Address: Liebfrauenkirchhof 5, 38855 Wernigerode

On 17 December 2021, the Liebfrauen Concert Hall Wernigerode was officially opened, a concert hall unique in its acoustics and architecture in the Harz region. A fantastic new venue for the Int. Johannes Brahms Choir Festival & Competition! In the middle of the town centre, the church tower proudly stands out among the colourful half-timbered houses: the silhouette of the former Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) has long dominated the townscape of Wernigerode. From January 2020 to December 2021, it was converted into a rehearsal and concert venue. The church is excellently suited as a concert hall: Best view from the nearly 500 seats, a large stage and an excellent Sauer organ with 1800 organ pipes in 30 stops from 1883. A uniquely inspiring space with excellent acoustics and striking architecture, perfect for the many choir competitions and concerts. The fact that such a historic and listed building is dedicated to music is a signal beyond the borders of the Harz region: in this way, the Liebfrauen Concert Hall will sustainably strengthen the resonance of the music and culture city of Wernigerode together with the International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival & Competition.

Photos: Polyluchs Kreativagentur, Matthias Bein

Address: Marktplatz 1, 38855 Wernigerode

Every visitor to the Harz must see the market square in Wernigerode with its town hall, benefactor fountain and half-timbered ensemble. The town hall was originally built as a “Spelhus” and served as a court house as well as a place of entertainment for dancing, juggling and wedding celebrations. Today it serves as an office building for the Wernigerode town council. The benefactor fountain is located on the market square in front of the town hall. The fountain, which was cast in the Ilsenburg iron foundry in 1848, is intended to commemorate people who have rendered outstanding services to the town of Wernigerode. In 1991, for example, a commemorative plaque was erected for Colonel Gustav Petri, who saved the town of Wernigerode from destruction in 1945 with his courageous efforts. Friendship concerts will be held on the market square during the competition.

Reference: www.wernigerode-tourismus.de

Address: Westernstraße 29, 38855 Wernigerode

The Gerhart Hauptmann Secondary School celebrated its 480th anniversary in 2018. In its beautiful auditorium, evaluation performances will take place during the competition.

Photo: Irvinne Redor

Ai Hooi Lim is a recognised and respected conductor and educator in Singapore’s choral scene. She graduated in 1989 from the Royal College of Music, London, majoring in Piano and Voice. Over the past 30 years, Ai Hooi Lim has led her school choirs to achieve top honours at numerous renowned international competitions. In 2009, she founded ONE Chamber Choir. Since then, the choir has triumphed at competitions in the Philippines, Wales, Hungary, Germany and South Africa, including achieving Champion of the World Choir Games in 2018. Ai Hooi Lim’s philosophy for choral music and teaching stems from her view that a fulfilling musical journey is one that is filled with sincerity, love and excellence. She uses the creation of music as a platform to share and infuse her values and beliefs in her singers and inspires them to use the beauty of music to craft experiences that touch the hearts of the audience. Ai Hooi Lim also co-founded “Sourcewerkz PL” to further her calling to teach, touch and transform the larger choral community and its audience. The choral festivals and workshops by Sourcewerkz have reached out to many choristers around the world, proving that music is indeed, without borders.

Rosie Mastrosavva was born in Rhodes. She studied piano, monody, and advanced theory of music at the National Conservatory of Athens and attended classes on choir conducting by A. Kontogeorgiou and M. Logiadis. She continued her studies in Germany at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München and completed them, achieving an honours degree and a Master’s degree in choir conducting. She has attended numerous masterclasses in choir and orchestra conducting. Rosie Mastrosavva has conducted several choirs in Germany and Greece, including Melismachor, Amasingers, the Students’ Choir of the University of the Aegean, and the Children’s Choir of the Musical Ensembles of the Municipality of Athens. She is also a choir professor at Alimos Music High School. Rosie Mastrosavva has given international choral seminars and workshops in Europe and has been a lecturer at the Department of Primary Education of the University of the Aegean in Rhodes. She has served as a jury member in many international choir competitions. In 2008, she founded the ROSARTE Children and Youth Choir, which she continues to direct to this day. Rosarte was the first Greek choir to win four gold medals at the World Choir Games (2008, 2014, 2018). In December 2016, Rosarte and the conductor Rosie Mastrosavva were awarded an honorary distinction by the Academy of Athens (Academia Athinon) for supreme cultural and artistic achievements. This highly respected award was given to a choir for the first time in the Academy’s 90-year history.

Mathew Wright has worked in the education sector for over 20 years working in schools in a variety of roles, most recently as a Regional Director of Education for a trust overseeing 27 schools across England. He has worked as an Advisory Teacher and as an Advanced Skilled Teacher, delivering support and training nationally at Primary, Secondary, FE and HE levels, and has provided resources for government publications. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Barnsley Youth Choir, and founder of Barnsley Singers (an adult community choir) and has developed the choir into an internationally award-winning and recognised organisation. As a member of the international jury, Mat has worked in some of the most important competitions in the world including the World Choir Games. He works closely with exceptional organisations including the Kodaly School (Hungary), The Adolf Fredriks Music School (Sweden) and the University of Pretoria (South Africa), all of whom have travelled to Barnsley to work with BYC. He is also in demand as a choral clinician and workshop leader throughout the world. In 2019 Mat was appointed as a representative for Great Britain on the World Choir Council and in January 2020 was appointed a Member of the “Order of the British Empire” (MBE) for his services to young people by the Queen. In 2022 he was also made a “Freeman of Barnsley” in recognition for his work in the community.