Choral Festivals Research Articles

ВЫДАЮЩИЕСЯ ПРЕДСТАВИТЕЛИ КИТАЙСКОЙ ШКОЛЫ ХОРОВОГО ИСПОЛНИТЕЛЬСТВА

This article is about improving the quality of choral conducting education in China and, in this regard, the authority of the conductor's profession. Choral conductors are working to update the methodological literature, which should help to improve the Chinese system of choral conducting education. A great contribution to the development of choral conducting specialty was made by such masters as Zhou Shuang, the first professional vocal teacher in the modern history of China and the first female choirmaster and composer in China, as well as conductors Yang Jiaren, Ma Geshun, Wu Lingfen, who got their choral conducting education at the Moscow Conservatory. Zhang Shizhong made a considerable contribution to the development of choral art in China. He actively worked in the field of children's choral education, which has not been cultivated in China for a long time. Zhang Shizhong tirelessly promoted the art of choral singing in Beijing secondary schools. His monograph “Methods of Working with a Children’s Choir” was the culmination of this work. Equally active in choral conducting are young specialists such as Leon Chu and Patrick Chiu, who not only lead choirs in Hong Kong, but also organize various choral festivals and competitions.

Competing authenticities: the appropriation of psalms in the festival “150 Psalms”

ABSTRACT This article discusses a case study focusing on the appropriation of psalms in the choral festival “150 Psalms”. The authors observe a complex relationship between the festival, in which the psalms are appropriated as heritage, and attitudes regarding the religious traditions in which the psalms are rooted. Authenticity, a key concept in the field of heritage and cultural memory studies, is an important quality of the appropriation; however, this authenticity appeared to be constructed in a wide range of ways. Participants of the festival made different, competing claims regarding (in)authenticity, relating to ‘beauty’, ‘humanness’, ‘religiousness’, ‘relationship with God(s)’, political relevance’, and ‘ambiguity’. Discussing how these authenticities work in different individuals’ appropriation, the authors show that an authenticity built upon values of ‘human universality’, promoted by the festival organization, seems to have replaced an authenticity built upon ‘religiousness’, which the organizers assign to the realm of non-universal, individual experience. By signaling this tension, the authors conclude that ‘authenticity’ is a notion which is far more complex than extant theories on processes of collective ‘canonization’ suggest.

Investigation of the Economic Dimensions of Choir Festivals-Festivities in Terms of Participating Choirs and Organizations: “Choral Tourism”

Choirs constitute an important role in increasing the artistic, social, and academic quality. Choir festivals, in which choirs perform their works, have become widespread in Turkiye over the last ten years, and it is observed that the choirs not only participate in these festivals but also in festivals abroad. These festivals and events are important for choir members and conductors, as they provide opportunities for choirs to take stage outside their own environment. Choirs from all over the world participate in national-international festivals held in Turkiye and exhibit their works, and benefit from this as a social and touristic trip. Based on these views, choral festivals' economic dimensions were examined in terms of choirs and organizations. This research is a descriptive study in which data is collected through unstructured interview which constituted a small group. The main purpose of the research is to draw attention to "choral tourism".In this research, a study was conducted on the expenditures of 3 choirs and 4 organizations in order to address choral festivals' economic dimension. The participation processes of the three choirs in festivals held in different cities were discussed, and what kind of expenditures a choir had was tried to be determined, based on their expenditures during the process. Therefore, it is desired that choir educators and conductors who participate in festivals will be informed regarding expenditures. Based on this research, it is concluded that choral festivals contribute to international cultural exchanges and increase tourism revenues.

Формування структурних особливостей музичних фестивалів у Західній Європі: історичний аспект

Актуальність теми. Фестиваль є одним із показових явищ сучасної культури. Звернення до його аналізу дозволяє зрозуміти основні напрямки розвитку сучасного соціуму. Методологія дослідження об’єднує в собі історичний і системний методи аналізу матеріалу. Наукова новизна статті полягає у визначенні характерних для фестивалів структурних особливостей (присвята певній темі та часова періодичність). Висновки. Увібравши весь історичний досвід проведення фестивалів, XX ст. презентує величезне різноманіття музичних фестивальних заходів, безмежний вибір тем і гнучку періодичність.

