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Category: Choirs

Choirs may choose to take part in the SCL Competition or in the SCL Celebration.

 

SCL Competition

For the Competition choirs are classified into the following sub-categories:

  • Mixed Choirs
  • Treble (female) Choirs
  • Male Choirs
  • Children’s Choirs (boys and girls up to the age of 12)


In the Competition choirs take part in the following program:

- The opening ceremony (St. Stephen's Cathedral / Musikverein or Konzerthaus)
- 2 workshops at the University of Music and one additional lecture
- 2 additional concerts in and around Vienna
- 1 performance before the jury in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein
- If chosen by the jury: concert in the evening Gala Winners’ Concert in the Konzerthaus
- Closing ceremony in Vienna’s Town Hall


During the competition the participants are required to present the following music pieces before the jury within a time period of 15 - 20 minutes:

  • compulsory pieces (see below)
  • one piece by a composer of the ensemble’s home country
  • additional piece(s) required in order to reach the minimum playing time, to be freely chosen.

The choir may be accompanied by a piano player supplied by the choir. Pianos will be supplied in the Musikverein and the University of Music (workshops). The tuning of the pianos at the Musikverein, the Konzerthaus and the University of Music will be 443 Hz.

Along with the application, applicants inform Via Musica of the pieces presented with the accompaniment of a piano. No solo pieces are allowed.

+ see the Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria
The SCL Jury evaluates the ensembles upon a transparent catalogue of criteria.  The following criteria are observed and rated:

- Technical criteria = intonation, choir sound, rhythm, dynamics. (A maximum of 14 points can be reached)
- Musical-artistic criteria = interpretation, style (Max 14 points)
- Overall artistic impression (Max 6 points)
- Program selection (Max 6 points)

Depending on the rating of the Jury the choir and its participants will be awarded with a certificate which lists the result: Outstanding, Excellent, Good or Participated.

Outstanding: 30 - 40 Points
Excellent: 20 - 29 Points
Good: 10 - 19 Points
Participated: 0 - 9 Points

The choirs will be provided with a summarized feedback from the whole jury, the result of the competition (Outstanding, Excellent, Good or Participated) and the rank in their category. However, the points and the individual points of the respective criteria or the individual jury member will not be revealed.

 

 

SCL Celebration

In the Celebration choirs take part in the following program:

- The opening ceremony (St. Stephen's Cathedral / Musikverein or Konzerthaus)
- 2 workshops at the University of Music and one additional lecture
- 2 additional concerts in and around Vienna
- 1 performance in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein
- Closing ceremony in Vienna’s Town Hall
- Gala Winner´s Concert ticket inlcuded

Within a time period of max. 20 minutes the participants may present their freely chosen program on stage.
The choir may be accompanied by a piano player supplied by the choir. Pianos will be supplied in the Musikverein and the University of Music (workshops). The tuning of the pianos at the Musikverein and the University of Music will be 443 Hz. Along with the application, applicants inform the Artistic Office of the Festival which music pieces will be presented with an accompanying piano.
 
Join all the participating ensembles one more time at the Gala Winner´s Concert in the Great Hall of the Konzerthaus. A true celebration of the individual achievements of the past few festival days as well as a celebration of international friendships that have been established over the course of the SCL Festival.
 
Additional concerts:
Your program for the additional concerts should be around 25-55 minutes. The program can be freely chosen, if you want to it can also include all or parts of your competition / celebration program.

 

 

Compulsory Pieces for the competition:

 

Compulsory Pieces for the SCL Festival 2024

Compulsory Pieces for the SCL Festival 2025

 

 

Workshop Pieces 2024:

Please note that choirs do not to need to prepare or provide any extra repertoire for the workshops.

All choirs taking part in the Competition shall prepare their respective compulsory piece for the first workshop. At the second workshop, the choirs will work on a piece selected by the workshop lecturer. The scores will be provided by the festival.

All choirs taking part in the Celebration will work in both workshops on pieces selected by the workshop lecturer. The scores will be provided by the festival.

