• Former lecturer, Australian National University School of Music and 4 prestigious colleges
• Jury member of 10 international music festivals
• Founder/Artistic Director, North Coast Camerata, Coffs Youth Orchestra. Regular guest conductor in several countries.
• Winner of Symphony Australia Prize, National Orchestras of Australia Award and for conducting, composing and service to music in the community
• Associate Composer, Australian Music Centre and member of the National Choral Association

• President of the Austrian Choir Association, Initiator and Coordinator of the project "CHOR:sinfonie" celebrating the 70-year anniversary 2019
• Founder and President (till 2018) of the Austrian National Youth Choir
• Conductor "Wiener Saengerrunde" and "Chorus of Administration" at the mdw - University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
• Head of the Department for Organizational Law and Appointment Management for University Professors at the mdw - University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
• Organist at the Kalvarienbergkirche/Vienna since 1985
• International organist, conductor and jury member
• CD and radio productions in Austria, China, Germany and Italy

• Choir director of the Wiener Singakademie and the Choir Ad Libitum
• Chief conductor of the period instrument orchestra Barucco
• Artistic director of the Vokalakademie Niederösterreich and the Vokalwoche Melk
• Guest lecturer of Berkshire Choral International
• Member of international Juries
• Lecturer at the University of Music and performing Arts Vienna

• Studied at the University of Arts in Tirana. Doctorate in Ethnomusicology.
• From 1976 to 1983 she worked as a pedagogue at the "Jordan Misja" Artistic Lyceum as well as a conductor for the Lyceum's girls' choir
• For 17 years Turku was the conductor of the Albanian National Theater of Opera and Ballet Choir.
• Head of the Conducting Department and conductor of the Students Choir at the University of Arts in Albania and was appointed as Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports
• She founded several choral ensembles such as "Pax Dei" (1993), "Little Angels" (2000) and "Mother Teresa" (2003).
• She is a guest conductor, participates in festivals, conferences and seminars often regarding the Albanian music phenomena and issues.
• She has been awarded with the country's highest distinction, "Meritorious Artist", by the President of the Republic of Albania.

• Advisor of Vice-President of ALACC (Latin American Association of Choral Singing), founder of OFADAC (Argentine Federation for Choral Activities Organizations) and ADICORA (Argentine Choral Conductors Association)
• CIC Foundation President and organizer of Trelew International Coral Contest (1993-2013), artistic committee member of the POLYFOLLIA Festival (France, 2003-2014)
• Conductor of "ESTUDIO CORAL TRELEW" chamber choir and many other choirs in Patagonia, Argentina
• Adjudicator, lecturer and clinician at many festivals and competitions around the world

• Professor, Conductor at Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory
• Headmaster of Sayat-Nova School of Music
• Founder, Conductor and Artistic Director of the Little Singers of Armenia choir
• President of Armenian Little Singers International Association
• Founder and President of Komitas International Festival
• Artistic director and Conductor of the Armenian Radio Chamber Choir for over 20 years
• Awarded the Medal of Movses Khorenatsi by the President of the Republic of Armenia​ in 1996, for his contributions to the advancement of Armenian culture. Earned  the honorary title of "Prominent Educator" by the President of the Republic of Armenia ​in 2010​, ​for his outstanding contributions in the field of education. Awarded the Leonardo da Vinci silver medal by the European Academy of Natural Sciences.

• Founder of the first polyphonic choir of Afghanistan, "Noor-e Omid"
• Founder of the first Afghanistan music news website nooreomidco.com
• Founder of the Noor-e Omid Charity
• Participating as the representative of Afghanistan for the first time in World Choir Games, Sochi, Russia, with "Noor-e Omid choir" as conductor
• Honored by former President of Afghanistan, Hamed Karzai as pioneer of opera singing in Afghanistan
• Receiving the NATO medal from General John Nicholson, commander of NATO

• Chairperson of the Belarusian Choral Directors Association and Head of the Choral Conducting Department of the Belarusian State Academy of Music
• Artistic Director of the awarding-winning Student Choir of the Belarusian Academy of music
• Author and initiator of a great number of choral projects in Belarus including the Open Conductor’s competition named after V. Rovdo, Choral pages of the XX-th century, Choral Legends
• Regularly invited specialist for lectures and master classes on Russian, Belarusian Orthodox and modern choral music in Europe, Russia and China
• Adjudicator, conductor and teacher of conducting, developer of such a phenomenon in Belarus as a "Choral Theater"

• Leader of mixed youth choir "Cantilene" and founder of chamber choir "Cantando". The latter has won a great number of prizes in national and international competitions.
• Professor of choral conducting at the "Conservatoire of Antwerp"
• He conducts the Flemish Radio Choir on a regular basis and gave choral conducting master classes in several European countries.
• He is a well-known adjudicator in national and international choral festivals.

• Secretary General of the European Federation for choirs of the Union (Paris-Brussels)
• Specialist in youth choirs and promoter of authentic baroque music
• Involved in several music films ("The gold of the Angels", "Higgi-Inspiring Voices")
• Organizer of over 5000 concerts in Europe, and organizer of many international youth choir music festivals in Basel, Nantes, Poznan and Riga
• Lecturer at masterclasses and juror in competitions all over the world

• Béranger Yakassou is a lyric singer.
• He took the master class in lyric singing from July 16 to 27, 2018 and participated in the reparation concert at the auditorium of the French Institute of Cotonou on July 28, 2018 under the direction of Mr. Gérard Weiller (Haute-contre, professor of piano and voice) and Mr. Félix Nassi (choral and orchestral conductor, director of the festival "Les rencontres polyphoniques du Bénin").
• Béranger Yakassou participated in the classical concert as a lyric singer at the Golden Tulip le Diplomat in Cotonou on August 15, 2019, conducted by Mr. Felix Nassi, as well as in the lyric concert as a lyric tenor under the straw hut of the French Institute of Cotonou, July 23, 2021.
• He participated in the preparation and recording of the oratorio "Heavens" by Philippe Lamouris, a work created in the framework of the World Choir Games Flanders 2021 (Belgium) as choirmaster at the Carrefour Jeunesse, Comè from July 18 to 27, 2021.
• Béranger Yakassou is the current musical director of the Children's Choir of Benin and the Félix Choir of the NGO Carrefour Jeunesse Afrique, Comè.

• Professor in choral conducting and Head of Conducting Department at the Bulgarian National Academy of Music
• PhD with dissertation "Psychological grounds of conducting art"
• Since 2005 conductor of the Classic FM Radio Choir
• Conductor of the World Youth Choir in 2007/2008, honored by UNESCO with the title Artist for Peace, recognizing the WYC's success as a platform for intercultural dialogue through music
• She is frequently invited as a member of jury-panels at international choral competitions.
• She has been awarded the Golden Century Star - National Award bestowed by the Minister of Culture of Bulgaria, the Golden Lyre by the Union of Bulgarian Musicians, the Heart of Sofia Prize by Sofia Municipality and Ministry of Education and Science.

• Carmen Giovanna Montaño studied music specializing in lyric singing at the National Conservatory of Music in the city of La Paz with numerous teachers such as Beatriz Mendez, Karina Stephanian, Samia Ibrahim (Venezuela) and Alicia Cecoti (Prof. Teatro Colon), in addition to continuing her studies in Brazil, Venezuela and other specialized courses focusing on psychology and psychopedagogy of music. She did the Post Degree "OPERA SINGERS" at the BERKLEE CONSERVATORY in Valencia, Spain, culminating her studies in lyrical singing and opera in 2017.
• She participated in various competitions of regional character, highlighting the event held in Trujillo Peru where she reached the semifinal stage. She also won second place in the lyrical singing contest "Das Lied", held in the city of La Paz.
• During the last years, Carmen Giovanna Montaño showed her professional qualities standing out again as soloist with the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Santa Cruz, in the "Coronation Mass" by W. A. Mozart (2012), in the "Misa Angustis" by Haydn (2013) and in the "Christmas Oratorio" by J.S. Bach (2014).
• She was invited to the "Gala lirica" organized by the Municipal School of the Arts in the city of El Alto performing famous Opera Arias as Principal Soloist with the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of El Alto, conducted by Mtro. Fredy Céspedes.
• The last outstanding participation at international level was in Caracas, Venezuela with the Simon Bolivar Choir and Orchestra in the "Choral Symphony", one of the greatest works of Beethoven, under the baton of the great Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel. Finally, she played the role of Micaela in the opera "Carmen" by George Bizet, conducted by the French conductor Antoine Duhamel.
• In July and August of this year (2019) Carmen Giovanna Montaño participated as soloist and choral conductor in the Homage to Bolivia together with the National Symphony Orchestra and the folk group Awatiñas.
• Founder of the ArteCanto Choir in 2015, with whom she participated in the Night of Museums (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019). She also participated in the production of Handel's Messiah, and for the second time in the INTERNATIONAL BAROQUE FESTIVAL OF LA CHIQUITANIA (2016 and 2018). As Director of the Fine Arts Choir she managed and directed the choir for its participation in the International Choir Competition in Barcelona, having several concerts in the tour EUROPE 2015 (Italy, France, Spain).
• Finally, Carmen Giovanna Montaño organized and directed the Choir ArteCanto-EMI and the CURUCUSÏ Ensemble in the recently completed Europe 2019 Tour, between June 24 and July 17. The Choir sang in the presence of Pope Francis I at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It performed other concerts in Rome, Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, at the International Johannes Brahms Choir Competition in Wernigerode, Munich, Berlin, The Hague and Paris, with resounding success.
• She currently teaches Lyrical Singing at the Instituto Superior de Bellas Artes, the Music House Academy and the Suzuki Academy, Director of the Choir of the Military School of Engineering EMI, Director of the Choir ArteCanto.

