SCL Festival 2027: Celebrating Beethoven’s Legacy of Joy and Brotherhood
In 2027, the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival will honor one of humanity’s greatest artistic voices - Ludwig van Beethoven, whose death two centuries ago marked not an end, but the beginning of a legacy that continues to inspire the world.
Beethoven was not merely a composer, he was a visionary. In a world still bound by tradition, he broke conventions, fought against silence, and turned his struggle into sound. His deafness became his defiance. From the powerful chords of the Eroica to the radiant message of the Ode to Joy, Beethoven’s work remains a universal call to connection - a belief that joy and brotherhood can rise above hardship and difference. His music speaks to every generation, especially to the young: dare to create, dare to feel, dare to be free.
Vienna will echo with the energy and the music of Beethoven at the SCL Festival 2027. Choirs, orchestras, and bands from around the world will gather where he once walked, not just playing his notes, but fullfilling his ideals - freedom, humanity, and unity through sound. At the Festival we are both honoring his music and continuing his mission: to bring people together, to speak through music when words fall short, and to remind the world that joy - true, universal joy - is still our greatest harmony.
SCL 2027
The festival will take place: 2027, July 2 - 7
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Registration SCL Festival Registration for the SCL Festival (live) is open until: February 15th 2027. |
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More information about the application Plan your experience of a lifetime - the SCL Festival team is looking forward to welcoming you! |
Compulsory pieces 2027
CHOIRS:
Mixed Choir:
| Dominick Argento (1927-2019): | From "Seasons": I. Autumn (4:30) | |
| www.stretta-music.at/argento-seasons-nr-910491.html |
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Treble Choir:
| Kocsár Miklós (1933-2019): | Salve Regina (3:45) | |
| webshop.zeneakademia.hu/en/spd/60557_0/KOCSAR-Miklos-Salve-regina | ||
Male Choir:
| Augusta Read Thomas (1964): | Dappled Things (4:30) | |
| www.classicalondemand.com/products/dappled-things-ttbb | ||
Children’s Choir - with an average age up to 8 years:
| W.A. Mozart (1756-1791): | Cantate Domino, KV.89b (30 sec) (to be performed as 3- or 4-part canon) |
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| To be performed as a 3- or 4-part canon. Link to PDF |
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Children’s Choir - up to the age from 8 to 12 years:
| Finnish Traditional: | On suuri sun rantas autius (arr. Matti Hyökki) (02:40) | |
| www.all-sheetmusic.com/Choir/Female-Choir/Kaksi-kansanlaulua.html |
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ORCHESTRAS:
Symphony Orchestra:
| Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): | Egmont Overture, Op. 84 (8:00) | |
| www.breitkopf.com/work/8202/egmont-op-84 | ||
Chamber Orchestra with Winds:
| Joseph Haydn (1732-1809): | Symphony No. 10 in D major, Hoboken I/10, I. movement (5:30) | |
| www.baerenreiter.com/product/BA04666-65 www.baerenreiter.com/product/BA04666-01 |
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String Orchestra:
| Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944): | From Suite for Strings, Op.1a, no.IV: Adagio con moto (4:15) | |
| https://imslp.org/wiki/String_Quintet,_Op.1_(Smyth,_Ethel) |
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BANDS:
| Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958): | English Folk Song Suite: 1. Seventeen Come Sunday (3:30) | |
| www.boosey.com/publications/sheet-music/Ralph-Vaughan-Williams-English-Folk-Song-Suite-Symphonic-Band-Score-Parts/748 | ||
SUMMA ENSEMBLES:
| Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): | Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, 1st movement | |
| Summa Ensembles will perform the compulsory piece in a format and instrumentation adapted to the respective performing ensemble, while staying as faithful to the original composition as possible needs. |
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Choir - Workshop Pieces 2027:
All choirs taking part in the Competition are asked to prepare their compulsory piece(s) for the first workshop. For the second workshop, the workshop lecturer may choose a piece from your competition or additional concert program or another piece suitable for your respective category.
For all choirs taking part in the Celebration: The workshop lecturer may choose pieces from your program or other pieces suitable for your respective category.