Sergiy Prokopov: phenomenon of the creative personality

Sergiy Prokopov: phenomenon of the creative personality

Children with disabilities in Safe Community

Care about people with disabilities is very important for every community, special for safe community. In Safe Community Novi Sad works Nongovernmental organization Faith, Love, Hope. This organization was founded on March 2010. To promote the idea of social inclusion. The main goal of the founders was to organize free time for disabled children out of their school frame. These activities also include the children’s parents, friends and people from the neighborhood, as well as all others willing to help working with children with different kinds of handicap. Organization gathers more than 100 members, mainly disabled children. The majority of these kids attend the special school “Milan Petrovic“ as well as children of different ages from the other ordinary schools, where they all have equal chances to develop their potentials and prepare for mutual collective events. Faith, Love, Hope has following activities: mixed inclusive choir ISON, Theater of good vibrations, section for fisherman and environmental care, section for activities with the animals, orientation, dance and folklore dance, section for photography as well as other opportunities for children to develop different skills and open new possibilities for improving their physical and mental evolution. The crucial aims concerning disabled children are of supportive kind: by putting them into social position with equal chances. Faith, Love, Hope strengthen their spiritual and mental level. Through this kind of motivation the whole society should built much more responsible relation with disabled children and in general, handicap people. Due to that course, this organization intensifies activities through the form of concerts, projects, organizing travels and different kind of promotions. The main activity of our organization is organization of free time for children with disabilities and persons with disabilities. We are organizers of International Inclusive festival “Hearts in Harmony” for the fifth year in a row. The festival gathers inclusive choirs and vocal groups from all over Europe. The Inclusive choral workshops and festival are the best indicators of inclusion in practice. For five days people with disabilities together demonstrate their achievements by singing in the streets of host cities. This event is of great importance both for children with disabilities and development disorders and for all those who found joy in singing with our children as well for entire community music and positive vibrations are moving the whole city. Within our association we formed a section for activities with horses. This is a very important aspect of activities for our children that affect their mental, physical and emotional development. Besides caring for the horses, maintain their hygiene, feeding, etc. children with help of trained instructors perform exercises on horseback. To succeed they have to engage all the muscles and senses, control the head and body, their cognition develops and their self-esteem grows. For someone who is disabled or limited in movement, it’s a thrill when you start a big horse and force him to do what you want, and that is to move. Success in this is a real injection of confidence. Therapeutic riding is a special type of rehabilitation program that includes pedagogical, psychological, psycho therapeutic, rehabilitative and social - integrative effects, using spec training and trained horses. Equestrian Club Filipus carries out sports activities and provides the conditions for dealing with equestrian sports for club members and interested citizens. Horseback riding, hippotherapy and riding para- dressage will be organized within the club. The club will be focused on dealing with sports work with people with disabilities. Our wish is that the founders of the Club, persons with disabilities, are encouraged to creative thinking and sports but also other skills and independence and to open up new opportunities to improve their mental and physical development. Mission the Good Vibrators Theater is to promote the positive achievements of children with disabilities, young people and people with disabilities in order to integrate them into the social life of the community. The goal is to build a society where there are places for each individual. In this unusual theater, there are heart rings that vibrate together and unite in the basic thread - that we are all equal, that we have the same rights to expression and expression of skill, talent and effort. As part of our association, on our farm Filipus we have free space where we want to produce soda (carbonated water) and juices (klaker and kabeza) and to employ single parents who are members of our association and children with disabilities who can work in the production process (arrange bottles, stick labels, etc.).

Professor Jan Szyrocki – the pioneer of the West Pomeranian choral art

The article presents the figure of Jan Szyrocki, a conductor, pedagogue and music culture promoter, connected with Szczecin for most of his life. He was the founder of the “Słowiki” Boys’ Choir, the “Berżeretki” Girls’ Choir and, first and foremost, the Choir of the University of Technology in Szczecin, which he cooperated with continually for 50 years. The article also describes Jan Szyrocki’s contribution to the establishment of the International Choral Festival in Międzyzdroje and “In terra pax” Choral Academy, as well as his collaboration with renowned composers (e.g. Andrzej Koszewski, Krzysztof Penderecki, Jan Hawel, Marek Jasiński) and the conductor of the Szczecin Philharmonic – Stefan Marczyk. The article also discusses other issues, such as the didactic, social and cultural activity of Prof. Jan Szyrocki, his professional activity in the Szczecin branch of the Academy of Music in Poznań and in the College of Music Culture, founded on his initiative at the University of Technology in Szczecin, as well as information on his membership in cultural organizations and juries, awarded prizes, medals and distinctions.