 

  • SCL Festival Venues - St. Stephen's Cathedral
  • SCL Festival Venues - Musikverein
  • SCL Festival Venues - Golden Hall of the Musikverein
  • SCL Festival Venues - Konzerthaus
  • SCL Festival Venues - Great Hall of the Konzerthaus
  • SCL Festival Venues - University of Music in Vienna
  • SCL Festival Venues - Rathaus / Vienna City Hall

  • SCL Festival Venues - St. Stephen's Cathedral

    The opening ceremony held in St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Austria’s landmark and a symbol of Austrian identity.

    www.wien.info/en/sightseeing/sights/st-stephens-cathedral

  • SCL Festival Venues - Musikverein

    The Competition and the Celebration held in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein (and/or in the Great Hall of the Konzerthaus). Music lovers throughout the world know...

  • SCL Festival Venues - Golden Hall of the Musikverein

    ...the Musikverein as the center of Viennese musical culture, as the focus of the international concert circuit and as the Eldorado of classical music.

    www.musikverein.at

  • SCL Festival Venues - Konzerthaus

    The Gala Winner’s concert, held in the sold out Konzerthaus. In the heart of the Konzerthaus (which consists of more than 600 rooms) lies the Konzerthaus’ flagship, the Grosser Saal (Great Hall). In this room, artists, audiences and atmosphere blend into a harmonious triad...

  • SCL Festival Venues - Great Hall of the Konzerthaus

    ...Home to world-famous orchestras, virtuoso soloists, renowned conductors and legendary jazz musicians, the Great Hall can accommodate an audience of 1,800 and offers the perfect venue for a wide variety of musical activity.

    www.konzerthaus.at

  • SCL Festival Venues - University of Music in Vienna

    Workshops and seminars held in the University of Music in Vienna, one of the largest arts universities in the world.

  • SCL Festival Venues - Rathaus / Vienna City Hall

    Closing ceremony held in the magnificent Festival Hall of Vienna City Hall, hosted by the Lord Mayor of Vienna.

    www.wien.info/en/sightseeing/sights/from-l-to-r/city-hall

Jury members - Workshop Lecturers

Sivan Albo Ben-Hur

Sivan Albo Ben-Hur

Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop...
Pablo Boggiano

Pablo Boggiano

Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer
Christoph Ehrenfellner

Christoph Ehrenfellner

Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop...
Elisabeth Fuchs

Elisabeth Fuchs

Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop...
Alexandre Grandé

Alexandre Grandé

Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer
Andy Icochea Icochea

Andy Icochea Icochea

Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer
Katharina Müllner

Katharina Müllner

Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop...
Carolin Nordmeyer

Carolin Nordmeyer

Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer
Philipp Pointner

Philipp Pointner

Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop...
David Slater

David Slater

Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer
Saul Zaks

Saul Zaks

Artistic Director of the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival; Choir,...
  • Sivan Albo Ben-Hur
  • Pablo Boggiano
  • Christoph Ehrenfellner
  • Elisabeth Fuchs
  • Alexandre Grandé
  • Andy Icochea Icochea
  • Katharina Müllner
  • Carolin Nordmeyer
  • Philipp Pointner
  • David Slater
  • Saul Zaks

  • Sivan Albo Ben-Hur

    Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    Born in 1982, Sivan Albo Ben-Hur earned her Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance and conducting from the Jerusalem Academy of Music, and her Master of Music degree in conducting from the Buchman – Mehta School of Music at the Tel Aviv University, under the tutelage of Maestro Mendi Rodan.

    Mrs. Albo Ben-Hur has worked with many orchestras around the world, including the Israel Chamber Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Porto Symphony Orchestra, Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon Le'Tsion, Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Israel Stage Orchestra, the Jerusalem Academy Orchestra, Israel Sinfonietta Beer Sheva, Ashdod Symphony Orchestra, and the St. Petersburg Royal Orchestra “Classica” as a representative of the Jerusalem Academy of Music. She was invited to conduct the Buchman – Mehta School of Music Orchestra celebrating the 60th birthday of world renowned violinist and Professor Zakhar Bron.

    As the associate conductor of the Ra'anana Symphonette Orchestra from 2006 until 2009, Sivan presented educational concerts of “The Nutcracker” in many venues throughout Israel, and in 2009 she conducted the orchestra in a tour of Poland.

    Mrs. Albo Ben-Hur is the chief conductor and the Music Director of the Israel Andalous Orchestra.

    In summer of 2011, Sivan was one of seven conductors worldwide (out of 120) who received an invitation to be an active participant in the prestigious conducting workshop with Maestro Jorma Panula (Finland) and the Porto Symphony Orchestra. For this international endeavor, she won a scholarship granted by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation.

