I would like to encourage you to participate in the XI World Symposium on Choral Music to be held in 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. The experience of a Symposium may be different for everyone, certainly, but in my case, having witnessed the 1990, in Sweden, Finland and Estonia was decisive to enter the world of choral conducting. At that time it was a rediscovery of the potentialities of choral music from all the aspects that are needed to make it happen.
A Symposium of choral music is an event specifically thought for choral conductors, which means that the planning is focused to nourish all the areas related to fully exercise this discipline.
At the level of technical knowledge, the Simposium will offer 4 master classes with renowned choir directors; each dedicated to his/her area of expertise.
There will also be lectures on various themes that have to do with the topics selected to serve as a cross-cutting axis in the Colors of Peace, the motto of the Symposium. These topics are:
• What is the connection between the past and the present in choral creativity?
• How can managers continue to learn, and what is it about?
• Who builds a choir and how?
• What other extramusical resources are available?
The Symposium offers the opportunity to attend various conferences by speakers from different parts of the world. This information is already available in the web page of the Simposium.
Of course, the concerts will be the best attraction. The choirs were selected among a huge quantity of high level candidates so the Simposium will also be an opportunity to see diverse proposals and repertoires interpreted by outstanding choirs from different continents.
If it were not enough, it will be possible to review scores of the best-known publishing houses that will be present exclusively for the choral event. All gathered in one place.
Every morning will take place the ‘morning singing’, where the participants of the Symposium are invited to meet and sing led by a different conductor who will share his/her own way of warming up , preparing the choir for singing as well as rehearsing method to read the works. This activity is undoubtedly one of the best moments for sharing and is the real core of choral singing: sing together.
All this will be happening in one of the most attractive cities in the world: Barcelona. It will be difficult not to escape for a moment to enjoy a rich Catalan cream or a ‘pa amb tomaquet'.
The official language will be English.
I encourage you to plan ahead and set this goal for July, 2017.
We are living convulsive times and it is precisely now that we must work for the Colors of Peace.
Web WSCM11: http://www.wscm11.cat
Artistic Committee: Representing IFCM: Ana
Maria Raga (Venezuela),
Ko Matsushita (Japan),
Junita van Dijk (South Africa) and Philip Brunelle
(USA).
Representing FCEC: Xavier Baulies,
Raimon Romaní and Josep Vila (Catalunya, Spain).