The Effect of Choral Director Succession on Adjudicated Concert and Sight-Reading Ratings

This study was undertaken to explore if the type of director succession (new director chosen within or outside of the school) influenced the number of superior ratings in adjudicated choral festivals. The author identified the schools meeting the selection criteria, analyzing director changes in 48 schools with 2,824 different choirs across 20 years. A significant number of concert ratings declined with a new director; however, no significant differences in sight-reading scores were in evidence. In Year 2 for the new director, a significant number of rating changes occurred resulting in significantly higher ratings for concert and sight-reading. Results are discussed in terms of implications for teacher preparation, for practicing choral educators completing transitions, and for future research.

REALISM AND RESERVE: CHARLOTTE YONGE AND TRACTARIAN AESTHETICS

Reserve was absolutely central to the Tractarian theological and aesthetic programme, and Yonge's position as a leading practitioner of Tractarian aesthetics demands that we understand the relationship of reserve to her realism. Some critics have assumed that realism is simply incommensurate with reserve, while others have reduced reserve to its psychological dimension. However, while John Keble's and Isaac Williams' complex discussions of reserve are well understood, it is clear that realism has distinct value for reserve both theologically and aesthetically. Yonge cannily exploited realism's potential both to practise and preach reserve. This essay reads The Pillars of the House (1873), especially the scene of the cathedral choral festival, to explore the unique power of Yonge's realism to instruct readers in the doctrine of reserve without violating reserve in doing so.

Zur Rezeption der Oratorien Haydns in Paris zwischen 1800 und 1850: Institutionelle und ästhetische aspekte

In German speaking countries Haydn’s oratorios, and particularly TheCreation , have played an important role in the repertoire of choral societies and music festivals since the 1810s. However, in France, and also in Paris — “the capital of the 19th century” —, Haydn’s oratorios were performed only on rare occasions, and then they were given mostly in parts. The reasons for these circumstances can be seen in the institutional and esthetical context of the Parisian concert life. With respect to professional concert societies, like the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire , rigid obstacles were on the one hand the enormous financial risk of a complete oratorio performance. On the other hand the established type of concert programmes with its varied mixture of vocal and instrumental pieces functioned as a barrier. Most important was a lack of mixed amateur choral societies, which developed in Paris quite late, primary in the 1840s, and then only little by little. Since oratorio performances lasted to be mostly a private affaire in the first half of the 19th century, it is not surprising, that Haydn’s oratorios were studied in aristocratic salons of Princesse de Belgiojoso and Baron Delmar with the intention of both education and entertainment.

Michigan State Adjudicated Choral Festivals: Revising the Adjudication Process

Michigan State Adjudicated Choral Festivals: Revising the Adjudication Process

An Examination of the Reliabilities of Two Choral Festival Adjudication Forms

The purpose of this study was to compare the reliability of a common school choral festival adjudication form with that of a second form that is a more descriptive extension of the first. Specific research questions compare the interrater reliabilities of each form, the differences in mean scores of all dimensions between the forms, and the concurrent validity of the forms. Analysis of correlations between all possible pairs of four judges determined that the interrater reliability of the second form was stronger than that of the traditional form. Moderate correlations between the two forms further support the notion that the two forms measured the dimensions in somewhat different ways, suggesting the second form offered more specific direction in the evaluation of the choral performances. The authors suggest continued development of language and descriptors within a rubric that might result in increased levels of interrater reliability and validity in each dimension.

Differences between Elementary Student Participants and Nonparticipants in a Choral Festival

Differences between Elementary Student Participants and Nonparticipants in a Choral Festival

London, Barbican: Taneyev Mini-Fest

The Russian National Orchestra and Moscow State Chamber Choir conducted by Mikhail Pletnev presented two unusually distinctive concerts at London's Barbican Hall at the end of March,3 starting with John of Damascus of 1884 – Taneyev called it Cantata No 1 – and ending the following evening with his tumultuous Cantata No 2, On the Reading of a Psalm (Po prochtenii psalma), from 30 years later. Although not claimed as such, the latter was surely a British première: not even that champion of the choral festival, Sir Henry Wood, seems to have done it.

