a small administrative staff and an office, and contacting conductors and choral personalities from around the world to make up a committee of “Veilleurs” (Watchers) who would seek out emerging vocal ensembles from their region. I was pleased and privileged to be included in their number, and developed lasting friendships as a result. At each meeting Jac also arranged Ateliers for local choirs, so that they might benefit from the experience of the Watchers. The work of the committee was always lightened by the excellence of the hospitality and the warmth of the welcome. There were many problems which had to be surmounted by Jac and his team, but nothing deflected his great purpose.

So every two years between 2004 and 2014 twelve ensembles from different regions and different genres were invited to St. Lô to give concerts throughout the region to share gala concerts and to lead Ateliers and/or demonstrations over four or five days. The amateur singers who provided the audiences also performed their own concerts and attended workshops, serious or light-hearted, to be exposed to a large amount of new repertoire and approaches. There is no doubt in my mind that the standard and ambitions of amateur choirs throughout France were raised consistently over that ten-year period. For the professional ensembles taking part it was a rich opportunity to meet producers, festival directors, promoters of all kinds, and for everyone concerned to make new and lasting friendships.

To plan accommodation, meals, venues, budgets, timetables, raise sponsorship, negotiate grants, deal with the politicians and performers required immense vision, patience, skill and a huge amount of energy, all of which Jac had in abundance (well perhaps not always the  patience!). He worked incredibly hard and expected others to do the same, and he was sometimes very direct in his demands. But the small professional team who worked for him, and the huge number of volunteers (bénévoles) who worked tirelessly, all clearly adored him. He showed respect and warm appreciation for everyone’s efforts.

Jac’s love of life included a great appreciation of food, above all French food of course, and he was a considerable chef de cuisine. The only photo of Jac that I have in which he looks serious was taken when he was preparing a filet de boeuf for a wedding anniversary at our house, where Marie and he took responsibility for the meal. Despite his fantastic workload Jac never took himself too seriously, and to be in his company was always to laugh a lot. He and Marie were perfect hosts and wonderful guests. When they visited us, they always arrived with plenty of “Produits régionaux” and enjoyed exchanging humorous gifts, as well as excellent food. Marie was a constant support in every way, always making light of her efforts. They made a wonderful couple, and Jac was immensely proud of her and all his family.

Jacques Vanherle had the gift of making everyone feel special. He totally lacked self-pity but was utterly sympathetic to others. He was a life force. Along with hundreds of others I am proud to have known him.  We shall all miss him greatly.

Peter Broadbent is one of Britain’s leading choral conductors, known for his consistent commitment to contemporary music. In 1988, he formed the Joyful Company of Singers, which rapidly established itself as one of Europe’s leading chamber choirs, winning an impressive list of National and International Competitions. Performances in the UK have included most of the major music festivals, including the BBC Proms, and they have given concerts throughout Europe and in the USA. The JCS repertoire includes over 30 first performances, including works by major composers from the UK as well as composers from France, Hungary, Russia and Finland. The JCS discography extends to over 25 CDs, and recording continues to be an important part of its activity. He has conducted the London Mozart Players, the English Chamber Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Southern Sinfonia and the BBC Singers, broadcasting frequently on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. He works as a guest conductor throughout Europe, giving masterclasses and adjudicating at international competitions. He was awarded the “Pro Cultura Hungarica” Medal by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Hungary, and more recently the Knight’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit for promoting and strengthening British-Hungarian cultural relations. Email: peter.broadbent@jcos.co.uk

Voices from Latin America

Introduction

Singing in chorus, sharing the oral memory of humanity through the commemoration of our songs and poetry, is at the root of what makes us human. Choirs spun the lyrical memory of our languages and choral art allows men and women of all ages to imagine that it is possible to live harmoniously.

Those of us who practice choral art and conduct choirs know that collective singing is a school of citizenship, a perfect metaphor for a just society where all its components work towards a common goal. In these times, ours is one of the necessary trades to maintain good spirits and inspire our choristers to fulfil an ethical and aesthetic ideal, generating bonds of solidarity. Choral music and art are a source of resilience and moral strength for those who participate in them.