• Associate Professor at the Academy of Arts, University of Banja Luka
• Conductor of Female Chamber Choir "Banjalučanke" and president of the ART PULS Artists Association
• Vice President of the Composers Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Director of Banski Dvor – Cultural Center Banja Luka
• Director of International music festival "Jesenja Sonata" ("Autunmn Sonata") and director of jazz festival "Intime Jazz Fest"
• He has composed more than 300 works of artistic, applied and popular music, as well as the music for children. By now, he participated as a composer and conductor on more than 50 music festivals in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad won many prizes and several society recognitions.

• Researcher about Brazilian concert music, spreading that music around the world, with lectures and interpreting it with her groups
• Singer, conductor, director of professional city Choir Camerata Antiqua Curitiba from 1980 to 2012
• Founder and artistic director of Collegium Cantorum - Women Choir. Participating in the "Grand Prix of Nations Berlin 2017" in concerts and in the Sing Along Workshop with the Rundfunkchor Berlin (Nicolas Fink)
• Artistic Director of 5 CDs: "Echoes of Faith" (2008), "Brazilian Christmas" (2010), "Rodrigo Herrmann" (2013), "Villa-Lobos Sacred" (2014) and "Acordes Poéticos" (2018)
• In May 2018 she participated in the German tour of the chamber choir Soli Deo Gloria from Stuttgart with the Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra conducted by Monica Meira Vasques, recording of Handel's "Der Messias" in Hebrew, for the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the State of Israel.
• Member of Crescendo International as Brazilian coordinator

• Multi award-winning songwriter, musical director, arranger and vocal coach
• Renowned show choir and a cappella specialist and has judged competitions including The Voice Festival, The UK Choir Festival, The Canadian Show Choir Championships, Masters of Show Choir and the National Show Choir Championships of Ireland
• In 2019 she joined the prestigious judging panel for the UK Songwriting Contest, has become the director of an Artist Management company and became the first musician in history to win Freelancer of the Year.
• Composes songs for winners of pop stars Olly Murs and Dua Lipa, winners of The Voice UK and many others

• Mat was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire by the Queen in 2019 for his work with young people and music.
• Mat Wright has worked in a number of roles in education including as an Advanced Skills Teacher, Vice-Principal, Consultant and Advisor and currently works as the Deputy Director for Education for the Astrea Academy Trust.
• He founded Barnsley Youth Choir in 2009 which now has 6 separate choirs involving over 420 children aged 4-24 years old and is situated in an area of deprivation where 1 in 4 children live in poverty. The choir has won 8 first prizes in INTERKULTUR International Competitions and is currently ranked 3rd in the World Rankings in its category. BYC has also been awarded the Queens Award for voluntary service.
• Mat has acted as a guest conductor for choirs from his country and abroad. He has worked closely with choirs from the Kodaly School in Kecskemet, Hungary and uses this system to develop singers and choirs.
• He is an adjudicator in competitions in the UK and internationally and is also in demand as a clinician and workshop leader in the UK and internationally. He has a reputation for arranging and performing high quality popular, gospel and spiritual music and is in demand as composer and arranger.

• Choral conductor at the Royal College of Music Junior Department
• Founder and conductor RCMJD alumni chamber choir Vigala Singers
• Awarded a Sir Winston Churchill Fellowship for choral conducting
• Adjudicator, lecturer and clinician at choral festivals and competitions around the world
• Formerly Senior Lecturer in Music and Music Education at University College London (IOE) and member of the Centre for Performance Science at the Royal College of Music London
• Published author, writing about youth choirs: The Oxford Handbook of Singing (2019)

• Studied at Ferenc Liszt Music Academy with György Orbán
• Composed a large number of choral works for renowned Hungarian and international choirs, like the Pro Musica Girls’ Choir (Hungary), Stellenbosch University Choir (South Africa) and Iowa State University Choir (USA)
• International adjudicator at choral festivals
• In addition to his choir works he composed 4 symphonies (the 3. was commissioned and performed by Budapest Festival Orchestra), a Piano concerto, a St. Luke Passion and a Christmas Oratorio. His most important work, the opera-musical "The Master and Margarita", was performed for the first time 2017.
• In 2005, he was honored with the Erkel Ferenc-Prize through the Hungarian State – and in 2009 with the Bartók-Pásztory Prize, given by the Music Academy Budapest.

• Professor of choral conducting and musicianship at the Kodály Institute of the Liszt Academy of Music, and guest professor of the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing
• Artistic director and founding conductor of the Ars Nova Vocal Ensemble and Kecskemét Festival Choir
• Founder director of the Ars Nova Editio Publishing House for contemporary Hungarian choral music
• International adjudicator, conductor and guest lecturer

• Teacher and leader of national and international choral projects, specialized in Latin American Choral Music of the 20th and 21st centuries
• She was awarded the "Kulturpreis" (1998) by the Inter Nationes Foundation (1998), the "Robert Edler Preis für Chormusik" (2000), the Helmuth Rilling Prize (2009) and the Life Achievement Award by the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) in 2019.
• With the Cantoría Alberto Grau (1976-2009) she has received six awards in the competitions of Neuchatel and Arezzo (1989) and three gold medals with the Orfeón Universitario Simón Bolívar (1976-2008) at the Choir Olympics held in Linz (2000).
• She was Professor of Music and Choral Conducting at the University Simón Bolívar (Caracas, Venezuela 1976-2018), Associate Conductor of Choral Symphonic Performances of El Sistema (Caracas, Venezuela 1976-2012), Artistic Director of the program "Música para Crecer" of the Andean Bank of Development (LatinAmerica 2003-2017), Vice-President and Advisor of the International Federation for Choral Music (1996-2014) and Member of the International Music Council (UNESCO 2002-2004).
• She is frequently invited as guest conductor, adjudicator, jury member, lecturer and professor of choral, specializing in Latin American Choral Music and has premiered many new works.
• She is currently the Artistic Director of the Fundación Schola Cantorum de Venezuela, directs the Schola Cantorum de Venezuela and Coral Fundación Empresas Polar.

• Head of Conducting Department at Vietnam National Academy of Music
• Founder and Artistic Director at Vietnam SolArt Choir and Education
• Known as a pioneer in the field of choir and music education in Vietnam
• Well known in Vietnam as host, music expert, juror of music TV programs and competitions
• Artistic director of the Vietnam International Choir Competition
• Adjudicator at many festivals and competitions around the world

• Founder and ex-president of the Asociación Coral Centroamericana ACCA
• Advisor of the IFCM (International Federation of Choral Music)
• Founder (In 2001), General Director and Administrator "Ad Honorem" of the Choral Project CORODEMIA, organizing festivals, competitions and seminars and educational projects
• Choral and Orchestral Arranger, works published in the Antología Coral CORODEMIA
• Coordinador of the Music Department of the Colegio Alemán de Guatemala
• Founder and Musical director of Camerata Vocal CORODEMIA, and the choir of the Universidad Da Vinci

Regional Committee

Tristan is a freelance conductor based in Mannheim, in the South-West of Germany. He is really glad to have the opportunity of working with choirs of very different styles, ages and repertoire, including the male chamber choir Ensemble Vocapella Limburg, the semi-professional choir Vox Quadrata or the philharmonic choir Beethovenchor Ludwigshafen. Tristan loves the very important work with young voices and singers: He's the artistic director of the boy's and male section of Cantus Juvenum Karlsruhe and of the Jugendchor Hochtaunus, a mixed youthchoir, which is regularly invited to nationwide festivals. A big part of his profession is also the work as a conducting teacher at the University of Music in Frankfurt am Main, where he's trying to help young musicians finding their way and style of musical expression and transferring it to the singers in their choir. So nearly all of his work is about connecting music loving people and that's why he is really looking forward to bring these experiences to the World Choir Council and to learn from the great colleagues from all over the world.

• Studied choral conducting at the State Academy of Music in Sofia (Bulgaria) and orchestra conducting at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf (Germany)
• From 2007-2011 conductor and Choir Director at the Staatsoper Münster (Germany)
• Since 2011 Artistic Director and conductor of Collegium Musicum Berlin at the Free and Technical Universities in Berlin
• Recipient of several conducting prizes in Münster in 2011 and St. Petersburg in 2013

• First prize winner at numerous international choir competitions
• Repeated Prize Winner of the German Choir Competition
• Editor of "Reine Männersache", "Reine Frauensache" Edition Peters
• International juror, lecturer and guest conductor

• Founder and Artistic Director of the Maulbronn Chamber Choir and the Kantorei Maulbronn (until 2016) and from 1979 until 2013 Artistic Director of the Festival Klosterkonzerte Maulbronn Maulbronn (UNESCO world heritage)
• Recorded more than 20 CDs with the Maulbronn Chamber Choir, including 10 oratorios by G.F. Händel
• Appointed Professor by the Prime Minister of the state Baden-Württemberg in 2012 and receiver of the Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Ring in 2013
• Chair of the advisory board of the German Music Council and artistic leader and chairman of the jury of the German Choir Competition until 2020
• In 1998 he received the Cross of Merit of the BR Germany
• Since 2014 Artistic Director of the International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf and honorary citizen of the town of Maulbronn
• Chair of the advisory board of the recently founded Bundesjugendchor of Germany by the German Music Council

• Trained at Mountview Conservatoire for the Performing Arts in London
• Principal of the Gibraltar Academy of Music and the Performing Arts
• Founder of the Santos Productions Choir, The Gibraltar Youth Choir and Project Choir, Gibraltar
• Conducted the Choir for the London Philharmonic Concert Orchestra in 2017
• Choir Director for Andrea Bocelli during a concert in Gibraltar in September 2019
• Currently holds the post of Deputy Mayor of Gibraltar and will hold the post of Mayor of Gibraltar in 2021
• Awarded a Gibraltar Medallion of Distinction for services to popular Culture

• Director of Macedonia University School of Music Art & Science Choirs and Head of Choral Conducting Program
• Founder - Artistic Director - Conductor of Ss. Cyril & Methodios Choral Organization, Thessaloniki – Greece
• Artistic Director of Thessaloniki Concert Hall Children & Youth Choir Festival
• Writer of the Textbook "Introduction to Choral Praxis", Score Editions and Choral Methods, available by Papagrigoriou - Nakas Publications, Athens
• Adjudicator, lecturer and clinician at many festivals and competitions around the world

• Gives master classes and workshops all over the world
• Guest conductor of several European radio choirs and festivals
• Artistic Director of the Copenhagen Concert Society
• Regularly adjudicator at the World Choir Games
• He was conductor of The Danish Boy Choir and chief of The Royal Opera Chorus.
• He has been rewarded with the prize of the Copenhagen Music Critics and the Order of the Icelandic Falcon.

