150 years of “Steirischer Sängerbund”

Reception in Graz

This year the “Steirischer Sängerbund”(Styrian Singers’ Association) celebrates its 150th anniversary. INTERKULTUR and its President Günter Titsch, holder of the association’s golden badge of honor (“Goldene Ehrennadel”), sent their congratulations.

On January 26, 2012 Landeshauptmann Franz Voves and his deputy Hermann Schützenhöfer invited to a reception in the White Hall of the castle of Graz on the occasion of “150 years of Steirischer Sängerbund”.
Landeshauptmann deputy and cultural consultant Schützenhöfer said in his welcome speech to the guests: “I hope that the enthusiasm for music and the passing of this joy continue to be the focus of the Steirischer Sängerbund. I’m holding these 150 years of supporting the Styrian choral life in high regard and I wish a great anniversary year 2012.”

The current chairmen of the Sängerbund, Alfred Hudin and Bruno Seebacher, thanked and told about the association’s manifold history. Foundation meeting of the Steirischer Sängerbund was on September 2, 1862. Today it’s the umbrella organization for 300 choirs including more than 7000 singers.

Günter Titsch said with regard to the commitment of the Steirischer Sängerbund: “Those who have been doing such a great job in the field of choral music for such a long time cannot be praised enough. I wish the association and its management board and every individual choir singers and member all the best for a future with and for choral music.”

The congratulations by Günter Titsch were given by Constanze Grininger from INTERKULTUR Austria. INTERKULTUR looks back at many years of collaboration with the Steirischer Sängerbund and is looking forward to the future.

They worked together, for example, for the 2008 World Choir Games and recently for the 1st World Choir Championships for Youth and Young Adults and the Grand Prix of Choral Music in July 2011. These were great events for both the city of Graz and its surroundings and were emphasized by the speakers Schützenhöfer and Hudin.