The choir

Singing is one of the most essential and primordial activities of the human being and in all cultures one can find examples of collective singing because of the power it has for human communication from the emotional, social and cultural point of view. In their very essence, the orchestra and the choir are much more than artistic structures: they are models and schools of social life.

The choristers

For the singers who participate in every choir, the fact of singing provides physical and emotional well-being, communication tools, a vehicle for individual and collective expression and a virtuous expression of belonging to a certain community.

Benefits of choral singing for choral performers:

• Expands their culture
• Fortifies musical skills
• Finds new expressions of beauty through singing
• Contributes to your physical health
• Contributes to your emotional health
• Strengthens your resilience
• Creates audiences for music and the performing arts

Various scholars such as Delors, Pallás, Hemsy, Abreu and organisations such as UNESCO, ECLAC, ACDA, IFCM, have carried out studies on the importance of choral work and have shown that its practice facilitates inclusion, socialisation, cooperative development and responsible membership, all based on the common objective of making music together. Through choral singing, one gains access to a humanist culture that favours the reduction of violence and delinquency while contributing to the psychosocial well-being of all those who practice it.

The Director

It is a person who sustains a community activity through technical, musical, emotional and psychological knowledge towards a scenic manifestation of beauty and harmony. In times of the present pandemic, we choral conductors have been forced to migrate our activities to digital platforms to keep our work alive. From our homes, conductors and singers have reinvented choral singing – choral art. In this way we have been able to give continuity to the exploration of beauty anchored in the universal lyric that each choir possesses through its repertoires and searches. We have accepted the challenge and, as a choral movement, we have presented ourselves to join forces with specialists who will allow us to continue our work in the conditions of safety necessary to look after the health of our choirs.

In times of the covid-19, the tasks of a choral conductor include

• Sustaining the creative energy of our groups in their training
• Recording examples of each string in the choir
• Filming educational videos for our choristers
• Searching for suitable repertoire for singing and riding
• Accompanying choristers individually in technical and emotional matters
• Seeking out and exploring teaching methodologies for our choirs in line with this special distance situation
• Dialoguing with our colleagues and teachers in order to find solutions and strategies for working together
• Learning, understanding and studying the technical and digital tools to be able to do our work online. In some cases, investing in the acquisition of equipment and platforms for virtual work.

We, choral conductors, assume this vocation in a professional manner. We are not improvised, we require a solid training and constant study to be able to carry out our work with dignity.

Art dignifies people and societies. More specifically, choral art represents the best of the spirit of each institution, social group or community that promotes it. The function of the choral conductor goes beyond the artistic and becomes a tool for health, containment and an expressive vehicle for the communities.

The choir and all its actors deserve the necessary support to sustain their spaces and their projects. We appeal to those who have the authority and power to make this requirement viable to offer their support and recognition with responsibility and vehemence for the benefit of our communities and countries. We are essential.

Voices of Latin America is a group made up mostly of choral directors who began to meet via Zoom three months ago. The purpose has been to exchange experiences since the beginning of the pandemic. We have decided, in a collegial way, to write this document that talks about the benefits of Choral Art. We consider it important that our art is maintained and continues to be a space of health, creativity, encounter and artistic development.

Contact: Ana Patricia Carbajal Córdova

• https://www.voceitempore.net
• voceintempore@yahoo.com
• Facebobook: voceintempore

