January 2022, Message from the President

Dear friends,

In early 2020 we began communicating in a new way due to the health concerns caused by COVID-19. After two years of online meetings, we were seemingly used to this kind of virtual communication. However, when the opportunity arose to get together in person, we were overjoyed and realised how exciting it would be to have a physical meeting!

All the ExCom members, the rest of the Board members and IFCM staff were thrilled because, at long last, we were able to hold IFCM ExCom and Board meetings at the end of October 2021. I am very proud of the huge amount of work we got through in a limited amount of time. The meetings were productive and effective as we discussed many of IFCM’s projects and made significant decisions regarding the future development of our federation. And as we knew that online meetings were no substitute for meeting in person, we cherished the opportunity more than ever.

After the Board meetings, the Board members began getting involved with various IFCM projects, all with their special parts to play. I believe their leadership and efforts will help all these projects achieve their goals. In fact, we expect all IFCM members to join us in taking part in the projects they are interested in. Our wonderful strength comes from working together, and this will help our federation prosper in future and benefit the global choral community as a whole.

In the new year, we will look for new ways to expand our membership and our efforts will serve the interests of our members. Meanwhile, we will plan and launch more valuable projects in various countries and regions, helping the local choral community develop choral education and careers and benefiting more choral singers.

2022 is a special year for IFCM: we celebrate the 40th anniversary of our federation and take the World Choral Expo back to Portugal, a great way to celebrate the occasion. The exciting programme for the IFCM World Choral EXPO 2022 will involve lots of outstanding singers, choirs, vocal ensembles and choral conductors, who have been invited from around the world to join this international choral event in the beautiful city of Lisbon as we celebrate the joy and privilege of singing together again!

My dear friends, as we begin 2022 we have lots of reasons to be hopeful. I sincerely wish you and your families happiness and good health, and here’s to a bright future for IFCM!

Emily Kuo Vong
President of International Federation for Choral Music

Edited by Christopher Lutton, UK