ISSUE 1/2021 Magazine COUNCIL TALK THE CHORAL WORLD IN EXCHANGE NEW YEAR, NEW LUCK - WHAT AWAITS US IN 2021 HAPPY NEW NEW HAPPY YEAR 新春快乐 REVIEW AND OUTLOOK | CHOIRS AND CORONA – LEARNINGS AND INSIGHTS | INTERVIEW WITH AARNE SALUVEER | 20 YEARS OF WORLD CHOIR GAMES 2 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS GREETING PRESIDENT GÜNTER TITSCH 5 REVIEW OF 2020 AND OUTLOOK ON 2021 by Fred Sjöberg 6 THE CORONA CRISIS AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE CHORAL WORLD 9 by Franziska Hellwig INTERVIEW WITH AARNE SALUVEER 14 by Franziska Hellwig REPORT HELLO COUNCIL 18 by Joy Ran Tao THE BEGINNING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHINESE CHORAL MUSIC IN THE 20TH CENTURY 20 by Tian Xiao Bao INTERKULTUR: FROM VISION TO WORLD SUCCESS IN 30 YEARS 24 by Henriette Brockmann, Franziska Hellwig 20 YEARS OF WORLD CHOIR GAMES 26 by Gent Lazri CHOIR COMPETITIONS AND FESTIVALS 2021 30 APPOINTMENT OF HONORARY PRESIDENTS 32 by Henriette Brockmann OBITUARIES 34 NEW MEMBERS 36 2 3 EVENTS & PROJECTS 2021 WCC MAGAZINE COUNCIL TALK A NEW DIGITAL MAGAZINE WITH DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK OF THE WORLD CHOIR COUNCIL, ITS MEMBERS AND CURRENT NEWS FROM THE CHORAL WORLD Digital Publication twice a year – JAN and AUG HELLO COUNCIL VIRTUAL LIVE TALKS CONNECTING THE CHORAL WORLD Mar 12, 2021 | Apr 23, 2021 | May 28, 2021 | Jun 18, 2021 | Sep 24, 2021 | Nov 13, 2021 (Changes of dates might be possible) VIDEO PROJECT GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND SHARING KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCE BETWEEN MEMBERS AND THE CHORAL WORLD Publication of a new video on every 15th of the month ONLINE REGIONAL MEETINGS ONLINE DISCUSSION ROUNDS WITH THE MEMBERS OF YOUR REGION ON CURRENT TOPICS EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCE AND INFORMATION MARCH: Mar 24, 2021 ASIA, PACIFIC, MIDDLE EAST Mar 25, 2021 NORTH, CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA Mar 26, 2021 AFRICA, EUROPE NOVEMBER: Nov 17, 2021 ASIA, PACIFIC, MIDDLE EAST Nov 18, 2021 NORTH, CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA Nov 19, 2021 AFRICA, EUROPE WORLD CHOIR COUNCIL GENERAL CONFERENCE THE WCC GENERAL CONFERENCE AT THE WORLD CHOIR GAMES 2021 IN FLANDERS, BELGIUM Jul 7, 2021 World Choir Council c/o INTERKULTUR Ruhberg 1, 35463 Fernwald (Frankfurt/Main) Germany, [email protected] interkultur.com *Dates might be subject to change. 4 5 GREETING Dear colleagues, dear friends, A difficult year has passed. 2020 has changed the world and demanded a lot from humanity. But we all made the best of the situation! Looking back on the past months, I am truly grateful to see how the international choral world has been united in the crisis and with what creativity it has responded to the challenges. And not only the choirs of this world, also our Now it is time to look ahead! In 2021, a “new” World Choir Council has come closer together. normality awaits us, which no one can foresee Numerous projects were initiated in 2020 and with certainty at this time. However, we know will now be continued and expanded this year. that humanity has grown even closer together in the past year, united by this common crisis. This Our digital magazine COUNCIL TALK is one of solidarity and bond of closeness will hopefully these major projects that will start in the new year. accompany us this year and in the future. And we The exchange of information, the presentation of should cherish and preserve what this crisis has choirs and choral work from all corners of the taught us: Resilience, strengthened community, world and the sharing of experiences are central never-ending love of music, and newfound elements of the work of the World Choir Council. creativity. This magazine now provides another tool for this. It is my great pleasure to present to you the first issue of the new magazine and we hope „Let‘s continue to work you enjoy it. With a mixture of news, articles and guest features, the magazine offers you a side by side in 2021 colorful collection of information. The next issue will be published in August this year. If you are and strengthen interested in contributing to this issue, please feel free to contact our colleague Franziska the choral world Hellwig directly ([email protected]). I would also like to take this opportunity to thank together!