Ana Patricia Carbajal Córdova(Voce in Tempore – CdMx, México); Érika Aguirre (Coros Dragón de Jade – Cuernavaca, México); Virginia Bono (Coral Meridies, Santa Fe, Argentina); Gabriela Franco (Kárites – CdMx, México); Julio García (Coro Nacional de El Salvador, ES); Francia Carolina (Santiago, Chile); María Felicia Pérez (Exaudi – La Habana, Cuba); Electra Castillo (Coro Polifónico de Panamá, Panamá); Beverlyn Mora (Universidad de Costa Rica -San José, CR); Marco Antonio Castro (Coro de Santiago – Tepoztlán, México); Francisco Espinoza (Academia Allegro – La Serena, Chile); Ana Beatriz Fernández (Ars Nova – Salta, Argentina); Vinicio Salazar (ENMEN – Guatemala, GT); Lourdes Sánchez (Coral Nacional Simón Bolívar – Caracas, Venezuela); Behomar Rojas (Universidad Pedagógica Barquismeto, Venezuela); David Ramírez (Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica – San José, Costa Rica); Fernando Archila (Corodemia – Guatemala, GT); Susan Wilson (Alajuela Internacional – Alajuela, Costa Rica); Alba Pupo (Coro Angellus – Barranquilla, Colombia); David Arontes (Conservatorio Nacional de México); Manuel Torres (Conservatorio de Las Rosas – Morelia, México); Gisela Crespo (Universidad de Las Américas – Puebla, México); Israel Netzahual (Coro Tlani – Tlaxcala, México); Yoab Sánchez (Cenzontle – Cuernavaca, México); Verónica Pérez (Niños y Jóvenes Cantores de Cuernavaca, México); Gilberto Velázquez (Festival de coros por la paz – Monterrey, México); Elisa Schmelkes (No Coro – CdMx, México); Lorena González (Coro de la Universidad La Salle de Cancún – México); José Antonio Martínez (Ensamble Xibalbá – CdMx, México); Salvador Guízar (Madrigalistas de Bellas Artes – CdMx, México); Edgar Sopón (Universidad Don Bosco – San Salvador, ES); Jesús Héctor Betancourt (Dragón de Jade – Cuernavaca, México).

Photo: Festival Internacional de Coros Universitarios FICORU (Ciudad de México, 2017)

Bibliography

• ABREU, José Antonio, (2008). “El Sistema, un método de educación juvenil innovador a través de la música” http://inspiracion.innovadoresdeamerica.org/icms/es/2013/iconos-y-leyendas/6567/josé-antonio-abreu.do, consultado el 26 de junio de 2015.
• DELORS, Jacques, (1996). Informe a la UNESCO de la Comisión internacional sobre la educación para el siglo XXI. UNESCO. Madrid, Santillana.
• HEMSY DE GAINZA, Violeta, (1977). Fundamentos, materiales y técnicas de la educación musical. Buenos Aires, Ricordi Americana.
• PALLÁS, Javier. (2012). “La música reporta beneficios contra el abandono escolar.” http://www.europapress.es/sociedad/educacion/noticia-musica-reporta-beneficios-contra-elabandono-escolar-20120928113729.html, consultado el 26 de junio de 2015.
• UNESCO, (2011). “The Australian Council for the Arts, IFACCA, & Centre for Research in Education and the Arts. Confederación de Asociaciones de Educación Musical”, consultado el 26 de junio de 2015.
• Villagar, Isabel. Guía práctica para cantar en un coro. 2016. España

A professional trade association, created with the aim of promoting the exchange of expertise and sharing initiatives among its members.

Roberto Maggio
choir conductor and president of the ANDCI

The main objectives of the ANDCI are: to foster high professional qualifications of choral directors, including on an international scale; to encourage and share research, practice and training activities in the choral sector, both nationally and internationally; to provide training and professional development courses; to address and discuss, in all respects, problems relating to the distribution and teaching of activities, participation therein, promotion of these activities and to what extent, as well as supporting their implementation and institutional, social and cultural recognition. Moreover, the ANDCI aims to hone and authenticate the skills of its members and ensure compliance with ethical standards; to  promote and maintain lifelong learning and development among its members; to encourage connections, meetings, relationships, communication, and training of all those involved in choral activities, including in collaboration with all public and private bodies. The National Association of Italian Choral Directors undertakes to promote the spread of knowledge, as well as technical, methodological, and scientific updates by organising training days, meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, events, and by collaborating, however necessary, with national and international organisations, professionals, associations, bodies, and institutions of any kind and nature to promote high-quality activities. The next General Assembly meeting will take place in Assisi on the 17^th and 18^th October 2020.