• Director of the African Academia of Choral Music in RDC, member of the A Coeur Joie International Council and the African Confederation of Choral Music, First President of the Congolese Federation of Choral Music and the first Conductor of the African Youth Choir
• Conductor of three Congolese choirs: Choeur La Grace de Kinshasa (278 international performances), Schola Cantorum AKTO, a Youth Pop Choir and Le Choeur d’Hommes du Centenaire, a male Choir
• He has conducted more than 110 international workshops, sessions and master class on African and Congolese choral music.
• Conductor awarded with many national and international prices
• Author of Mélopées sacrées, La voix décryptée and Musiques africaines – Généralités et singularités and others articles on choral music
• He is working on a new music notation system (MIMIN’SI - Aktonic System) presented for the first time in Lisbonne (World Choral Expo) and on a master researche on vocal disorders.

• Nathalie Goldberg completed her first degree in orchestra conducting at the Music Academy in Jerusalem, her Master's degree – with honors at the The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv University and her teaching certificate at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
• For over 10 years she served as head of the music department at Hof Hacarmel High School where she taught music theory courses. She also taught at two art schools Reut Art School, Haifa, and Ironi Alef, Tel Aviv.
• For three years, together with Conductor Yuval Ben Ozer, served as Chairman of the Israeli Choir Association. Conducted "Hof Hacarmel Girls" Choir for six years and "The Efroni" choirs in Emek Hefer for seven years.
• She currently serves as a lecturer at the Faculty of Music Education at the Levinsky College of Education, a choir instructor on behalf of the Music Education Inspectorate of Haifa Region, runs workshops and seminars for music teachers and choir conductors in Israel and overseas. Along with Zvika Vogel, founded in 2014 the Nona Vocal Arts Center, and currently serves as its Music Director and Conductor.

• His compositions have been performed by all of the major orchestras and choruses in Israel including the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
• He is the recipient of the prestigious ACUM (Authors and Composers in Israel) award for "Life Achievement" in 2008 for his contribution to music in Israel as a composer, conductor and teacher.
• He was also awarded the "Prime Minister's Composition Prize" in 1999 and again in 2014.
• From 1976-2018, he was Associate Professor in choral and orchestral conducting at the Jerusalem Academy of Music.
• Since 1997, he is the Music Director of the Kefar Sava Chamber Choir in Israel.

• Choir conductor, vocal teacher, music minister, music and church music educator, choir coach for many choirs in Indonesia, national and international adjudicator
• Founder and director of "Wakhu Bhim Choir" of Papua, Indonesia
• Pioneer of choir movement in Papua, Indonesia
• Provincial Committee Member of the Foundation for the Development of Choral Music in Indonesia

• Ph.D in Music Education from University of Toronto, Master's degree in Choral Music from the University of Southern California and Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Oberlin College Conservatory
• She moved to Palestine where she taught music for several years. Shireen worked with The Edward Said
Conservatory in Ramallah, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem from 1998 to 2000 as well as the choral coordinator for the Bethlehem 2000 celebrations.
• In 2002, she founded Dozan wa Awtar Music Establishment. The "Dozan wa Awtar Singers" have travelled and performed regionally in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine as well as internationally. Her cd Introducing Dozan was released showcasing some of her world.
• In 2008 and 2012 Shireen directed the "Aswatuna" choral festival in Petra, Jordan where choirs from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iraq and Sweden met for the first time. This initiated choir networks, collaborations and exchanges to occur.
• Currently resides in Toronto where she acts as a clinician and holds workshops in Arabic choral music.
• She is composing and arranging Arabic music under her new company Fertile Crescent publishing.

• Michael is founder and CEO of the Irish Institute of Music & Song
• He is Artistic Director of the Fingal International Festival of Voices
• Conductor of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth University Chamber Choir - 2011 - 2016, 2020 – Present
• His ensembles have won several major competitions across the world including the Choir of the World Competition at the Llangollen Eisteddfod, Wales
• Delivers and facilitates upward of 50 choral masterclasses in Ireland and internationally each year
• He is a regular adjudicator and clinician at International choral competitions and festivals
• Awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and teaching assistantship to study a Doctoral Degree in Choral Music at the University of Southern California in 2016
• Former singer with Anúna and has toured the world extensively and recorded on several video game soundtracks including Diablo III and World of Warcraft
• Lecturer at Maynooth University, University of Limerick and University of Southern California
• Michael lecturers on science informed voice pedagogy, Irish choral music & traditions, conducting technique, choral skills and leadership

• Has an international profile as a conductor, conducting teacher, adjudicator and workshop leader
• Winner of many international prizes for her conducting and interpretation, Bernie's adjudication and workshop engagements have taken her around Europe and to the US, Canada and China. She was appointed co-conductor of EuroChoir 2020.
• In 2005 she founded New Dublin Voices, her award-winning Irish chamber choir which has won numerous prizes at major competitions throughout Europe and which has given more than 63 world premieres.
• Artistic Director of Ireland's national youth choirs and conductor of the Irish Youth Choir
• Lecturer in Music at the TU Dublin Conservatoire, and for twelve years was the director of the annual International Conducting Summer School run by Ireland's national choral association, Sing Ireland

• Founder and conductor of Hamrahlid College Choir and The Hamrahlid Choir
• Director of multi-national choir, the Voices of Europe 2000
• Over 100 works have been composed for her and her choirs, among them Arvo Pärt who dedicated "which was the son of" to her.
• Her choirs have given concerts in 26 countries at many of the world's leading festivals.
• Lecturer, adjudicator at many festivals and competitions
• Honorary member Society of Icelandic Musicians, honorary citizen of Reykjavik, knighted by the President of Iceland and the King of Norway

• Enrique Azurza is the Artistic Director of Sociedad Coral de Bilbao since 2016. He studied choral conducting in the Basque Country and in Stockholm with Anders Eby, Eric Ericson and Carl Högset.
• He has conducted the choir "Hodeiertz" of Tolosa since 1985. In 1997 he founded the professional Vocal Ensemble KEA with the aim of promoting contemporary and ancient music. He has been the Spanish representative in the World Choral Symposium with "Hodeiertz", Sydney 1996, and with KEA vocal ensemble in Argentina 2011.
• He teaches choral singing in Musikene, Centro Superior de Música del País Vasco and is Pre- sident of the Confederation of Choirs in the Basque Country.
• Azurza has conducted the Choir of the University of the Basque Country (1999-2016), the Choir of the Choral Singing Institute of Aragon (1993-2003), the Spanish National Youth Choir and the Coro Lírico de Cantabria (2011- 2015). All of the choirs have successfully participated in national and international contests and has recorded several CDs.
• He gives regularly workshops and has been member of the jury in different festivals. He is member of the musical committee in the International Choral Contest of Tolosa, in the World Symposium Barcelona 2017 and artistic director of the National Choral Contest of Ejea de los Caballeros.

• Founder director of Cor Vivaldi, an internationally acclaimed children's choir, now in its 30th anniversary
• Director of music at IPSI school in Barcelona
• Author of different pedagogical methods including "Cor Vivaldi's secret", a book on choral music, pedagogy and thoughts
• Adjudicator at international festivals and artistic director of Canta al Mar, an Interkultur festival in Calella, Barcelona

• Chinzia Zanon is an expert in choral artistry for children's and youth voices - she strongly believes in the educational value of choral music.
• Since 1990, she is currently the conductor and artistic director of 3 choirs, winning awards in national and international competitions: Giovani Voci Bassano, Gioventù in cantata, Melicus. With them she did tournée in America, Canada, Argentina, Brasil, Japan, Australia, Philippines, China and in lots of countries in Europe.
• Cinzia Zanon is the artistic author and director of national and international events like the "Primavera musicale - incontri corali internazionali", "Canticoro" and "Poesia in canto".
• From 2007 to 2015 she took part to the Regional Artistic Commission of ASAC and from 2014 to 2017 she is part of the National one: FENIARCO.
• Cinzia has been a jury member in National and International Competition. She received for four times the "special price for direction", three in International Competitions (1999, 2016, 2022) and one in National one (2017).

• Graduated in organ, composition and choir conducting at the Milan Conservatory "G. Verdi"
• Teaches performing practice of early music and early music paleography at the Milan Conservatory and publishes articles and reviews in this field
• Conductor of the vocal ensembles "I solisti del madrigal" and "Nova Ars Cantandi", jury member at national and international choir contests and at the World Choir Games
• Artistic director of the Academy of Ancient Music in Milan

• Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Professor at the Kazakh National University of Arts (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan)
• Art Director and the Chief Conductor of State Academic Philharmonic Chamber Choir
• Chairwoman of the Republican Public Association of Kazakhstan's Choral Conductors
• Conductor of the Youth International Choir of TURKSOY
• Organized the Choir Festival "Astana - On the Wings of Song" (2000, 2008, 2010), "Astana – the Voice of the World" (2018)

Regional Committee

Carrie Tennant is the founder and artistic director of the Vancouver Youth Choir. For the past 15 years, she has worked primarily with youth, developing leadership and artistry with young singers. Her choirs have been featured at Chorus America, Podium (Choral Canada), and National ACDA conferences, and have twice been awarded first place in the National Choral Competition. During her time conducting the Coastal Sound Youth Choir, their popular Indiekör shows were recognized with Choral Canada’s National Award for Innovation. Currently, on top of her work with VYC, Carrie is an Affiliate Conductor with the Vancouver Chamber Choir, and a frequent clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor across North America. Carrie is the editor and curator for two choral series; the Vancouver Youth Choir Choral Series (Cypress Publishing), and the brand-new Carrie Tennant Choral Series (Hal Leonard). In a past life, before she had two small and very lovely children, Carrie also toured, performed and recorded with her husband Scott as a member of Vancouver-based indie-pop group, The Salteens (Boompa Records).