    As a finalist of the Yuri Aharonovich "Aviv" Competition for Young Conductors (both in 2008 and 2011), Mrs. Albo Ben-Hur has won the audience choice prize in the competition, given by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, dedicated to Meira Gera.

    In the last few years, Sivan has been a frequent guest in a variety of conducting masterclasses and workshops, nurturing the next generation of conductors and musicians.

  • Pablo Boggiano

    Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    Pablo Boggiano was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He studied conducting at the national conservatory “Lopez Buchado” with Mario Benzecry and at the Argentinean Catholic University. At the age of 18 he made his debut at the cathedral of Buenos Aires with the Requiem of Faurè and became assistant of the National Youth Symphony Orchestra.

    In Europe he studied with Prof. Scott Sandmeier Conservatory of Paris, with Thomas Doss Konservatorium Wien, Erwin Accel as well as with Jorma Panula in Helsinki. Prof. Berau, a former student of Olivier Messiaen, grants him the prize as winner of international competitions and conducted the Orchestra Boréal in Paris.

    In 2003 he was invited by Ivan Fischer to work with the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Pablo Boggiano works regularly in Eastern Europe in Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Slovakia with Orchestras such as Sofia Philharmonic, Kiev and Kharkov Philharmonic, Bratislava Philharmonic, Budapest Philharmonic, and others.

    In Argentina he works also regularly with the Sinfónica Nacional and Orquesta Filarmónica del Teatro Colón, and was second conductor at the production of “Der Rosenkavallier” from New Yorok Metropolitan at Teatro Colón in 2017.

    After ten performances of “The Magic Flute” in Niederösterreich with the support of Austrian government, he produced the World Opera-Tango premier in Theater Akzent Wien, with “Maria de Buenos Aires” from Piazzolla and “Mateo” from Martin Palmeri.

    In 2013 he worked with the Royal Philharmonic orchestra of London in CADOGAN HALL.

    During the season 2018-2019 he will work with the Tonkünstler-Ochester in Wiener Musikverein und Sankt Pölten and in 2020 will start his collaboration as a conductor with the Wiener Concert Verein, in Musikverein and Villach.

    In May 2019 he will record a CD for Naxos Europe with music of the composer Esteban Benzecry and the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Lviv- Ukraine.

    Pablo Boggiano has been invited to work with the Tonkünstler Orchestra and pianist Rudolf Buchbinder at the Grafenegg Festival in 2021.

    In February 2022 he worked with the Wiener Concert Verein (Chamber Orchestra of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra) on tours of Switzerland and Austria and in 2023 France, Germany and Austria, culminating in a concert at the Musikverein Vienna.

    Pablo Boggiano was invited by Maestro Gustavo Dudamel to collaborate with the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar.

  • Christoph Ehrenfellner

    Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    The Salzburg born conductor-composer-violinist has chosen 3 tracks to bring the fruits of a blossoming spirit to full exchange with our musical world. His actual position as an artist-in-residence at Theater Nordhausen has been preceded by composing-residencies at Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse, Ozawa Academy Geneva, Festival Retz, Loisiarte, St.Gallen- and Palmklang. Among the acclaimed premieres are works such as Ehrenfellners 1st Symphony, 2nd Opera, 1st Ballet, or 3rd violin-concerto.

    His partners are Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Loh-Orchester Sondershausen, Kransnojarsk Chamber Orchestra, the Dialoge-Festival Salzburg, Brucknerhaus Linz, Allegro Vivo Festival. Musicians such as Gidon Kremer, Leif Segerstam, Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, Enrico Pace, Erwin Ortner, Christoph Sietzen etc. perform his music. In the coming season it will be Mainfranken Theater Würzburg, Liszt Biennale Weimar, Tyrol Festival Erl, Tchech Chamber Philharmonic Praha und Manila Youth Orchestra, who will have encounters with Christoph Ehrenfellner.

    Enthusiastic reviews about his music come from NY Times, Spiegel online, Austrian newspaper Die Presse, Salzburger Nachrichten, Kurier, Krone and many more. The Tjeknavorian-CD-recording of Ehrenfellners Suite des Alpes at SONY-Classical won the OPUS-classic-prize 2018 in Germany. Elbphilharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, Cité de la Muisque, Concertgebouw or Vienna Musikverein: in nearly all of the leading European Concert Halls the music of Christoph Ehrenfellner has won enthusiastic audience.