• Website: http://www.andci.org
• Music magazine: www.dirigo.cloud
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/direttoridicoroitaliani

Roberto Maggio graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Avellino alongside Francesco Urciuolo, and is currently a teacher of flute at this institution. His intense concert activity has seen him perform in Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, the United States, China, and Japan. In 2007 and 2009, he was a Visiting Professor at the University of Missouri, Columbia (USA), Truman State University (USA), and Silla University, Busan (South Korea) where he held master classes and concerts. He is the director of the Laeti Cantores choir of Salerno. He attended the Guido D’Arezzo Foundation’s Advanced Training School for choir conductors in Arezzo, where he received training in choral conducting. He was a member of the FENIARCO national artistic commission. He is president of the National Association of Italian Choral Directors. He also directs a youth orchestra consisting of students at the Avellino Conservatory of Music. Email: presidente.andci@gmail.com

Edited by Luke Martin, UK

Agastya Rama Listya
choral conductor and composer

Prologue

The Resonanz Children’s Choir (TRCC) is one of very few children’s choirs in Indonesia that has been able to excel in world-class choir competitions. One of its greatest achievements was to capture the title of Grand Champion at the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing held in Maribor, Slovenia, in 2018.

TRCC was actually established in 2007 for a practical reason—to provide a choir for an event in Jakarta. Avip Priatna, leader of the Batavia Madrigal Singers, then decided to establish this children’s choir. Since 2012, he has transformed it into a genuine choir, winning victory after victory both at home and abroad.

Besides examining the achievements of TRCC, this paper aims to explore the choir culture built by TRCC during the last 13 years, which has allowed it to grow into a Children’s Choir (PSA) to be reckoned with around the world. Information was obtained by interviewing its founders, namely Avip Priatna; Devi Fransisca, former TRCC coach, who currently lives in Germany; and Luciana Dharmadi Oendoen, TRCC coach from 2013 until the present time.

Coaching

TRCC membership has a fairly wide range of ages; the youngest is 4 years old and the oldest 16. To maintain a successful regeneration process, membership is divided into three age groups: 1) Serunai (4-7 years), 2) Seruling (8-11 years), and 3) Tifa (12-16 years). Serunai practises on a different day and with a different coach than the Seruling and Tifa groups.

One of the biggest challenges instructors face in working with a choir made up of such a wide range of ages is matching the technique and character of the voices. This is not surprising, considering the difference in voice maturity of each age group. According to Devi Fransisca (Devi) and Luciana Dharmadi (Lucy), this means that instructors must have a clearly thought-out training concept and the ability to communicate their ideas to all of the singers, verbally and visually as well as musically. The hope is that each singer will acquire the same perception of what the instructor wants. Devi and Lucy agree that children are good imitators. Therefore, information and instructions given by the coach are easily recorded in their memories. Furthermore, Devi explains that the ability to choose vocabulary that is understood by all of the members and a sense of humor are essential for a children’s choir instructor. Other requirements include having strong discipline, being fair to all members, and being inspirational and visionary.

The second challenge instructors face is deciding upon a repertoire appropriate for the children’s age bracket. They must not only choose a repertoire that the choir is able to perform but be able to explore technical abilities and, at the same time, reveal each member’s musical experience. Therefore, according to Avip, the selected repertoire is not based on the time period or genre of the music.

The next challenge instructors face is limited rehearsal time. Practically speaking, TRCC rehearses only once a week, on Saturdays from 13:30 to 16:00 WIB. With such a relatively short time for practising, Avip explains, instructors are forced to use the time available as effectively and efficiently as possible. The rehearsal portion covers not only technical matters related to singing ability, song mastery, and listening skills, but also instils discipline, hard work, responsibility, and sensitivity to the surrounding social environment. The instructors agree that hard work, discipline, and the ability to work together as a team will shape each singer into a successful individual, both academically and socially.

Lucy observed this as well. She noticed that discipline, a spirit of hard work, responsibility, and concern for the surrounding environment instilled by the learning process at TRCC had spread among the members and also to their parents. There was a strong desire among members and their parents to continue developing in a positive way.

Other Important Factors Behind the Success of TRCC

Building a pleasant training atmosphere turned out to be one of the determining factors of TRCC’s success. Devi said that her relationship with members could be likened to the relation between younger and older siblings. The absence of a barrier between the instructor and the members enabled them all to express themselves freely. The attention members paid to their instructors also left a lasting impression, especially for Devi. From small matters like these, TRCC was transformed from a choral group into a comfortable ‘home’ for each of its members. Concern for one another as a family was also visible in the form of financial support (cross subsidies) for those members who were having difficulty, for example in paying to participate in a competition.