• Zimfira Poloz is an expert in choral artistry for children's and youth voices. Recipient of awards from Ontario, Canada, and Kazakhstan and with invitations to conduct from around the globe.
• Zimfira has been a guest conductor and jury member at National Choral Competition (Japan, Canada) Europa Cantat (France, Germany), 1st International Alberto Grau Composition Competition (Venezuela), America Cantat (Bahamas), Orebro and Corfu Universities, Chorus America, Côr Cymru televised Choral Competition (UK) the World Choir Games.
• Zimfira established her musical credentials in Kazakhstan as founder of their first choir school.
• Artistic Director of Hamilton Children’s Choir, Canada. HCC has become among the most acclaimed youth choral programs in the world, appearing as a guest choir at Hong Kong International Festival, ACDA National Conference, Polyfollia, IFCM Symposiums, America Cantat, 1stXinghai International Choral Competition, Euroradio "Let the People Sing", Tolosa Choral Competition, "Podium" Choral Canada Conferences.
• Zimfira teaches music at the University of Toronto. Her curated Canadian choral collection can be found with Cypress Choral Music: The Zimfira Collection.

• Artistic Director Orpheus Choir of Toronto, Chorus Niagara, Opera-in-Concert Chorus
• Recognized guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator
• Acknowledged as an innovative programmer; commissioned and premiered many works by both Canadian and International composers
• Prepared choruses for international conductors including Helmuth Rilling, Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter, Sir Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, and the late Robert Shaw and Elmer Iseler
• Involved with the presentation of more than 150 operas, with companies in Victoria, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Toronto Operetta Theatre and Opera in Concert as well as conducted orchestras in Halifax, Winnipeg, Edmonton and London (Ontario)
• Recipient of the Order of Canada, Honorary Doctorate (Brock University), Queen's Jubilee Medal, Distinguished Service Award (Choral Canada) for contribution to the Canadian choral community

• Founder & President Powell River Academy of Music Conductor
• Founder & Artistic Director Emeritus International Choral Kathaumixw
• Founder & Artistic Director Emeritus Symphony Orchestra & Opera Academy of the Pacific
• Member of the Order of Canada

• Zlatan Fazlić graduated from the Music Academy of Sarajevo where he gained a First-Class Honours degree in Piano Performance. He continued his music studies at the Guildhall School of Music in London.
• His teaching career spanned over 25 years, during which time he taught at and led some of the finest Music and Performing Arts departments in the UK. Among his many musical passions, choral conducting is one of his favorites.
• Highlights from his professional life in the UK included his Junior Chamber Choir, Middle School Choirs, Boys’ Choirs, Senior and Adult Choirs all of whom won many local, county and international choral competitions in the UK between 1995 and 2019.
• Zlatan arrived in Qatar from the UK in August 2021 as the new Director of Qatar Music Academy. He will be leading the award-winning Qatar Youth Choir.

• Professor and former dean of the conducting department of the China Conservatory
• Director of the Chinese Chorus Association Arts Council
• Choir conductor of the National Centre of The Performing Art
• Dean of Beijing Shaoguang Choir College
• Member of the expert team at the Chinese Ministry of Education's Art Committee

• PhD Tutor of Choral Studies, Professor of Choral Conducting & Vocal Music, Central China Normal University
• Vice-President of the China Chorus Association
• Vice-President of the Chinese Choral Music Federation
• Founder & Artistic Director of Tiankong Choir
• Guest Conductor of Various Professional Music Groups, including China National Opera & Dance Drama Theatre, Shanghai Opera House, Men's Chorus of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, etc.
• Frequent jury member of international major choral event

• Chairman of the Children's Chorus Committee of China
• Vice-Board Chairman of the China Chorus Association
• Director of the China Broadcasting Children's Chorus (China National Radio from 1983)
• International adjudicator

• Vice Professor in the Conducting Department at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing
• Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra
• Chief Conductor of the Children and Young Women's Chorus of the China National Symphony Orchestra
• Director and conductor of the "Beijing Philharmonic Choir"
• He conducted the new opera "The General She Leng" for which he received the "Wen Hua Prize" from the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China.
• Publisher of articles in the "Journal of the Central Conservatory of Music" and the "Journal of the Tianjin Conservatory of Music" and of the conducting textbook "Modern Conducting Techniques"
• Li Yang was invited to give performances at the International Bach Festival in Stuttgart, Germany; International Music Festival in Macao; International Artistic Festival in memory of Pushkin's 200th birthday in Moscow; and the First China Modern Music Works Festival in Shanghai.

• National First Class Conductor and Vice President of China Chorus Association
• Director of the Mass Chorus Committee of the Chinese Choral Association
• President of the Guangdong Choral Association and President of the Shenzhen Choral Society
• Founder and Director of the Guangdong international choral pedagogic education project
• Directed many choirs, which have won champion titles in numerous choral contests, both home and abroad
• Founder & Artistic Director of the Shenzhen Star Bright Choir

• Ronnie Kay-Yen Cheng is a seasoned conductor in both the Choral and Orchestral Arts, directing various ensembles that have won championships in renowned competitions such as the World Choir Games in Austria, China, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, the United States and Wales.
• Mr. Cheng's lifelong work in Choral Arts was recognized when he received the Outstanding Artistic Award as well as the Outstanding Conductor Award in various International Competitions.
• He has served in the local arts community as Council member of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and continues to serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Hong Kong Schools Music and Speech Association, Audit Committee Member of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Steering Committee Member of the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme.
• His latest endeavour with his ensemble Diocesan Choral Society, continues to gain international acclaim in various competitions every year, most recently performing at the Taipei international Choral Festivals as well as being crowned as the Champion of the Inaugural Tokyo International Choral Competition.
• During the pandemic, Ronnie Kay-Yen Cheng rallied over 20 choirs from over 5 continents in the world to join hands in the "Sing Around The Globe" (SATB) project to perform Tichelli's "The Earth Song" through the online platform.

• Founding Chairman and Music Director of The Opera Society of Hong Kong
• Conductor of the HK Seng Kung Hui Diocesan Choir
• Associate of The Royal School of Church Music, UK
• Assessor of the Arts Development Council, HK

• Music Director of Taipei Philharmonic Foundation, which consists of 15 musical groups
• Music Director of Taipei International Choral Competition and Festival and executive board member of the Taiwan Choral Association
• Assistant professor of the Chinese Culture University of Taiwan, a member of the Asia-Pacific working committee of the IFCM
• He has given concerts, masterclasses, workshops, and lectures around the world.
• Chorus Master of more than 40 operas and choral-symphonic productions, working alongside with Frieder Bernius, Charles Dutoit, Günther Herbig, Jahja Ling and Helmuth Rilling
• Adjudicator at international competitions

• Postgraduate studies in conducting (vocal and instrumental) in Kosovo and for Composition and Music Production in North Macedonia. He is currently attending Doctoral Studies for Choir Conducting in Skopje.
• Known as a film composer, he composed for long feature film, short films, theater and documentaries he was Sound Designer of Samir Karahoda's film "In Between", with Kosovo appearing for the first time at the "Berlinale Film Festival" 2019
• His choral compositions appear on the CD of the EVOC Ensemble and the Sottovoce Ensemble, France
• He taught Composition, Musical Theory, Piano Tuning and Notation at the Conservatory "Jana Deyla" in Prague for blind children.
• He currently works as a professor at the High Music School "Halit Kasapolli" in Peja, and in the AAB University in Pristina where he is the lecturer of Film and Theater Music, Orchestration and Choral Conducting.
• He is founder and permanent conductor of Siparantum Choir, a well-known choir in Kosovo which has performed internationally.
• As a composer and conductor, Memli Kelmendi has been presented in many countries around the world.

• Bachelor of Music Pedagogy at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and the National University. Graduated in Choral Direction and Singing from UNA. Master in Project Management at the University for International Cooperation. Master's Degree in Choral Management at the University of Los Angeles California, USA.
• Professor at the UCR School of Musical Arts teaching the Choral Conducting courses
• In charge of Cultural Activities of the UCR in the Western Office, San Ramón since 2004
• Conductor and founder of Coro Universitario de la Sede de Occidente de la Universidad de Costa Rica since 2004 and of the Camerata Coral UCR since 2009
• She has given conferences and workshops in countries such as Guatemala, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, on among other topics of Choral Conduction, sonic pollution, the Mozart effect, the spoken voice of the educator, Music and pregnancy, Administration of Choral Projects.
• Founding member of FLADEM (Latin American Forum for Music Education) and its Costa Rican version FOCODEM (Costa Rican Forum on Music Education). Founding member of the "Coral Association of Costa Rica" ASCOR, since 1996. Founding member of the association "Costa Rican Women in Music".
• Vice President of the Coral Association of the Caribbean and Central America from 2009 to 2011 and currently representative of Costa Rica to the International Federation for Choral Music. (IFCM). Co-founder of ACDA chapter Costa Rica in 2018.