“ our WCC colleague Aarne Saluveer (Estonia), Tian XiaoBao (China) as well as our (now former) colleague Gent Lazri for their guest and interview Thank you and all the best, contributions in this issue. Yours sincerely Günter Titsch President INTERKULTUR & World Choir Council 4 5 REVIEW OF 2020 AND OUTLOOK ON 2021 EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING 2020 has demanded a lot from the choral world, but in that darkness, a lot has also blossomed. A letter of encouragement from Fred Sjöberg to his fellow members of the World Choir Council. Dear choral friends It is a pleasure to greet you in the New Year 2021 This is where the Council and you can play an with our first edition of the World Choir Council important role. You can contact each other digital magazine COUNCIL TALK. Through directly or use some of our WCC platforms like this magazine, we hope to provide you with Facebook or We Chat. Feel free to post a positive, information about current and future events. We helpful greeting to the choral world – it might also invite you to send us ideas or write articles be the best thing for a choral friend somewhere yourself on topics you would like to share with right now. You matter! the worldwide choral community in more detail. The magazine will be published twice a year. 2020 was a year full of challenges, especially for choirs around the world. We have all been I am proud to see how the World Choir Council or are affected in some way. And in this, it is all is growing month by month. Today we are the more wonderful to see how hard times can already 124 members from 94 countries in our also bring forth and foster new and creative community. The strength of the WCC is that it ideas. You and your choral friends have shown will act, be and develop as we, you and I and all this in a remarkable way. So many new ideas on members want it to. My hope is that it can be an how to work, how to implement events, concerts umbrella platform for many dear choral friends and rehearsals, using new technologies. Very around the world. The World Choir Council plays impressive, that gives hope for the future. Please a great role in the international choral community don‘t stop! and you are welcome to be an active member of this fellowship. The World Choir Council became very active in 2020 and here, too, the pandemic played a The year 2020 has unfortunately brought us a decisive role. We had to rethink and find new lot of sadness and sorrow. Some have lost their ways to come together because of the Corona dear relatives or friends. Also, in our circle this crisis, just as the rest of the world had to do. We year we had to let go dear friends to sing and have organized a total of seven different meetings conduct on a “higher level”: Prof. Yang Hongnian with you, dear friends, and this has not happened († July 26, 2020, aged 86) and Jacques Vanherle before in the 20-year history of the World Choir († August 16, 2020, aged 71). We thank these Council. We have worked hard to find new ways dear friends for what they meant to all of us, of communicating with you, to build a new as friends, colleagues and supporters! Their structure for the World Choir Council and also lives, their influence, their voices will never be to develop educational activities. I remember forgotten. with pleasure our first global Council meeting in July 2020 on the internet and the following Rest assured, however, all dark times are 6 regional meetings in July and November. followed by brighter ones! We go on and strive Another project that we launched in China in for a better future and I am sure that if we work the fall with great success is the monthly Live together and support each other, we will succeed. Talk “Hello Council”. For the last meeting this 6 7 REVIEW OF 2020 AND OUTLOOK ON 2021 year, more than 800 conductors and choral We are hopeful and confident that the year enthusiasts had registered! This format will 2021 will be a better one and that we will be continue in 2021 and will also be opened to the able to meet in person again soon. I think this global choral community. I would like to take this is one of the most desired things for all of us opportunity to again extend my sincere thanks to as conductors and of course especially for our all of the invited guest speakers who played such singers. Hopefully this can happen in July 2021 an important role in the success of all of these in Flanders at the World Choir Games and our meetings, as well as to all of the WCC members General Conference. And in the meantime, we who had the opportunity to attend. This is one of will meet in spring at the next Regional Meetings the most important things for the World Choir or at one of the live talks “Hello Council” and Council, that we as a global choir family share learn from each other with the educational web our knowledge and support each other! seminars that will be published every month.