Another very important factor is parental support for programs designed by the TRCC management. For example, it has involved parents as representatives in discussing programs related to concerts and TRCC involvement in competitions, including their financing. Involving parents in the planning and implementation of activities has helped instructors concentrate solely on technical matters.

When the COVID-19 Pandemic Struck

The pandemic that has now spread throughout the world has had a direct impact upon singing activities, particularly upon choirs. Singing in choirs, which is usually an enjoyable endeavour, popular around the world, was suddenly alleged to be one of the principal activities with the potential for spreading the COVID-19 virus. As a result, choral activities were immediately stopped, including concerts and competitions. This was experienced by TRCC as well.

TRCC stopped all off-line training at the beginning of the year and decided to continue rehearsals online starting in June 2020. Of course, it is not easy for the instructors or the members to practise online. One of the biggest challenges faced in studying online is finding learning methods that are suitable and efficient in a relatively short time. There are also issues, such as unstable Internet connections, that develop into annoying problems. Lucy complains that one of the drawbacks of training online is that it is difficult to create the feeling of an ensemble because practising is done individually. Nevertheless, the advantages of rehearsing this way are the increased independence and responsibility of each individual.  

Even though TRCC continues to maintain its existence through virtual choir concert activities, when asked further about her views on a virtual choir competition, Lucy responded that she is still unable to accept the idea. Both Lucy and the TRCC management question the objectivity of evaluation in a virtual choir competition, considering the important role played by audio and video editors in producing an excellent recording. This is no surprise, given that a virtual choir competition itself is a new phenomenon that emerged in the midst of the pandemic. Because of that, competing as virtual choirs is still a controversial issue among choir groups.

Conclusion

Despite the problems and challenges faced by the instructors in working with TRCC, Avip, Lucy, and Devi agree that they are actually enjoying a very valuable experience. For example, Avip feels that directing TRCC is a unique ‘privilege’ that cannot be obtained elsewhere. It is considered so because of: 1) the vigorous energy of each member, 2) the high quality of the music, 3) the unyielding spirit in tackling difficult repertoires, and 4) the extraordinary parental support.

For Lucy, TRCC is a unique, serious, and, at the same time, diverse institution. TRCC feels unique because each member is encouraged not only to become a good musician but also to possess a spirit of leadership and a critical attitude toward existing conditions. The sincerity of TRCC is clearly seen in the guidance process and program of activities, which include music camps, music workshops, concerts, competitions, and festivals. At the same time, the educational, social, ethnic, and religious backgrounds of the members make TRCC extremely diverse.

Devi feels that this valuable experience is, in fact, obtained beyond the rehearsal sessions. She enjoys the times when she is communicating with members, when they open their hearts to her, or when she receives small surprises from them to celebrate her birthday. For Devi, TRCC is so impressive because all of the children belonging to it are fortunate. They are blessed to be in an environment where many people truly care about them and their dreams.

In closing, the writer concludes that the success of TRCC does not depend solely upon technical and artistic aspects such as technical skills, musical ability, and choral artistry but is also greatly influenced by non-technical factors. Valuing the importance of building close relationships between each member and instructors, as well as recognizing the choir as a medium for building responsibility, discipline, concern, leadership, and a critical attitude, are examples of these factors. Then too, the full support of parents is another factor that should not be forgotten. By combining these elements, TRCC has created a choir culture that makes this choral group unique as well as cohesive in comparison to other children’s choirs.

Agastya Rama Listya obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta in 1992. His master’s degree in choral conducting was received from Luther Seminary and St. Olaf College, Minnesota, in the USA in 2001. In 2018, Agastya completed his PhD in Ethnomusicology at Otago University in New Zealand. His interests include composing and arranging music, choral conducting, and music research. Currently, Agastya is the artistic director of Lux Aeterna Vocal Ensemble (2015-present) and the head of Satya Wacana Music Department in Salatiga, Indonesia. Email: agastya123@gmail.com

Edited by Richard Kutner, USA

Aurelio Porfiri
composer, conductor, writer and educator

A few years ago I had a conversation with the owner of a major publishing company specialized in choral and sacred music, a company with quite a long history and well known among musicians. The owner told me that sales of scores were almost zero. I was very surprised because if this publisher, with a catalogue built up over the last hundred years, was unable to sell reasonable quantities of scores, you wonder how minor publishers can survive, and you wonder why this is happening.