• Honor Honorary of the Federation of Choral Music in Cote d'Ivoire-FMCCI
• President of festival juries in the world
• Human Resources Manager
• Former President of A Cœur Joie-Cote d'Ivoire
• Former President of the Federation of Choral Music of Cote d'Ivoire
• Former President of Arterial Network-Cote d'Ivoire
• Former President of the Festival International du Chant Choral d'Abidjan-Ivory Coast (Festicca) Edition 2012 and Edition 2014

• Conductor of Coro de Cámara "Exaudi"
• Phd in Musical Interpretation, Universidad de las Artes de Cuba
• Professor of Coral Conduction, Faculty of Music in Universidad de las Artes de Cuba
• Professor of Coral Conduction, Escuela Nacional de Música de Cuba

• Professor of choral conducting study program at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music since 1987
• Chief conductor and Artistic Director of "Jāzeps Mediņš Rīga 1st Music School Boys' Choir" and principal conductor of the Latvian University female choir named "Minjona" since 1990
• One of the chief conductors of the Latvian Nationwide Song Celebration
• In 2008 received the highest civil decoration in Latvia – "The Order of the Three Stars"
• Artistic Director of INTERKULTUR

• Teaches at the Rīga Cathedral Choir School and at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music
• Since 1998 art director of the Rīga Cathedral Boys' Choir and currently conductor of the mixed choir Vaidelote, the mixed choir Valmiera, and is chief conductor of the Cēsis district
• Chief conductor of the Great Song Festival 2008 and 2013 and among the chief conductors of the IX and X Latvian Youth Song and Dance Festivals
• International juror

• Professor of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre
• Artistic director of Boys' and Male choir Ąžuoliukas
• Adjudicator, lecturer and clinician at many Festivals and Competitions around the world
• President of Lithuanian Choral Union (1996-2016)
• Artistic director of Lithuanian Song Festivals (1993-2014)
• Artistic committee member and advisor of many National and International Choral organizations

• Academic musician-conductor from North Macedonia. She received her music education in his hometown of Bitola, and studied at the Faculty of Music Arts (FMU-Skopje), at the University "St. Cyril and Methodius" -Skopje (Department of Music Theory and Department of Solo Singing.
• She formed several choirs, mixed, children's choirs, formed a professional church choir and in 1996 formed the women's chamber choir "St. Zlata Meglenska", with which she international awards.
• Supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign affairs, as well as several embassies of the Republic of Macedonia abroad, the choir accomplished excellent international presentation and affirmation of Macedonian traditional music internationally.
• During the World Choir Games in Sochi, Russia, her choir won three Gold Medals and became World Champions in the Female Chamber Choir Category.

• Director of Young Choral Academy, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Founder of the Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod
• Choir Conductor and Lecturer at the University of Malaya, University of Technology MARA and the Malaysian Institute of Art
• Vice-President of International Kodály Society and the Malaysian Association of Music Education. Working Committee at Asia Pacific Choral Summit.
• Adjudicator and Clinician at various festivals and competitions around the world

• Composer and conductor
• Director of Music of the Archdiocese and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Malta
• Music Director of the Jubilate Deo Choir
• Director of Pjazza Teatru Rjal (Valletta, Malta)

• Conductor of the symphonic Orchestra Universalis in Casablanca
• President of the associations “El Sistema Maroc” and “Maroc en Choeur” 

• President and artistic director of the international festival “SAWT”
• Director of the artistic center "Carrefour des Arts"

Regional Committee

Choral director, composer, arranger, pianist and music educator born in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Founding director of the Vox Populi Project, an ensemble that promotes the popular rhythms of Mexico through Latin pop a cappella since 2012. He has been selected on five occasions to be part as a composer-in-residence of the "Cantaré" Project, organized by VocalEssence in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Chicago a Cappella in Chicago, Illinois. His music has been premiered in USA and in several contries in Europe, and Latin America. He is currently choral conductor in the Community Choir Program of the Instituto Veracruzano de la Cultura, and lives in Coatepec, Veracruz, with his wife and three dogs.

• Choir conductor, teacher, international juror at choral competitions, guest conductor
• Professor of Choral Conducting at the Faculty of Music at the National University of Mexico
• Founder, conductor and Artistic Director of Staccato, choir of the National University of Mexico, which has received some prizes in international competitions
• Interested in the choral repertoire of this moment and specialist in Latin American choral repertoire

• Majored in Piano with full scholarship at Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Worked as a private piano teacher and founded later the choir "Gitameit Voices" in December 2003
• Director of Yangon Music School
• Organized the very first choir festival in Myanmar in 2010
• Adjudicator at the World Choir Games, others festivals and competitions around the world
• Representative of INTERKULTUR in Myanmar

• Since 14 years conductor of the Cota Youth Choir Namibia. This choir under his leadership, gets regular invites to represent Namibia internationally on festival and competition stages all over the world. Champions during the 2018 World Choir Games in South Africa.
• In 2016, member of the international judging panel for the finals of the Animato International Choir Competition in South Africa. He also judge this competition on national level.
• He conducts the Namibian National Symphony Orchestra twice a year.
• He is currently also conductor of Femme Vocale Namibia, Windhoek Chamber Choir and the St George's College Choir
• Head of Department Classical Music at the College of the Arts in Windhoek.

• Currently, Director Muson Choir & Muson Diploma School Choir and Deputy Director, Muson School of Music, Lagos
• Founder and Artistic Director, Lagos City Chorale
• Organist & Music Director at All Saints Anglican Church, Surulere, Lagos
• Master of Music, Diocese of Lagos Mainland (Anglican Communion)
• Member of the Nigerian Musicologists and a Trustee of the Nigerian Guild of Organists

• Teacher of Jazz Piano and Choir at the Yeongnam University in Daegu, South Korea
• Founder and conductor of the Daegu Jazz Singers in Daegu, South Korea
• Former conductor and artistic director of student Vocal Jazz Group "Dekoor" and the Student Symphonic Choir and Orchestra (USKO) of the University of Utrecht, Netherlands
• Former professor for Choral Conducting at the Conservatory of Alkmaar and Vocal Jazz at the Conservatory of Rotterdam (Netherlands)
• Artistic Director of INTERKULTUR

• Artistic Director and conductor of Fontys Jazz Choir, winner of the Jazz Category World Choir Games Sochi 2016
• Academic teacher and conductor Ensemble Conducting at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and Fontys School of Music and Performing Arts Tilburg
• Recognized adjudicator, clinician, coach and arranger in the choral world of pop and jazz

• Conductor of choir, orchestra and musical educator.
• Started as flute teacher at the age of 11 at the music school Música en los Barrios – MelB (music in the neighborhoods in English, a social program), place where she developed her passion as a musical educator.
• Director of two music schools belonging to the Casa de los Tres Mundos Foundation, Música en los Barrios & Casa de los Tres Mundos Music School.
• Has given workshops on choral conducting, flute and musical initiation in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala.
• Has also participated in workshops and festivals as a choir singer, conductor and music educator in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Argentina, Germany and the Czech Republic.
• Founder of children’s choirs and orchestras of the Casa de los Tres Mundos Foundation. Actually, she conducts the choirs, strings’ orchestra and flutes in the foundation.

• Having graduated MA in Latin and Greek from the University of Auckland and gainingan LTCL in performance singing, John trained as a choral conductor under Professor Peter Godfrey.
• A foundation member of both the National Youth Choir and the New Zealand Singers, in 1985 he formed the innovative and highly successful a cappellachamber choir Viva Voce, which he has now led in over 400 concerts, broadcasts and recordings.
• He has also appeared as guest conductor for many groups, such as the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, St Matthew's Chamber Orchestra, Auckland Sinfonietta, Hamilton Civic Choir, Rotorua District Choir, South Auckland Choral Society, Whangarei Choral Society and the Auckland Bach Cantata Society.
• He was for several years Director of the Hamilton Music School and ran the Auckland International Festival of Choirs in 1996.
• From 1996 to 2018 John worked as Chorus Director and Associate Conductor for New Zealand Opera, for whom he prepared over 60 operas and conducted five. He has given several concert recitals and recorded three programmes for Radio New Zealand.
• Frequently engaged for choral and vocal courses, radio talks, compèring, workshops and adjudication, John was awarded a grant in 2008 by the NZ Arts Council to attend the 8th World Symposium on Choral Music in Copenhagen and was later invited to Brisbane to conduct the inaugural ANCA Chamber Choir for the Australian National Choral Association, Queensland. He has conducted a host of large choral events, including the 1000 massed voices at Auckland’s annual outdoor extravaganza Starlight Symphony for 15 years.
• In 2006 John was elected inaugural Chair of the New Zealand Choral Federation (NZCF) and continued to lead the Board for much of the next 12 years. In 2011 he devised and directed the NZCF National Anthems Project for the Rugby World Cup, conducting at 13 games himself, including the Final.
• Two years later he organised the Tallis Project in conjunction with renowned UK ensemble The Tallis Scholars, and in 2016 led NZCF's successful bid to host the World Symposium on Choral Music (WSCM2020) in Auckland, subsequently being appointed its Artistic Director.
• He is also National Director of both Sing Aotearoa and The Big Sing, and in 2018 was awarded life membership by NZCF.
• Following the cancellation of WSCM2020 due to the pandemic, John was invited to lead a bid to host the 2024 World Choir Games in NZ. When INTERKULTUR awarded the Games to Auckland in late 2020, he was appointed NZ’s Artistic and Games Director. In the same year he was elected to the Board of the International Federation for Choral Music. John was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to choral music in the 2022 New Year’s Honours List.

• Educated as a singer and conductor with a Master Degree from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim
• One of Norway's most acknowledged choir conductors and very popular and inspiring guest conductor and she is frequently used as an adjudicator in international choir competitions
• Has conducted the female choir "Cantus" since their beginning in 1986, which is known by their Nordic sound, leading the choir to sing in Disney's animation movie "Frozen"
• Working for the Norwegian Choral Association as a music director, where developing education systems for conductors in Norway is one of the main issues

• Teacher of Music Education, specialized in choral conducting. Degree in Clinical Psychology. Postgraduate in higher education, management and didactics. Researcher.
• Since 2001 she has been a teacher in the field of childhood. Subsequently, she has been a tenured professor at the Escuela Superior de Música (Arg) Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Campus Itapúa, Universidad Autónoma de Encarnación and Universidad Nacional de Itapúa (Py)
• She has coordinated different research centers and has been a collaborator and cultural manager of the government in multiple international cultural projects for children associated with UNICEF, UNESCO and the Ministry of Education and Culture of her country.
• Founder of EducArtenAcción, an intercultural child learning center, for early musical stimulation, research and teacher training in music education. Conductor of the community choral groups, Coro Infanto Municipal de Encarnación (Municipality of Encarnación) Da Capo Government Choir of Itapúa (Government of Itapúa) and the CORUNI Youth Choir (National University of Itapúa)
• She has developed an interesting conception of child choral work using playful, object and movement strategies, from active and systemic pedagogies to integrate music and group dynamics as a cross-cutting axis of her choral work and approach to therapeutic groups.