    Ehrenfellner is honorary member of the Japan Austria Cultural Association. His thesis ‘Art&Money’ is edited at the Akademiker Verlag Saarbrücken.

  • Elisabeth Fuchs

    Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    Elisabeth Fuchs is chief conductor of the Salzburg Philharmonic. She has worked together for many years with the Stuttgart Philharmonic, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra and the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra. She has also conducted the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, the Tonkünstler Orchestra Lower Austria, the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra, the NDR Radio Philharmonic Hannover, the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, the HR Symphony Orchestra Frankfurt, the Munich Symphony Orchestra and the Munich Radio Orchestra.

    Elisabeth Fuchs made her debut with the Magic Flute at the Prague State Opera, and at the Salzburg Festival she conducted Shostakovich's "Das Neue Babylon" and the Mozart operas "Bastien und Bastienne" and "Der Schauspieldirektor", which were recorded on DVD by Deutsche Grammophon.

    Elisabeth Fuchs loves to push musical boundaries, this led to special music & performance projects with Quadro Nuevo, Stjepan Hauser (2 cellos), David Orlofsky Trio, Klazz Brothers, Henry Threadgill, Pacho Flores, Andreas Martin Hofmeir, Benjamin Schmid, Sergej Malov, Per Arne Glorvigen, Nikolai Tokarev, Rolando Villazón, Iris Berben, Maria Bill, Cornelius Obonya, Philipp Hochmair.

    Participatory music education is very important to her, leading to large choral projects with over 300 participants, as well as to education projects for children, young people and students, for which Elisabeth Fuchs initiated the Salzburg Children’s Festival in 2007, the apprentice concerts in the Great Festival Hall in 2013 and the lecture “UV Musikkunde interactively including concert experiences” for students in 2018. From 2009 to 2018 she was the artistic director of the Salzburg Cultural Association.

    Elisabeth Fuchs studied orchestral conducting, choir conducting, oboe, school music and mathematics at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, at the Paris Lodron University in Salzburg and at the Cologne University of Music.

    She lives with her two children in Salzburg.

  • Alexandre Grandé

    Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    Born in Russia (1972), Alexandre Grandé began studying music at the age of seven at the prestigious School of Choral Art in Moscow. Eleven years later, he graduated with a diploma in choir conducting and music pedagogy. He also studied conducting at the Moscow Conservatory, graduated from the Paris Regional Conservatory in composition and orchestration, and received an Excellency Prize in orchestra conducting at the Rueil-Malmaison Conservatory.

    To improve his conducting level, Alexandre Grande went to Israel to study at Rubin Academy of Music of Jerusalem with maestro Mendi Rodan.

    Upon his return to Paris in 1999, where he lives now, he was named as the assistant conductor of the Polyphorum Orchestra and conducted Mascagni's « Cavalleria Ruscticana ». In 2000, he created the Calli-Phonia Orchestra which he conducted until 2003.

    In August 2005, he conducted the first performance in Holland of Chostakovitch's « Story of a silly baby mouse » (for the Orlando Festival).

    In 2006, he conducted a production « Comme des Bêtes » at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées (Paris), a musical show including his own music and music of Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Stravinsky...

    Since then, Alexandre Grandé has been invited to conduct the Ural Philharmonic Orchestra (Russia), Bielorussia Philharmonic Orchestra, Minsk Opera Bolchoï, Orchestre National d’Ile-de-France, Orchestre de Massy, Opéra de Toulon, Opéra d’Avignon, Beethoven Orchester in Bonn, Vinteuil Ensemble, Académie de St. Louis Orchestra (Paris), Carpe Diem Ensemble in a program of contemporary music, etc... Furthermore, he participated in musical projects of the Chostakovitch International Association in Paris.

    Today he is one of artistic directors of the Ensemble Orchestral Integral, which he formed in 2006.
    With this orchestra, among the most importants projects, he created the « Songe dune nuit d’été. Variation printanière », which he performed with Ensemble Orchestral Integral in the theater of Fontainebleau. In the same theater, he conducted 2 operas buffa « Rayon de Soieries and La Poule Noire » by Manuel Rosenthal.

