- WSCM 2023: Artistic, administrative and steering committees of WSCM 2023
The Artistic Committee of the WSCM 2023/24 is developing the artistic programme of the most renowned IFCM event in cooperation with our colleagues in Qatar. Along with selecting the choirs and lecturers, one of the most important tasks of the committee is the long-term musical vision of IFCM beyond the Symposium, as well as defining new ideas, inspirations and incentives that the WSCM would like to offer to the international choral scene.
Giovanni Pasini & Jan Schumacher (chairs), Nasser Sahim, Alena Pyne, Jan Schumacher, Cristian Grases, Dr. Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng, Dana Al Fardan (Honorary Member).
The WSCM 2023/24 Administrative Committee, working in tandem with the WSCM 2023/24 Artistic Committee, is responsible for the organizational and financial components of the Symposium. Composed of three members representing IFCM and three members representing the Qatar National Choral Association (QNCA), the Administrative Committee will develop a detailed division of responsibility between IFCM and QNCA. It will then evaluate and authorize all decisions relating to the production of the Symposium.
Jennifer Taynen & Ki Adams (chairs), Aljazi Al-Henzab, Anwar Al Nimri, Ki Adams, Yoshihiro Egawa, Gábor Móczár, Khalid Al Salim (Honorary Member – Director of the Music Affairs Centre of the Ministry of Culture and Sports).
The steering committee is overseeing the work of the two Committees.
Giovanni Pasini (Chairman), Jan Schumacher and Ki Adams (Vice-Chairmans), Jennifer Taynen (General Manager), Iva Radulović (international liaison advisor – ex officio)
Patron of WSCM 2023/24 is His Excellency Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali.
(Head picture: The Al Mayassa Theater in the Qatar National Convention Center, one of the many performance venues that will be used during the 2023 World Symposium on Choral Music, Qatar.)
- Conductors Without Borders
The CWB program, which was until now concentrated on Africa and Latin America, is beginning to develop new actions in Middle Eastern countries and South East Asia, where IFCM can develop a strategy of spreading choral music. with a very professional team which aims to give those in need access to training and educational opportunities.
Thierry Thiébaut (chair), Burak Onur Erdem, Yveline Damas, Yoshihiro Egawa, María Guinand, Jan Schumacher, Roula Abou Baker, Ana Patricia Carbajal, Victoria Liedbergius, Iva Radulović (secretary)
- ICB
The ICB Editorial Committee will provide ideas of articles and dossiers which are in line with ICB’s vision. In addition, it will bring in new contacts from the whole choral world to broaden the range of authors and topics.
Isabelle Métrope (chair), Victoria Liedbergius, Ana Patricia Carbajal, Estera Mihaila, Roula Abou Baker, Ulrika Emanuelsson, Rossana Paliaga, Lucien Mendy, Tomoko Yokoyama
- World Choral Day
World Choral Day is one of IFCM’s most powerful projects, which portrays the global singing community’s commitment to peace, solidarity and understanding. The Committee is working on bringing it to a higher level of international recognition, fine tuning the annual regulations and developing new and creative communication methods.
Gábor Móczár (chair), María Guinand, Burak Onur Erdem, Saeko Hasegawa
- SCOCYC
This special international youth choir aims to connect several Eurasian countries. The Committee is working on designing digital presentation tools to let the world know about its achievements and is designing a 2021 online session with the original 2019 actors in order to bridge pandemic times until live sessions may continue.
Gábor Móczár (chair), Ki Adams, Burak Onur Erdem, Saeko Hasegawa, André de Quadros
- Asia Pacific Youth Choir: Yoshihiro Egawa
The Asia Pacific Youth Choir was established in February 2011 as the first joint project in the Asia Pacific region. The next session has been planned in Kuala Lumpur in November 2021. The Committee is working on all necessary planning for this project; finding a host country, arranging the dates, appointing conductor(s), planning audition procedures and selecting singers, planning schedules for rehearsals and concerts, arranging hotels & meals for participants, etc.
Yoshihiro Egawa (chair), John Rosser, plus local representatives
- International Choral Composition Competition
The group working on the IFCM Choral Composition Competition, consisting of Maria Guinand, Jan Schumacher and Burak Onur Erdem has started working on the new guidelines for its next edition. A very inspiring competition with exciting prizes will be awaiting choral composers in 2021.
Burak Onur Erdem (chair), María Guinand, Jan Schumacher
- Governance and Election committee: Sonja Greiner
Following the first ever online elections in 2020, we will begin preparations for the next elections, looking at diversifying the list of candidates as much as possible. In addition, we will look at the bylaws and policy document and suggest some further changes; for example, in relation to the Founding Members.
Sonja Greiner (chair), Niels Græsholm, John Rosser
- Staff: Dominique Lecheval
As staff advisor, I have to make sure all staff members can carry out their tasks to the best of their abilities, taking into account the fact that they all work remotely and in different countries or continents. I also want to support their concerns and facilitate the relationship between the team and the board.
- Data protection officer: Niels Græsholm
This task consists of monitoring IFCM’s handling of the personal data of its members and other parties (organizations, choirs etc.), and making sure that this is in accordance with international regulations, such as European GDPR.
- Choral education programs: Tim Sharp
We are using this time of virtual and online work to plan our future master classes, workshops, and other educational activities for choral music education with a view to the time when we are able to travel and work face-to-face. My desire is to prepare both online and face-to-face programs, particularly for the underserved and developing areas that are coming to IFCM for collaboration and assistance. Our programs will concentrate specifically on Middle Asia, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and other developing regions around the world that have come to IFCM for such assistance. Our greatest resource is our human connection with the great choral practitioners around the world, and we plan to use this resource for the benefit of those looking to build their choral programs.
Tim Sharp (chair), Jo-Michael Scheibe, Gábor Móczár, Ana Patricia Carbajal, Irvinne Redor, Naomi Faran, Kaie Tanner
- World Choral Expo
In the framework of the World Choral Expo 2022 in Lisbon, the IFCM will celebrate its 40th anniversary. As in 2019, we want to offer the Expo participants a broad programme, including top-class international choirs, as well as the “Colorful Voices Programme”, with 6 selected children and youth choirs and the “Singing Network Exchange” conference. Furthermore, all interested choirs are able to take part in the World Choral Expo. The WCE committee cares for the whole organisation of the event.
Jan Schumacher (chair), Roula Abou Baker, María Guinand, Jo-Michael Scheibe, Ki Adams
Edited by Tadhg Gleeson, Italy