Choral music publishers face various problems, but two considerations in particular illustrate the difficulties. First, we need to say with all honesty that in certain parts of Europe and Asia there is not much respect for copyright laws, so very often scores for the choir are not bought but instead are photocopied from someone who already has them. This is common practice in certain countries, and is very difficult to overcome. Other countries respect the copyright and buy a certain number of copies to meet the needs of those who make the score available: the creators (composers) and the distributors (publishers and other entities).

We must understand that every time we obtain a score protected by copyright without paying for it, we are making it even more difficult for composers and publishers to survive, something which is already difficult to begin with. Let us not pretend to be saints: many of us have probably tried to get a score from other composers without paying for it. As I have said, in certain parts of the world this is common practice. Consequently, publishers have to spend time, money and resources, and then if a piece they have published becomes successful (and of all the pieces they publish only a few do so), they can be sure that they will nevertheless incur a loss because so many scores are  obtained irregularly. Is it possible to overcome this problem? It would be possible if all choir directors and singers began to appreciate the importance of composers and publishers who make available good music for them to perform. Let me tell you what happened to me in a certain Asian city. While there I was able to be present at the choral competition organized yearly for school choirs. I noticed that the composers of the pieces in the program were not announced; the names of the pieces were written down but not the composers’ names. I remarked on this to one of the members of the jury, a local person whom I knew. And this person looked quite surprised at my remarks, apparently seeming to think that not giving recognition to the composers was not really important. And this person was also a teacher forming other students to become schoolteachers! You can imagine that if the situation is like this at the level of educators, it will not be any better at other levels. Of course, this does not happen everywhere, but it is quite widespread.

In these conditions, how can publishers survive? They cannot. Today the internet gives great opportunities; you can set up an attractive website and for every piece you can include information, audio sample, text translation, some pages for free perusal … in this way you can give choir directors many opportunities to evaluate a piece without moving from the chair in their home. Certainly there are, let us say it clearly, many choir conductors who still buy scores according to the number of singers in their choirs. And looking at the situation from the other side, there are also choirs from not very affluent countries who really do not have the money to buy scores.

The second consideration is this: buying scores in digital format has completely changed the landscape of choral publishing. In this case you do not need to pay mailing costs or perhaps wait weeks for the scores to arrive: you will immediately receive a PDF and after payment of a license you can use the score and make the agreed number of copies. This is very convenient, and is certainly where the future is going. Of course, there is also a downside to this; but let us be honest, there are downsides to both formats, digital and printed. This explains why publishers will not allow you to buy just one copy of a score, because they know that this one copy bought at a price that may be between 1 and 3 Euros will then be used by choirs with maybe more than fifty members, representing a huge loss of income for the publisher. This is why you are required to purchase a minimum number of copies; you pay for ten or fifteen copies so the publishers can minimize loss.