    The repertoire of Alexandre Grandé consists contemporary music as well.
    He gave the premiere « Noctifer » by Vincent Manac’h for choir, orgel and percussions group, « Qui sème le vent » by Xavier le Masne for flutes orchestra, and the French premiere of « Crossing II » by Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, « New York song » by Christine Massetti…

    Professor of orchestra conducting, he is today a director of the Conservatoire Régional d’Aubervilliers - La Courneuve, an spécial music / dance / theatre school (about 1500 students).

  • Andy Icochea Icochea

    Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    Andy Icochea Icochea is a multi-faceted musician who regularly appears as an orchestral and opera conductor, choral conductor and accompanist, and whose compositions and arrangements are performed internationally. He has appeared in over 500 concerts in 29 countries and four continents, in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall, Wiener Musikverein, Tonhalle Zürich and Berliner Konzerthaus. As a guest conductor, he has led the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmónica de Ciudad de México, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Perú and the Brookline Symphony, among others.

    Icochea Icochea has collaborated as choral conductor and rehearsal accompanist with Riccardo Muti, Georges Prêtre, Adam Fischer, Franz Welser-Möst, Bertrand de Billy and Bernard Haitink. His choruses have performed with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony, the Royal Stockholm Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Symphony. He has conducted world premieres of operas in Austria, Italy and the United States. Additionally, he has served as guest Clinician for the Boston Symphony Orchestra's education programs.

    He currently serves as Music Director of Superar, a non-profit organization that provides high quality music instruction free of charge to 2000 children in six countries in central and Eastern Europe. Previously, he has served as Kapellmeister of the Vienna Boys Choir and Artistic Director of Voices Boston and Harvard Pro Musica.

  • Katharina Müllner

    Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    Katharina Müllner studied conducting, music education and psychology/philosophy in her hometown of Vienna.
    After three years at the Landestheater Linz, she has been working as a freelance conductor since the 2020/21 season.

    At the age of five she began her musical education on the piano, violin and other instruments followed. During her school days she experienced what music can do for a community. Supported by her music teacher Heinz Knaus, she took her first steps in conducting choirs and ensembles. After graduating from high school, she decided to study music education (majoring in choral conducting with Alois Glaßner and Johannes Hiemetsberger) and psychology/philosophy. She directed choirs, and was also able to experience large choral/orchestral works with renowned conductors, soloists and orchestras as a singer in the Wiener Singverein (directed by Johannes Prinz). In addition, she studied conducting with Andreas Stoehr at the Music and Arts Private University in Vienna, as well as directing student and amateur orchestras, with which she conducted concerts in the Berio Hall of the Wiener Konzerthaus and in the Kuppelsaal of the Vienna University of Technology.

    While still a student, Katharina Müllner made her debut at the TAG Theater in Vienna in 2016 with Gasparone (Millöcker), and also conducted a work by B.R. German in the Glass Hall of the Wiener Musikverein. She completed her conducting studies with a concert at the Radiokulturhaus in Vienna with the Bratislava Symphoniker and works by Beethoven and Johann Strauss. At the Langenlois Castle Festival in 2017, she conducted several performances of Lehár's operetta The Merry Widow.

    Katharina Müllner made her debut at the Chemnitz Theater in October 2019 with Mozart's Magic Flute. In January 2019 she conducted a performance of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at the Theater Aachen.

    In the 2019/20 season she took over the direction of Mozart's Entführung aus dem Seraglio, and Il matrimonio segreto (Cimarosa). She also conducted performances of Millöcker's beggar student.

    Previously, Katharina Müllner was engaged to the Landestheater Linz in the 2017/18 season immediately after completing her studies. Here she made her debut with the operetta Eine Nacht in Venice by Johann Strauss. She also conducted Carl Zeller's Vogelhändler at the Linz Music Theater, as well as family and school concerts with the Bruckner Orchestra Linz.

    Since the 2020/21 season she has become one of the up and coming young conductors, making her debut at the Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar with Elisabeth Naske's Der Wunschpunsch and the following year (inbetween lockdowns) at the Theater St. Gallen with a new production of Mozart's Magic Flute. Even before her planned debut at the Vienna Volksoper with Suppès Der Teufel auf Erden, she stepped in at short notice for a performance of Britten's death in Venice. She also stood in for the premiere of Carmen at the German National Theater in Weimar.