A Nationwide Overview of Sight-Singing Requirements of Large-Group Choral Festivals

The purpose of this study was to examine sight-singing requirements at junior and senior high school large-group ratings-based choral festivals throughout the United States. Responses to the following questions were sought from each state: (1) Are there ratings-based large-group choral festivals? (2) Is sight-singing a requirement? (3) Are there specific levels or classes of difficulty ? (4) Is musical content specified for each level or class ? (5) Is there an overall rating that includes both the performance and sight-singing ratings? Data revealed that less than half of all states require sight-singing at large-group festivals at both the junior high and high school levels. Fewer states delineate levels of difficulty, outline musical content to be assessed, and use the sight-singing rating in an overall final rating. Frequency of “yes” responses to all questions was consistently lower at the junior high level. The author suggested further analysis of the most evolved state sight-singing assessment systems to develop a more uniform, sequential system of content, materials, and assessment.

Redefine and Redesign the Choral Festival Experience

Redefine and Redesign the Choral Festival Experience

Irish Stage Censorship in the 1950s

At the end of the 1940s, individuals and groups, as well as the government in Ireland, recognized the need for and benefits of arts enterprises. The Inter-Party coalition, which came to power in early 1948 (under John Costello), recognized the importance of tourism as an industry and the potential of theatre to attract foreign visitors to Ireland. In 1949, the Cultural Relations Committee of Ireland, operating under the auspices of the Minister for External Affairs, undertook production of a series of pamphlets designed “to give a broad, vivid, and informed survey of Irish life and culture.”1 In 1951, the Republic of Ireland established the Arts Council; the first National Fleadh (Festival) for traditional music was held in Mullingar; Liam Miller founded the Dolmen Press; and Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (Traditional Irish Music Advisory) was established. Even after the 1951 election returned de Valera and Fianna Fáil to power, organizational infrastructures to support the arts continued to appear: the Irish tourist board (Bord Failte) and Gael-Linn (an organization to promote Irish language, literature, and culture) both debuted in 1952. Cork held its first International Choral and Folk Dance Festival and its first International Film Festival in 1953. Some of these developments may have anticipated the imminent inauguration of regular air passenger service to North America, but all responded to cultural opportunities precluded during what Ireland knows as the Emergency and other nations as World War II. These agencies and events all sought to project a positive, progressive image of Ireland. Most important, they all mark a departure from the isolationism that prevailed in Ireland before and during the Emergency and that characterized de Valera's tenure as Taoiseach in the 1930s and 1940s.

A history of Norwegian music

Since its original publication in Oslo in 1971 and through two revisions, Nil Grinde's history of the music of Norway from antiquity to the present has become the standard on its subject. This translation, the first in English, has been updated by Grinde to include the most recent Norwegian musicians and compositions. A History of Norwegian Music is compact, comprehensive, and chronological in its approach except for a major excursion into Norway's folk music. Included in that section are descriptions of indigenous Sami (Lapp) music and of the instruments-among them the Hardanger fiddle and the langeleik -used in the Norwegian folk-music tradition. Grinde bases his survey of Norwegian music on archeaological and literary evidence: surviving instruments; wood carvings depicting musicians; ancient poems and sagas; and rolls and account books of troupes, theaters, and associations. His focus is always on the part music has played in Norwegian culture, from the calls to war on the ancient lurs through church music to the development of music societies, choral festivals, and public concerts. Although a recurring theme is the influence of indigenous folk music on Norwegian composers, flag-waving nationalism does not intrude; Grinde takes full account of the contributions of other countries, especially Germany, to Norway's music. This work will please music lovers everywhere.

Music Objectives for Choral Festivals

Music Objectives for Choral Festivals

The Instrumental Music of Nicholas Maw: Questions of Tonality

This year two important new instrumental works by Nicholas Maw have received their first performances: the Serenade for chamber orchestra (Singapore, 31 March) and Life Studies for 15 solo strings (Cheltenham, 9 July). With the Five Irish Songs for mixed chorus (Cork International Choral Festival, 4 May) and a new piano composition (Personae, London, 2 August), 1973 looks like being one of Maw's most productive years. Stylistically it may also prove to have been the most crucial since 1962, when Scenes and Arias was first heard. Even after a single performance, I think there can be no doubt that Life Studies is a remarkable and convincing composition which could inaugurate a new approach by Maw to the whole question of form in instrumental music.