Described as "an important new voice" by The American Organist Magazine, Antognini's choral works have won many awards in national and international choral composition events and are performed in more than 55 countries. In March of 2016, a concert dedicated entirely to his choral music was held in Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts in New York City. In May of 2016, his first major extended work, "A Prayer for Mother Earth", for mixed choir, children's choir, orchestra, soprano soloist and piano was premiered in Carnegie Hall. Recent recordings with Antognini's music include Canticum Novum, a portait album featuring the Salt Lake Vocal Artists, To Bethlehem (RESONUS), with the Kantorei of Kansas City, Invisible Stars (SIGNUM RECORDS), with UCD Choral Scholars, and Sacred Songs of Life & Love (PENTATONE) with South Dakota Chorale. His choral pieces are published by Alliance Music Pub., Walton Music, Hal Leonard, G. Schirmer, Colla Voce, Boosey & Hawkes, PH Publishers, ECS Publishing, Carus-Verlag, Edition Peters Ferrimontana, and others. Antognini teaches ear training and piano at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, Switzerland.

Vocal/general music teacher, clinician and lecturer, conductor, arranger

• Guest conductor of the Houston Ebony Opera Chorus (Houston, Texas), the Pensacola Children’s Chorus (Pensacola, Florida), and Richmond All-City High School Choir (Richmond, Virginia)
• Retired director of vocal music at Eleanor Roosevelt High School and director of the Colesville UMC Gospel Choir, (Silver Spring, Maryland)
• „Awarded „Distinguished Secondary School Teacher“ by the city of Greenbelt, Maryland, as well as the „Maryland Distinguished Woman in the Arts.“
• Member of the American Choral Directors Association; previous ACDA Maryland State President

Conductor and lecturer

• Music Director of the "New Israeli Vocal Ensemble" and the "National Kibutz Choir"
• Guest conductor in countries so as France, Italy, Germany and Argentina as well as all the major orchestras in Israel
• Winner of numerous prizes with his choirs, including the award for “Outstanding Performance of an Israeli Composition” and first prizes in international choir competitions in Malta, Spain and Belgium

conductor, voice trainer, arranger

• conductor of award winning choirs, such as the "RAU Choir" and the "UJ Choir"
• currently conductor and manager of the "University of Johannesburg Choir" where she works with voices from different cultural backgrounds, proving the flexibility of the voice and adaptability of young singers to different styles of music
• soloist in numerous oratoria in South Africa and abroad
• involved with adjudication nationally and internationally

musical director, educator, clinician, judge

• published author of articles, choral editions and vocal arrangements
• judged music contests in eight countries and three continents, and is in demand as a musical clinician, arranger and coach
• university educator

Conductor, music director, clinician and adjudicator

• Music director of the Alexandria Harmonizers (BHS), the Pride of Baltimore (SAI),
• Member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), a charter member of NCCO, and in ACDA, MENC, and Chorus America
• Certified music judge in the BHS and the youngest of 9 men to be named “Master Director” in BHS history
• BHS Board of Directors from 2012-2014

conductor, artistic director, executive producer

• Artistic Director of the "Orpheus Choir of Toronto", "Chorus Niagara", the "Opera-in-Concert Chorus" and the "Ontario Male Chorus"
• conducted symphony orchestras and opera companies across Canada
• guest conductor at major arts festivals and adjudicator at international choral competitions
• has prepared choruses for many international conductors including Helmuth Rilling, Sir David Willcocks, Sir Andrew Davis
• Executive Producer for Choral Music and Opera on CBC Radio Music

conductor, pianist, juror

• Alumni of the prestigious Royal College of Music, London
• acclaimed pianist and collaborator
• founder of Sri Lanka‘s premiere female ensemble "Soul Sounds"
• founder of the "Soul Sounds Academy" - one of the leading music academies in Sri Lanka
• awards include "SAARC Women of Achievement Award", "Zonta Award" and the "Bunka Award" presented by the Japan / Sri Lanka Foundation

Clinician, professor and adjudicator

• Professor of Music at Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, Minnesota)
• Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
• Past winner of the Nebraska Choral Director’s Association Graduate Scholarship in Choral Conducting

Professor, director, conductor and author

• Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities and Music Education at the North Park University School of Music in Chicago, Illinois and director of the Music Institute of Chicago Children’s Choir
• Awarded with the prestigious Zenos Hawkinson Award for Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership in 2008
• A contributing author for the Essential Elements for Choir and the Experiencing Choral Music textbook series
• Active member of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC), the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and Chorus America

Dr. Rosephanye Dunn Powell serves as Professor of Voice at Auburn University. Prior to her appointment at Auburn University, Dr. Powell served as an Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at Philander Smith College (Little Rock, Arkansas), and as an Assistant Professor of Music at Georgia Southern University. She holds degrees from The Florida State University, Westminster Choir College, and Alabama State University. 

Dr. Powell has been hailed as one of America's premier women composers of choral music. Her compositions are in great demand at choral festivals around the country, frequently appearing on regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, as well as Honor Choir festivals. Her works are performed yearly in many parts of the world including countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South and Central America.