    Katharina Müllner has also conducted at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf (Magic Flute), the Vienna Chamber Opera, the German National Theater in Weimar (Norma 2.0) and the Robert Schumann Philharmonic in Chemnitz. She also took on a concert at the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra.

    The 2022/23 season takes her to the Deutsche Oper am Rhein Düsseldorf (Ballet Krabat), the Theater St. Gallen (Magic Flute), the Theater Essen (Carmen), as well as to the Philharmonic Orchestra Landestheater Coburg, the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra and the Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra.

  • Carolin Nordmeyer

    Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    Carolin Nordmeyer was born in 1975 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. Having grown up „under the grand piano“, she became interested in scores and developed an eye for the big picture alongside playing piano, violin, viola and french horn.
    After graduating from high school, she began studying french horn in Detmold (Germany), followed by conducting studies with a major in piano, although her focus clearly shifted towards conducting. Her contact with various conductors during her academic year as a scholarship holder at the Conservatoire National de Musique in Paris gave her important inspiration.
    Carolin Nordmeyer was appointed conductor and répétiteur at the Theater Bielefeld whilst still a student. She built up a broad repertoire and, in addition to her own opera productions such as Gluck's "Orfeo ed Euridice" or Scarlatti's "Griselda", she conducted performances of Verdi's "Un ballo in maschera", Rossini's "Il viaggio a Reims", Mozart's "Die Entführung aus dem Serail", Weber's "Freischütz", Humperdinck's "Hänsel und Gretel", Stravinsky's "Le Sacre du Printemps" or Lehár's "Lustige Witwe". In addition, she regularly planned and conducted youth and family concerts.
    From 2009-2017 Carolin Nordmeyer was engaged as second Kapellmeister and assistant of the general music director at the Theater Augsburg. Carolin Nordmeyer conducted the premieres of Verdi's "La Traviata", Mozart's "La Finta giardiniera", Chabrier's "„Etoile" and the ballet productions "Romeo and Juliet" and "Cinderella", the gala concerts on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (2011/12), as well as various youth and family concerts. She expanded her conducting repertoire with numerous revivals, including Berg’s "Lulu", Verdi's "Aida" and "Il Trovatore", Wagner's "Der Fliegende Holländer" and Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" and "Die Zauberflöte".
    Carolin Nordmeyer is a lecturer in Conducting, Ensemble Direction and Opera Studies at the Leopold Mozart Conservatory Augsburg.
    In November 2006, Carolin Nordmeyer was accepted as a scholar into Deutsche Bank’s "Akademie Musiktheater heute" Scholarship Program.
    In addition to her professional activities, Carolin Nordmeyer has a great passion for music education and musical work with amateurs and young people. Carolin Nordmeyer is chief conductor of the Schwäbisches Jugendsinfonieorchester. Since 2013 she is chief conductor of the Academic Symphony Orchestra Munich. She has also conducted projects and performances with the Saarland Youth Orchestra, the Young Orchestra Academy of the Moselle Music Festival, the Rheinische Orchesterakademie Mainz, the Märkisches Jugendsinfonieorchester, of which she was chief conductor from 2004 to 2011, and the Freie Sinfonie Orchester Bielefeld founded by her in 2003.

  • Philipp Pointner

    Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    Viennese-born conductor Philipp Pointner started his career at Cape Town Opera/South Africa. There and at Gauteng Opera Johannesburg he is still a regular guest.

    He continued his way in Germany, where he was Erster Kapellmeister at the Staatstheater Nürnberg for many years. He is guest at many European opera houses such as Staatsoper Hamburg, Oper Köln, Staatstheater Mannheim, Staatstheater Braunschweig, Opera Vlaanderen Antwerp/Belgium, just to name a few. In Austria he conducted at the Volksoper Vienna and the Oper Graz.

    In concert Philipp Pointner is working with orchestras like WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln, Tonkünstler Orchester Niederösterreich, Staatsphilharmonie Braunschweig, Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt, Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg and Oviedo Philharmonic/Spain. He is regular guest conductor at the Filarmonia de Stat Transilvania Cluj/Romania. In 2017 he will debut with the RSO Vienna.