• Jaime Augusto Contreras Ghio has studied piano and has a bachelor in Choral Conducting (UNM - Peru) and Master in Musical Investigation [musicology] (UNIR - Spain).
• He has received master classes in piano, tubular organ, choral conducting and orchestral conducting from renowned teachers from Argentina, Austria, Costa Rica, Cuba, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Spain, United States and Venezuela.
• Jaime Augusto Contreras Ghio finished a diploma course in vocal pedagogy and continue his academic training with courses and seminars. He also held workshops and conferences about Peruvian music.
• As a pianist, he has offered innumerable recitals and concerts in different local halls and theaters.
• As a choir conductor, he has conducted several recognized choirs in the country. He worked as assistant conductor of the National Choir of Peru. In 2018 he founded the Camerata Vocal de Lima, with which he has participated in national and international festivals.
• Jaime Augusto Contreras Ghio is a professor of music theory (lenguaje musical) and choral conducting at the National University of Music (Universidad Nacional de Música UNM). He also teaches choral singing in the children's and youth choir Voces del Sol.

• Graduated from the department of Music Theory and Composition in Bydgoszcz (Poland)
• 2005 Doctor of Art degree in Music, Choral conducting
• Co-founder and conductor of the Astrolabium Chamber Choir, laureate and winner of national and international choral competitions
• Teacher at the Karol Szymanowski Music School in Toruń

• Academic employee at the Art Department of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (since 2012 - dean of the Faculty of Arts)
• Since 1982 he has been running choirs winning the highest national awards and international choir competitions. He has conducted hundreds of concerts in Poland, Europe as well as in Mexico, the USA and twice in Argentina. His achievements include numerous premieres of works, as well as 13 CDs released with Polish and foreign music.
• Conductor of the CANTORES VARMIENSES Choir at the Warmian-Masurian Philharmonic in Olsztyn
• A member of artistic councils and jury of choir competitions and festivals of national and international range, and also the artistic director of the International Choir Festival by Feliks Nowowiejski in Barczewo (Poland)

• Luis was conductor of SIM (Luxembourg) from 2002 to 2016 and in 2013, Musical Director of the European Community Wind Orchestra.
• In February 1997, Luis was awarded with the "Special Gold Medal" by the Union Grand-Duc Adolphe of Luxembourg, in recognition of his cultural merits.
• In 1999, he was the Composer chosen by Palestine to compose a Christmas Oratory, which premiered in Bethlehem, to mark the 2000th anniversary of Christ's birth.
• In 2017, he was honoured by the Covilhã City Council.
• In 2018, he was the first Portuguese to conduct the Pyongyang Orchestra in North Korea.
• He is Musical Director of the Beira Interior International Choir Festival & Competition, and Musical Director of Beira Interior International Percussion Competition. He is ACBI (Beira Interior Cultural Association) President and conductor of "Coro Misto da Beira Interior", the Beira Interior Children's Choir and the Beira Interior Classical Orchestra.
• He is a teacher at Serra da Gardunha's School, in Fundão

• Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor of the Vocal and Choral conducting Department of the Institute of Culture and Arts of Moscow Pedagogical University, Honored Art worker of Russian Federation
• He has more than 200 publications, musical-critical and scientific articles, books and manuals.
• Author of several song collections for children
• Chairman and jury member of many all-Russian and international contests and festivals, Chairman of the Academic choirs Commission of the Moscow Musical Society, member of the Board of the Presidium of the Moscow Musical Society and member of the Presidium of the all-Russian Choral Society
• Has been leading numerous choirs, is the founder and the only conductor of the chamber choir "Gaudeamus"
• Honored worker of Russian Musical Society, Honored worker of culture of Russia (1981), Honored Art worker of Russia (1989), was rewarded with the Honorary badge "For services to the University” (BMSTU, 2008) and with the Honorary badge "For services to the University (MSPU, 2015)

• Doctor of arts, Professor, academician and social activist
• Since 1975 artistic director and chief conductor of the State Academic Kuban Cossack Choir
• People's artist of Russia
• Twice winner of the State Prize of Russia, Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"

• Artistic director and chief conductor of the grand choir "Masters of Choral Singing"
• Head of the Choral Performing Art Department of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory
• Artistic director of the master class "The national Youth Chorus of Russia's Conservatories"
• Chief choirmaster of the "All Russians Children's Choir"
• Head of the jury panel of the "All Russians Choral Conductors Competition"
• Regularly holds master classes in Russia (Moscow, Astrakhan, Belgorod, Perm, Volgograd and other cities) as well as abroad
• Author of numerous arrangements and transcriptions of world musical masterpieces for mixed choir a cappella, among them Well-tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach

• Artistic Director and chief conductor of The Chamber Choir of the Moscow Conservatory & Professor at the Choral Conducting Department & Dean of the Office for Foreign Students' Affairs of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory
• Artistic Director of the International Festivals of Moscow Conservatory: Autumn Choral Festival named after Prof. Boris Tevlin, Dedicated to the Victory Day, The Sealed Angel, Born in Russia
• Artistic Director of the State Choir of Tula region & Professor at the Choral Conducting Department of Moscow State Institute of Music named after A.G. Schnittke
• President of Creative Initiatives Development Fund

• Anna Ungureanu is the leading conductor of the Romanian National Chamber Choir "Madrigal - Marin Constantin".
• Her conducting vision and choice of programmes amplifies the unique concept of the Madrigal Choir, created by its specific repertoire and sonority, stereophonic location on the stage and impressive costumes. Moreover, the professional experience gained along the side of the founder of Madrigal Choir, Maestro Marin Constantin, with whom Anna Ungureanu spent over nine years, recommends her as a disciple and successor of the legendary musician.
• In 2022, Anna Ungureanu received the Marin Constantin Award for "Excellence in Music". Specialized in the conducting art with the musicians Marin Constantin and Ion Marin, Anna Ungureanu conducted countless concerts all over the world (Europe, Israel, Turkey, Russia, Japan or China).
• She also achieved decades of experience in research and teaching.

• Tim Sharp (BM, MCM, DMA) is Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), he represents choral activity in the United States to the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM).
• He is an active choral conductor, researcher, and writer, has varied his career with executive positions in higher education, recording and publishing. Prior to his leadership of ACDA, Sharp was Dean of Fine Arts at Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, and earlier, Director of Choral Activities at Belmont University, Nashville, TN.
• He has conducted university, community, church and children's choirs, and continues to serve as choral conductor and clinician in the United States and internationally. He is in his tenth year as Artistic Director/Conductor of the Tulsa Oratorio Chorus, Tulsa, OK.
• He is is a Life Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, with degrees in music and conducting from The School of Church Music of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Belmont University and Bluefield College.

• T. J. Harper is the Chair of the Providence College Department of Music, Associate Professor of Music, and Director of Choral Activities at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island. He conducts the college's three choral ensembles: I Cantori, Concert Chorale and the Oriana Women's Choir.
• He has an active schedule as a guest conductor, clinician and jury member and further contributes publications and research results.
• Dr. Harper is the Chair of the ACDA Standing Committee on International Activities and the Director of the ACDA International Conductors Exchange Program (ICEP).
• He is the Past-President of the Rhode Island Music Educators Association (RIMEA) and the immediate President of the Rhode Island chapter of the ACDA.

• Music Director of the Symphony Silicon Valley Chorus
• Artistic Director of the Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley
• International guest conductor and adjudicator
• Editor of the Elena Sharkova Choral Series at Carl Fischer Music Publishing
• Former professor of Conducting and Director of Choral Studies at the San Jose State University

• Professor of Music at Boston University
• Directs Manado State University Choir (Indonesia), Muslim Choral Ensemble (Sri Lanka), VOICES 21C (Boston-based)
• Conductor, human rights activist, writer, ethnomusicologist
• Directs projects: Common Ground Voices (Israel-Palestine-international), Common Ground Voices / La Frontera (Mexico-US), prison music
• Has conducted and undertaken research in more than 40 countries
• Editor of The Cambridge Companion to Choral Music (Cambridge University Press), author of Focus: Choral Music in Global Perspective (Routledge) and several articles, book chapters, and choral editions

• Conductor of two intercultural choirs: "Biayenda Choir" since 1996 and the "Panafricain Afrikiyo Choir" in Dakar since 2012, with participations in major events of the music scene in Senegal and at festivals abroad
• Secretary General and co-founder of the AFRIKIYO Pan-African Movement for Choral Music, affiliated to IFCM, he is Director of the 1st Choral Festival in Senegal "Les Chœurs à l'Unisson"
• He created the "A Coeur Joie Sénégal" choral federation, gathering more than 20 local choirs, which he has been directing since February 2012.
• He recently created in 2018 the "Grand Choeur À Coeur Joie Sénégal & Friends" (500 singers)
• Member of the A Coeur Joie International Board, co-opted as Communication Officer
• He is a founding member of the African Youth Choir (AYC) created in 2012 in Libreville, of the African Confederation of Choral Music (ACCM) created in 2013 in Cotonou where he sits as Secretary General, and Editor-in-Chief of the first magazine devoted to African choral life, "Tuimbe".
• Member of International Editor Board of IFCM monthly bulletin ICB, He is member of International Advisory Committee of 1st Africa Cantat Festival planned in August 2020 in Nairobi, Kenya