And now we have another problem to add to all this: Covid-19. While I am writing these lines, there is a new surge in the number of people infected, and this of course means that restrictions for social gatherings are in force. And choirs, whatever else they are or do, are certainly social gatherings. So not only do some choirs not use scores according to the copyright laws, but because there is very little choral activity at present it is useless to buy scores when you cannot perform or rehearse them. But I think we should not be too pessimistic about this. We know that in time of crisis, such as wars or catastrophes, technology advances faster in response to the emergency of the moment. So I think that when all this is behind us, we will find we have new ways to look at choral music and at the activities that were so familiar to us in certain ways and settings. We have already seen the explosion of video conferences, like those on Zoom (although this platform raises serious questions about security, and some people prefer not to use it). And we also have virtual rehearsals, where people can gather through the internet. There are still problems with this, because the internet connection is not ideal for everyone and it is not so easy as practicing in person. And, of course, I know that being close to another person is not the same as being some thousand miles away. But perhaps we said the same thing when the telephone was invented: conversation is an art, and it was completely transformed by the invention of phones. So let us believe that technology will improve opportunities for practicing online and will make it as enjoyable as  meeting in person, even if in a slightly different way. On the positive side, think of the opportunity of forming stable choral groups with people chosen from all over the world, think of people from countries where music education is not at a very high level who can join a virtual choir conducted by a very good choral educator and so receive an education in their homes that they perhaps never dreamed of. Don’t you think this is a great opportunity? There is a lot to be done; technology is not there yet. But we have already seen the possibilities in action. Let me give you my own example: I did live streaming about musical and choral issues on You Tube and Facebook, and the experts were in every part of the world. But we were all there, having a pleasant conversation for over an hour. Occasionally there were some problems with connection, but we can just as easily have problems with microphones in a live conference. I know that meeting in person is different, but we need to accept the challenges of the moment  and overcome them, not allow ourselves to be defeated by them. As choral educators we need to be the ones to shape our world, without denying the element of fear that surrounds us, but facing fear with courage.

Aurelio Porfiri is a composer, conductor, writer and educator. He has published over forty books and a thousand articles. Over a hundred of his scores are in print in Italy, Germany, France, the USA and China. Email: aurelioporfiri@hotmail.com

Edited by Gillian Forlivesi Heywood, Italy

Olga Lukianova
singer and manager

Every year, at the end of June, conductors and composers from all over Russia and neighbouring countries come to Gatchina, a small town near Saint Petersburg. During these 6 days, Gatchina turns into a choral music centre, holding seminars with the most well-known Russian choir leaders, running master classes with European musical experts, organizing choral music composition classes and the participating groups’ concerts, and sharing experiences and creative musical inspiration.

2020 proved to be a time of unexpected events. Though impossible to organize our Summer School the way we were used to, many musicians looked forward to taking part anyway. It was decided by the Interregional Association of Children’s and Youth Choirs from the Northwestern Region of the Russian Federation to hold the traditional Summer School for conductors and composers in an online format. This was something new for people and also a great challenge!

Summer School 2020 master classes were held by top Russian conductors and choral composers as well as by experts from abroad, including: Vladimir Minin (Russia, Moscow), Ambrož Čopi (Slovenia), Rasa Gelgotiene (Lithuania), Inessa Bodyako (Belarus), Mia Makaroff (Finland), Viktor Yemelianov (Russia, Samara), Alexey Larin (Russia, Moscow), Jēkabs Jančevskis (Latvia), and others, representing an amazing diversity of experience and mastery.

The online format made it possible for conductors and composers from all over the country and elsewhere to take part in the Summer School events. The total number of participants was over 300 musicians!

Every day the participants mastered contemporary schooling techniques and methods and studied new choral pieces by Russian and European composers. Alexandr Ostapenko and Zarina Kogay held additional master classes on Body Percussion techniques, and Viktor Yemelianov led an additional workshop entitled ‘Phonopedic method of voice development’.

The intensive schooling program continued in the online café, where participants got to know each other, shared experiences, and discussed contemporary choral music. Special online concerts, presenting the best examples of world choral music, were held every evening.

This year, the Summer School composers program was held as individual classes. Seventeen composers participating in the Summer School were divided into 3 groups, working with Mia Makaroff, Alexey Larin, and Jēkabs Jančevskis.

During their morning classes, the participants discussed contemporary composing techniques, use of folklore tunes in composing, and writing for children’s choirs, and the afternoons were dedicated to the challenging job of creating their own choral compositions, with the guidance of the Summer School teachers.

Despite all the restrictions, the Summer School for Conductors and Composers 2020 was still a success and got lots of grateful and positive reviews.

Olga Lukianova (1984) was born in Gatchina, a small town near St. Petersburg (Russia). She has been involved as a singer in the choral world since childhood. For a few years, she worked as manager of the Roganova Youth Capella Harmony choir under the leadership of Irina Roganova. She has also volunteered as executive manager at the Summer School for Conductors and Composers 2020 “Choral Lab. 21st century”. Email: olga.lukianova@jetbrains.com

Edited by Steve Lansford, USA