  • David Slater

    Choir & String Orchestra Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    David Slater is an Australian composer, conductor and music educator.
    
After completing studies at the University of Sydney with legendary Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe, he received scholarships to study in Europe with Helmut Lachenmann, Cristobal Hallfter and Brian Ferneyhough. His work encompasses many genres from the concert hall to TV, film and advertising, and includes solo, chamber, choral and orchestral music. His compositions have received numerous awards over many years. He receives regular commissions and is performed throughout Australia and the world.

    
Mr Slater is an experienced conductor with an extensive repertoire spanning from the Baroque to the present day. He began his studies in conducting in Germany, and on return to Australia was mentored by the Chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Stuart Challender. He founded and directed a number of award-winning ensembles which include contemporary music groups, orchestras, choirs, youth orchestras and musical theatre companies. In recent years he has conducted student and professional orchestras and choirs from more than 20 countries: Australia, Asia and the USA to all parts of Europe, from Italy and Spain to Scandinavia, the Baltic Region and Russia.

    
He is a regular guest at international music festivals, where he sits on international juries, conducts masterclasses and gives lectures. His regular schedule includes engagements in Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy and Slovakia, with notable events in Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Russia. For 40 years Mr Slater has been teaching and lecturing in music. He is passionate about the role of music in society and in education, and has promoted the creation, study and performance of great music throughout his career. He has been a consultant on music curriculum and final year examiner in three Australian states.

    
He has won many major awards for composition, conducting and service to music, including the Symphony Australia Prize, the National Award of the Orchestras of Australia Network and Australia Day awards for service to music in the community. He has published articles on music and music education and represents Australia on the World Choir Council.

     

     

  • Saul Zaks

    Artistic Director of the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival; Choir, String Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra with winds, Symphony Orchestra & Summa Ensemble Jury; Workshop Lecturer

    Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1961 and living in Denmark, Saul Zaks is an international conductor and mediator who connects people from different cultures and provides a cross-cultural communication through music and the arts.

    He has been the conductor of The Musicology Students Choir at the University of Aarhus, and of The University of Southern Denmark Chamber Choir and Symphony Orchestra.

    Saul Zaks is a guest professor in choral and orchestral conducting at the University of Buenos Aires, Universidad Católica de Asunción del Paraguay, Conservatorio Nacional de Bolivia, Universidad Federal de Rio de Janeiro and Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba.

    He studied at The Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music & Dance, Israel, with Prof. Mendi Rodán, and at The Royal Danish Academy of Music Aarhus.

    Saul Zaks is specialized in the music from Latin America and has performed and recorded with, amongst others, the composer Ariel Ramirez, the singer Mercedes Sosa, the composer & pianist Pablo Ziegler and the bandoneón players Daniel Binelli, Pablo Mainetti, César Stroscio and Rodolfo Marcelo Zanetti.

    As Chorus Master, Saul Zaks has gained a nomination for the Danish Grammy Award 2006 - Best Classical Album - together with the Danish National Choir & Symphony Orchestra for recordings of "Choral Symphony & Requiem" by Asger Hamerik.

    Additionally he has gained a nomination for the Latin Grammy Award 2016 in the category Best Tango Album - "Sax to Tango" - together with Pablo Ziegler, Julio Botti, Franco Pinna & The University of Southern Denmark Symphony Orchestra.

    Together with Argentinean composer Martin Palmeri, Saul Zaks performed the Scandinavian premiere of "Misatango", and the World Premiere of the "Tango Credo" at Lincoln Center, New York in 2017.

    Today Saul Zaks is the Artistic Director & Conductor of the Misatango Festival Vienna (www.misatango.com).

    In 2018 Saul Zaks was appointed Artistic Director for the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna.

    Appointments in 2019 include the World Premiere of Martin Palmeri´s "Gran Misa" in Carnegie Hall, New York City, The International Music Festival in Bratislava and workshops and concerts at Hanover University of Music, Theatre and Media.

    www.saulzaks.com

  • Sivan Albo Ben-Hur
  • Pablo Boggiano
  • Christoph Ehrenfellner
  • Elisabeth Fuchs
  • Alexandre Grandé
  • Andy Icochea Icochea
  • Katharina Müllner
  • Carolin Nordmeyer
  • Philipp Pointner
  • David Slater
  • Saul Zaks

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