• Teacher, choral conductor [conducting department] – Academy of Arts, Novi Sad, Serbia
• Founder and conductor – Serbian choral arts ensemble "Serbica"
• International guest conductor and lecturer (workshops on Serbian choral music mostly)
• Production manager - "Vox Luminis" early music ensemble, Belgium
• World Youth Choir project manager (2004 – 2015) World Youth Choir singer (1999-2004), World Chamber Choir singer (2004-2009)
• 4 highest state/province/municipal awards for achievements in pedagogy, arts and culture in Serbia and abroad
• Teacher and vice principal – music school "Petar Krančević", Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia (1999-2015)

• Artistic Director and Conductor of the SYC Ensemble Singers, Singapore; awarded the Cultural Medallion (Music) by the President of the Republic of Singapore
• Atistic Director of the Singapore International Choral Festival
• Co-Coordinator of the Working Committee for the IFCM Asia Pacific Choral Council, organiser of the Asia Pacific Youth Choir and the Asia Pacific Choral Summit

• Vice-President, World Youth and Children Choral Artists' Association
• Conductor, Mixed Choir Apollo & Schola Gregoriana Bratislavensis
• Professor of Choral Conducting, Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava
• Artistic Director of Bratislava Music Agency

• Conductor and stage director of projects with various companies, opera houses, choruses, and ensembles worldwide
• Composer and author-director
• Artistic director of Carmina Slovenica and Choregie – new music theatre
• University professor, lecturer, international adjudicator
• Recepient of Robert Edler Prize for her exceptional contribution to the world choir movement and more than 20 other highest international awards at choir competitions
• 2018-2019 fellow at Harvard University/Radcliffe institute for advanced study

• Dr. Kittiporn Tantrarungroj associated himself with choral singing since his early years as a member of a church choir in his hometown. He enriched his experiences and learnt the art of choral music while studying in the Philippines.
• As a well-known figure, both in Thailand and in the international choral communities, he is frequently invited as lecturer, clinician and jury member. He travels extensively in Thailand, giving choral seminars to educate teachers as well as advice to conductors nationwide.
• Tantrarungroj is a vivid choral arranger and composer and about two hundred of his choral compositions are widely spread and sung by various choirs in Thailand. Among all, his composition "Lao Duang Duean" was the first Thai choral arrangement ever published by a Western world publisher.
• Dr. Tantrarungroj lives in Bangkok and earns his living working as a surgeon. Moreover, he is an accomplished piano and organ player.

• Başak Doğan is an innovative conductor whose unique style has been turning heads around the world. After finishing her master in Philosophy of Music at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, she got her second master's degree in Rhythmic Choral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, Denmark, with the thesis of "Intuitive Conducting".
• As a versatile conductor, she appears at numerous choral events, leading singers from all age groups. She won prizes and international recognition with her choir Chromas.
• Known best for blending different styles, Başak has developed a distinctive method for leading singers. Her enthusiasm for bringing her own cultural background into the choral world has had an impact on rhythmic choral music.
• Central to her style is "Vocal Painting", a series of signals that allows the conductor and choir to improvise together and create "music of the moment".
• Her new initiative "Vokal Akademi" has become the center for all the singers who want to master their singing and further their music career.

• Honored Cultural Worker of Ukraine (2009)
• Chief Choirmaster of the Kyiv Municipal Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre for Children and Youth
• Member of the Mykola Leontovych All-Ukrainian Choir Society of the National Music Union
• Member of the National Union of Theatre Artists of the Ukraine
• Choirmaster-Director of multiple International Projects
• Recipient of the Theatre Award "Kyiv Pectoral"

• Graduated in Choral Conducting from the University School of Music of the University of the Republic (EUM - UDELAR, Montevideo, Uruguay).
• Professor of Choral Conducting and Gregorian Chant at the University School of Music (EUM - UDELAR).
• Conductor and founder of the University School of Music Choir since 2000, with which she was awarded several prizes in international competitions.
• Her arrangements have been awarded in national and international contests. She was distinguished for her artistic career (“Uruguay le canta a la Virgen de los 33” 2015), and was awarded as best director in international competitions (AAMCANT 2019, San Juan Canta 2016, Argentina).
• In 2017 she participated in the ACDA International Exchange Program at Castleton University (Vermont, USA) and attended the ACDA Congress.
• Vice-President of the Uruguayan Choral Association (ACORDELUR) from 2017 to 2019.

• Member and first Asian conductor of the World Youth Choir 1996
• Clinician, workshop-leader and adjudicator at choral festivals in the Philippines and internationally
• His choirs won first prizes in choral competitions in Maribor (Slovenia), Cork (Ireland), Marktoberdorf (Germany), Tolosa and Torrevieja (Spain) and Riga (Latvia)
• Adviser to the board of IFCM and past member of the Artistic Committee of the Polyfollia Festival in Normandy, France
• In 2008, elected as the first President of the new Philippine Choral Directors Association
• He currently conducts the Ateneo Chamber Singers.

• Artistic director of the Vancouver Chamber Choir
• Teacher of choral conducting at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences, School from 2001 to 2011
• Chair of the Finnish Choral Directors' Association (1997-2018)
• Choral Conductor of the Year 2008 in Finland
• Artistic director of the Aurore Renaissance Festival (2014-2020), Nordklang Festival (2016), Nordic-Baltic Choral Festival (2012)
• Lecturer, adjudicator and clinician at various international festivals and competitions

• At the age of 17 Mariette Wilson joined her first choir in Saint-Étienne, France, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Bertrand, with whom she quickly took her first steps as assistant conductor. Her musical studies led her to Paris, where she studied musicology at La Sorbonne, voice with Sophie Marin-Degor, and choral conducting at the Conservatoire d'Aubervilliers-La Courneuve with Catherine Simonpietri.
• Mariette Wilson then moved across the ocean to Florida, USA, where she further studied choral conducting with Dr. Richard Zielinski and Dr. Robert Summer, and voice with Prof. Annetta Monroe. After obtaining a Master's degree in choral conducting and vocal performance, she returned to France, in Lyon, where she has since been conducting a variety of choirs and continued deepening her understanding of vocal technique.
• In 2012 she created Les Chantiers Musicaux, a school of music based in Lyon, where she teaches vocal technique for adults, with her personal approach, that combines her American experience and her practice of yoga, where singing is not only a musical action but also an expression of the whole being.
• Ms. Wilson's philosophy also includes using music as a means for service, and she has been developing various social projects to create bonding between populations that are otherwise separate, by teaching and performing with her groups in prisons, homeless shelters, retirement homes, medical centers for the blind or disabled people.
• She is regularly called upon to teach voice workshops with various choirs in the region, where she also performs as a soprano solo.
• Mariette Wilson was a member of the international jury at the 2021 World Choir Games.
• She recently started working at the Lyon auditorium where she gives voice workshops for the general public.

• Artistic and pedagogic director of "Maîtrise de la Loire" (Public choir school)
• Teacher of choral-conducting at the National Conservatory of Saint-Etienne
• Past artistic director of the "In Terra Pax Singer's" (Poland) and the "Saint-Etienne University's Choir" (France)
• He is invited as choir expert at international choral festivals and competitions and collaborated as conductor with many international artistic ensembles.
• He is a member of the artistic board of the "London International Choir Festival" (UK)

• Conductor, singer and university professor of choir, choral conducting and music pedagogy at the Academy of Arts and Culture, University in Osijek
• Antoaneta Radocaj-Jerkovic holds three MA in choral conducting, singing and music pedagogy from Universities in Croatia and Hungary, and doctorate in (choral) pedagogy.
• She perfected her conducting in Germany, Hungary and in the USA.
• Artistic director and conductor of several choirs (Vocal ensemble Brevis (female), University choir of the Academy of Arts and Culture (mixed), Children Choir Osjecki Zumbici
• She has won over thirty awards for her artistic work at national and international choir competitions.
• Antoaneta Radocaj-Jerkovic published scientific papers on music pedagogy and choral singing both in the country and abroad and has published two books about choral singing.
• She is a member of national and international panels at choral music competitions.

• Teacher at the Arts Academy (University of Split-Croatia) where he teaches vocal technique, singing and acting voice. He has written over three hundred compositions for which he is the recipient of numerous awards.
• His speciality is voice theory and its scientific-pedagogic research and works published on this subject. He holds seminars, masterclasses, lectures and workshops for choral conductors and singers worldwide.
• He is a prominent adjudicator for many international choral competitions.
• President of the Croatian Choral Directors Association, leader of the Vocal Academy, and a member of the Advisory Board of the INTERKULTUR World International Council.

• Founder and director of the Bonifantes Boys Choir
• Director of the Czech Soloist Consort Ensemble
• Interpreter of contemporary music and specialist on Baroque and Renaissance music
• Leader of the Czech Choir Movement
• Winner of the the 2nd Prize at Joseph Dorman Int. Composer’s Competition and the "Junior Choirmaster" prize of the Union of Czech Choirs in 2003

• Master in Cultural Management Universidad Academia Humanismo Cristiano, Postgraduate in Music Mention Choral Direction at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Professor of Music Education Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Bachelor of Education Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Diploma in Choral Direction at the Municipal Theater of Santiago
• He is currently President of ALACC-CHILE, Asociación Latinoamericana Canto Coral ALACC-Chile (2016-2018, 2019-2020)
• He is professor in Choral Direction in the Music Pedagogy Career at Universidad Academia Humanismo Cristiano
• He is conductor of the Choral Group " E ‘Boca" Vocal-Artistic Project
• He currently conducts the Choir Instituto Hebreo and San Ramón Polytechnic Choral Artistic Project
• He founded and conducted the Santo Tomas University Choir (2003-2009)

• Ivo Antognini, composer with Swiss and Italian dual citizenship, writes music for choirs of all levels and has a distinctive personal style.
• His choral works have won many awards in national and international choral composition events and have been performed in more than 55 countries.
• He regularly serves as a jury member in national and international choral and composition competitions and has been presenting his music in Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, Greece, Bulgaria, United States and Japan.
• A concert dedicated completely to his choral music took place in March 2016 at the Lincoln Center, NY. His first major, extended work, "A Prayer for Mother Earth", for mixed choir, children’s choir, orchestra, soprano soloist and piano, was premiered at the Carnegie Hall in New York in May 2016.
• Recent recordings with Antognini's music include "Canticum Novum", a portrait CD featuring the Salt Lake Vocal Artists, "Invisible Stars" and “Perpetual Twilight" (SIGNUM RECORDS), with UCD Choral Scholars, "Sacred Songs of Life & Love" (PENTATONE) with South Dakota Chorale and "To Bethlehem" (RESONUS) with Kantorei of Kansas City. His choral pieces are published by Alliance Music Pub., Walton Music, Hal Leonard, Edition Peters, ECS Publishing, G. Schirmer, Colla Voce, Boosey & Hawkes, Carus-Verlag and others.
• Ivo Antognini teaches ear training and piano at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano (Switzerland).