Orchestra - Workshop Pieces 2027:
All orchestras taking part in the Competition are asked to prepare their respective compulsory piece for the first workshop. For the second workshop, please select one piece from the list of your respective category. You may also choose a piece from your competition or additional program. This piece, however, needs to be confirmed by the Artistic Director.
All orchestras taking part in the Celebration are invited to prepare two pieces from the list of your respective category. You may also choose (a) piece(s) from your program. However, this/these need to be confirmed by the Artistic Director.
Symphony Orchestra:
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 in F major, op. 93, IV. Allegro vivace
Hector Berlioz: Béatrice et Bénédict: Overture
Ludwig van Beethoven: One movement from 1st, 2nd, 4th or 5th Symphony
Ludwig van Beethoven: One movement from Egmont, Coriolan or Fidelio Overture
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 38, 3rd movement, Scherzo Molto Vivace
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphony No. 3 in a minor Op. 56 (“Scottish”), 2nd movement, Vivace non troppo
Antonín Dvořák: Slavonic Dances No. 3 and 8
Chamber Orchestra:
Franz Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 104 in D major I. Adagio – Allegro or IV. Finale: Spiritoso
Franz Schubert: One movement from Symphony No. 5 in B flat major (D 485)
Joseph Haydn: One movement from Symphony No. 43 in E flat major Hob.I: 43 (“Mercury”)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: One movement from Symphony Nr. 29 in A major, KV 201
Béla Bartók: Rumanian Folk Dances
String Orchestra:
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Sinfonia No. 4 in C minor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: One movement from Divertimento KV 136 or KV 137 or 138
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Josef Suk: One movement from Serenade for Strings in E flat-major Op. 6
Edvard Grieg: One movement from Holberg Suite
Béla Bartók: Rumanian Folk Dances
Johann Sebastian Bach: 3. Brandenburgisches Konzert, 1st movement
Georg Friedrich Händel: One movement from Concerto grosso Op. 6 / No. 5 in D major
Band - Workshop Pieces 2027:
All bands taking part in the Competition are asked to prepare the compulsory piece for the first workshop. For the second workshop, you may choose a piece from your competition or additional program. This piece needs to be confirmed by the Artistic Director.
All bands taking part in the Celebration may choose pieces from their Musikverein program and/or additional concert program. These pieces need to be confirmed by the Artistic Director.
Summa Ensemble - Workshop Pieces 2027:
All Summa Ensembles taking part in the Competition shall prepare the compulsory piece for the first workshop. For the second workshop, you may choose a piece from your competition additional program. This piece needs to be confirmed by the Artistic Director.
All Summa Ensembles taking part in the Celebration may choose pieces from their Musikverein program and/or additional concert program. These pieces need to be confirmed by the Artistic Director.
Inspiration: Film Music
As the festival wants to encourage ensembles to include film music into their repertoire, we have compiled a list of suggestions. The following pieces are not compulsory and celebration groups are also welcome to draw inspiration from the list!
| Mixed Choir: | From "Home Alone": Mykola Leontovich (1877 - 1921) - Carol of the Bells www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/carol-of-the-bells-sheet-music/3555974 (This piece can be sung in numerous different languages, the ensembles are free to choose) |
| Treble Choir / Children’s Choir: | From "Les Choristes": Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764) - Hymne à La Nuit www.stretta-music.com/rameau-rille-hymne-a-la-nuit-nr-461456.html From "Som i Himlen" (As it is in heaven): Stefan Nilsson (*1955) - Gabriellas Sång (with piano) www.stretta-music.com/en/nilsson-baeckman-wallenaes-gabriellas-saang-nr-447115.html |
| Male Choir: | From "Som i Himlen" (As it is in heaven): Stefan Nilsson (*1955) - Gabriellas Sång (with piano) www.stretta-music.com/en/baeckman-nilsson-caplin-gabriellas-saang-nr-498423.html |
| Symphony Orchestra: | From "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade": John Williams (*1932): Scherzo For Motorcycle and Orchestra www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/scherzo-for-motorcycle-and-orchestra-from-indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade-sheet-music/20109754 |