• Studied singing, choir and orchestra conducting and Musicology at the University of Bern (Switzerland)
• Director of the "Oberwalliser Vokalen Ensemble", the Oberwalliser Lehrerchor and the Oberwalliser Singschule. With the "Oberwalliser Vokalen Ensemble" he won several national and international prizes.
• Musical advisor with the education department of the Kanton Wallis and teacher of singing and choir-conducting at the Allgemeinen Musikschule Oberwallis
• Leader of conducting courses and singing weeks and juror at international competitions
• President of Europa Cantat Switserland and the Music Commision of the "Schweizerischen Chorvereinigung"
• In 2011 he received the "Lily Waeckerlin-Preis" for Youth and Music from the "Stiftung Accentus" for his work with the "Singschule Oberwallis"

Helene Stureborg is since more than 30 years, working as a choral conductor and pedagogue at the Stockholms Musikgymnasium/Kungsholmens gymnasium. The school is the leading choir school for students 16-19 in Sweden. She is also the conductor of the Stockholms Musikgymnasium Chamber choir since 2002. The choir has won several prices at competitions abroad and is highly respected. They were invited as one of the 24 invited choirs at WSCM2020 in Auckland.
After receiving a Master in Fine Arts in Church music and a Postgraduate Diploma In Choral Conducting at the Royal University of Music, she started as a church musician in a Stockholm parish and became the conductor of Kongl Teknologkören at the Royal Institute of Technology (1994-2002). The choir kept a high level and won several competitions.
In 2011 she started her own ensemble Helene Stureborgs chamber choir which has won Grand Prix in both Cork choral competition in Ireland and in the Grieg choral competition in Norway.
For many years Helene Stureborg was also a teacher in choral conducting at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm and also at varying courses in Sweden and abroad, and frequently engaged as a juror at various competitions. She was a member of the Artistic Council of Statens Musikverk in 2014-2016 and in 2017 she received the Choir conductor of the year prize in Sweden and was one of two conductors to lead the World Youth Choir2018 during their summer session in Inner Mongolia and China.
From January 2023 she will start her new position as Musical and administrative planning manager of the Swedish Radio Choir.

• Past Music Director at Choral Centre at Rikskonserter, Stockholm, Sweden
• Past Boardmember at KÖRSAM, UNGiKÖR and SCDA in Sweden
• Past Music Director of (SWICCO) the Swedish International Choral Centre in Örebro, Sweden
• Past Vice President of Europa Cantat and past chair of Europa Cantat Music Commission
• Guest professor at the Ionian University, Greece
• Past Vice President IFCM
• Artistic Director of INTERKULTUR
• Since 2016 Dean at Music School, Vingåker, Sweden

• Associate of the Royal College of Music, London
• Founder and Director of Soul Sounds, Sri Lanka's premiere female ensemble, and the Soul Sounds Academy based in Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Recognized adjudicator and lecturer

• Conductor, producer, educator, founder/Artistic Director of Estonian Television Girl’s and Children’s Choir
• Artistic Director of European Film Awards TV-live Gala, HM Elizabeth II and their Majesties Japanese Emperor and Empress State Visit Concerts
• Worked with Michael Jackson, world premieres and recordings of Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis, Urmas Sisask, Roxanna Panufnik /BBC, WDR, Danish Radio etc.
• Guidoneum Award of Arezzo Foundation, Order of White Star of the Republic of Estonia, Prize of the UNICEF National Committee, Musician of the Year by Estonian National Broadcast

Regional Committee

Bernard Krüger is a conductor/composer/arranger from South Africa. He is currently the Director of Music at Kearsney College, a prestigious private school for boys. Under his direction, the Kearsney College Choir have won multiple medals and Champion titles at the World Choir Games and other competitions. From 2016-2020, he was also the Artistic Director of the Drakensberg Boys Choir, a dedicated choir school for boys. He loves to integrate movement and storytelling into his choral performances, and has a particular interest in making choral singing more accessible and interesting for boys and young men. Since 2011, Bernard has frequently served on the jury at choir competitions in countries like Germany, Latvia, Austria, Spain, and South Africa. He is in demand as a clinician and workshop facilitator, and choirs frequently commission him for arrangements, particularly of pop choral repertoire.

• Conductor of the University of Pretoria (Tuks) Camerata and a Senior Lecturer in Choral Conducting in the Department of Music
• He obtained the degrees BMus in Performing Arts (cum laude) in 2005 and MMus (Performing Arts) in 2008 specializing in choral conducting, both from the University of Pretoria. From UNISA, he holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCE) and a Performance Licentiate in Singing, both received in 2008.
• In 2017, he completed his Doctorate of Music Degree (Performing Arts) in Choral Performance through the University of Pretoria.
• His choirs have won numerous national and international awards, as well as choral competitions all over the world.
• In 2017, the Tuks Camerata was invited to perform at the World Choral Symposium in Barcelona, Spain. The choir has released three CD’s, all that were nominated for a South African Music Award for best classical album.
• He is an active composer and arranger and is regularly invited to give workshops and adjudicate choral competitions both nationally and internationally.
• Michael is also the Executive Director and Co-Producer of “Capital Singers”, South Africa’s largest community choir project.

• Studied music at the University of Zululand, majoring in Choral Conducting and Music History
• Founder and director of "Kwa Thema Youth Choir" (since 1979) and co-founder and director of "Bonisudumo Choristers" (since 1985)
• Director of "Kwa Thema Central Methodist Church Choir"
• Music Director of the "Sowetan Massed Choir Festival" (2002-2009)

• He is often invited to perform as guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician nationally and internationally.
• He has been invited to work with universities and companies in the USA, Sweden, Germany, China, and Portugal amongst others.
• André van der Merwe was invited as adjudicator and clinician for the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, Wales (July 2013) and guest conductor and lecturer for the Taipei International Choral Festival and the Taipei Philharmonic (August 2013).
• His arrangements of African music are published by Earthsongs in the USA.
• Currently he conducts the Stellenbosch University Choir (number one choir on the INTERKULTUR World Ranking List) and the the Stellenberg Girls Choir. From 2005 – 2012 he has established and conducted the South African Youth Choir.
• In 2012 André van der Merwe received a ministerial cultural award (Western Cape Government) for his work with choirs and the youth and a civic honorary award from the City of Cape Town.

Regional Committee

Ryan Goessl is an American choral and orchestral conductor, residing in South Korea. He is the Executive and Artistic Director of the choirs and orchestra of Camarata Music Company. He is the conductor of the Camarata Chorale, Camarata Chamber Singers, and Camarata Chamber Orchestra. He also teaches private voice lessons and music appreciation, and oversees the entire organization. In addition to Camarata Music Company, Goessl is also on the faculty of Music at Hongik University, and is a past professor of music at Hansei University, where, among teaching classes, he was the conductor of the Chapel Choirs.
In 2012, Camarata Music and Goessl were recognized for their commitment to choral music and culture in Korea by the former president of Korea, MyungBak Lee, and the Korean government. In 2014, he assumed a new post as the Arts Ambassador for the Korea Business Leaders Association. In 2015, he was awarded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for his commitment to choral and sacred music to the country of Korea, and in 2018, has been awarded the "Honorary Citizen of Seoul" award by Mayor of Seoul, Won-soon Park, a prestigious award given to those who have shown their love and dedication to the city of Seoul. Ensembles under his leadership have sung over 300 performances throughout Korea, and have included members from 104 different countries. One of the most diverse music organizations worldwide, the choirs of Camarata regularly collaborate with governments from all over the world, represented in Korea, by performing for national days, cultural events, and various other performances, in collaboration with various embassies and ambassadors.

• Professor of Ewha Womans University
• Conductor of Ansan City Choir
• Conductor of Ewha Chamber Choir
• Broadcasting host for FEBC-FM Christian
• President Emeritus of KFCM (Korean Federation for Choral Music)

• Founder and conductor of the Jamaica Youth Chorale
• Serves as the Director of Productions at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission
• Adjunct lecturer at the School of Music of the Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts

• Matsushita is currently the conductor and artistic director of 12 choirs, winning awards in international competitions.
• Matsushita's works, ranging from works based on traditional Japanese music to masses, motets and etudes for choirs, are performed around the world. He was invited to the Bach Academy Stuttgart for a lecture and workshop about his works in 2016, and gave a keynote speech at the International Kodály Symposium in Malaysia.
• Workshop clinician, adjudicator and lecturer in Japan and internationally
• In 2005, he became the first Asian to receive the "Robert Edler Prize for Choral Music" in recognition of his outstanding achievements worldwide in conducting, composing, performance, and education within the field of choral music.
• Member of the artistic committee of the 11th World Symposium on Choral Music in Barcelona
• Executive Director of the International Choral Organization of Tokyo, Artistic director of the Karuizawa International Choral Festival and Tokyo International Choir Competition, Vice President of the Tokyo Choral Association and special guest professor at Kobe College