Lecturer, composer, adjudicator, arranger, conductor

• Professor of Conducting and Composition at the Conservatory of La Plata
• Founder and conductor of the chamber choir Coral del Nuevo Mund and the Children’s Choir of the “Teatro Argentino de La Plata”, the Opera House of the Province of Buenos Aires
• Director of the Latin American Choral Music series published by Neil A. Kjos, Music Co. in San Diego, USA

During the last years Jürgen Faßbender achieved with his choirs numerous 1st prizes at renowned international choir competitions such as "let the people sing", Arezzo, Riva del Garda, Tours, Trelew, Prague, Kleipeda, Llangollen, Vienna, Wernigerode and Choir Olympics Bremen and won the German Choir Competition (Deutscher Chorwettbewerb) several times.

He is a member of the Federal Music Committee of the Hessian Singers' Association, the Choir Association Rhineland-Palatinate, the Literature Committee of the German Choir Competition and the Association of Professional German Choir Conductors.

Since 2012 he has been working as a co-editor of the popular choir book series "Reine Männersache" edited by Peters-Verlag, Frankfurt.

He is an internationally renowned juror, guest conductor and clinician and since 2008 Artistic Director of the Hesse State Youth Choir. In 2012 he was appointed to the World Choir Council.

conductor, singer

• regarded as one of the most talented choral conductors in Hong Kong
• for various periods conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Chorus, the Academy for Performing Arts Choir, Hong Kong Singers, the Hong Kong Chorus, the Pro-Musica Chorus, and the Hong Kong Silver Jubilee Singers
• currently Chairman of the The Opera Society of Hong Kong, Music Director of HK Sheng Kung Hui, Diocese of HK Island, Choirmaster of St John’s Cathedral and Assessor to The Art’s Development Council of Hong Kong
• member of the World Choir Council

Conductor, composer, researcher of old music manuscripts

• Musical Director of the St. Julian’s choir between 1965 and 2002 and Maestro di Cappella of the Metropolitan Cathedral between 1993 and 2000
• Artistic Director of Malta International Choir Competition and Festival
• Editor and performer of old Maltese music from the musical archives held in the Mdina Cathedral Museum
• Director of the Catholic Institute in Malta

Clinician, author, conductor, educator, composer, arranger

• Founder of the University Children’s Choir and the International Vocal Ensemble at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
• Developed the Global Voices DVDs for introducing songs orally and visually using technology
• Educator for teachers about children’s voices
• Co-author of the recent publication “Educating Young Singers: A Choral Resource for Teacher-Conductors”, and two series books, “Share the Music” and “Spotlight on Music”

composer, continuo player

• graduated 1999 at Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest
• his professor was György Orbán
• has composed numerous choral works for renowned Hungarian and international choirs, like "Pro Musica Girl's Choir" (Hungary), "Stellenbosch University Choir" (South Africa) and "Iowa State University Choir" (USA)
• jury member at the World Choir Games Cincinnati (USA) and Riga (Latvia)
• awarded the "Erkel Ferenc Prize" in 2005 and the "Bartók Pásztory Prize" in 2009

Choral conductor, music pedagogue

• Professor Emeritus at Georgia State University, served as choral conductor and Director of the School of Music
• Former national president of the American Choral Directors Association
• Judged numerous international juries
• Writer of two choral books and publisher of over 50 choral octavo editions

conductor, professor, headmaster, lecturer

• Professor of Conducting at Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory
• founder, Artistic Director and conductor of the “Little Singers of Armenia” Choir and Artistic Director of the Armenian Little Singers International Association
• headmaster of Sayat-Nova Music School
• international adjudicator, conductor and guest lecturer

• Was a singer and one of the founding members of the world-famous vocal group "The Real Group" for more than 30 years
• Studied choir conducting with Professor Eric Ericson, and is a frequent workshop leader, popular lecturer and well renowned adjudicator in competitions all around the world
• Through the years he has collaborated with groups and artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Barbara Hendricks, Gene Puerling, "Take 6", "Rajaton" and "MPact"
• After leaving The Real Group in 2015 he has worked as headmaster for a school for music and culture, chief for music in the county of Östergötland in Sweden and since January 2020 he is choirleader, conductor and organist in Norrtälje just north of Stockholm

Tommyanto Kandisaputra is the founder, music director and conductor of Studio Cantorum Bandung Choir & Orchestra, which actively performs important music repertoire in Indonesia.

He is working as voice consultant and conducts many choir development programs all over Indonesia for singers and conductors by giving choral seminars, workshops, voice building, choir clinics and organizing competitions.

He is the chairman and founder of the Bandung Choral Society that organizes concerts and collaborations, symposium on Church Choral Music since 2003 until now. This year, he organize the 5th Symposium on Church Choral Music.

He was a World Choir Council member. He is a chairman of INTERKULTUR Indonesia since 2006.

Tommyanto Kandisaputra was the Artistic Director of The 1st Asian Choir Games in November 2007, taking place in Jakarta/ Indonesia. Also, Tommyanto was the Artistic Director of the North Sulawesi International Choir Competition 2008 in Manado and the Tomohon International Choir Competition 2009 and 2010 in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Now he organizes the Bandung International Choir Competition in his home town and the successful Bali International Choir Competition in Denpasar every year. And now he have been organizing another big Choral event "INDONESIA CHOIR FESTIVAL" in Indonesia.

At the end of 2014, he had been asking to be the Representatives of Indonesia for One Asia Cultural Ambassador organized by Music for one Foundation, South Korea. This organization dedicated to working with children and communities worldwide to reach their full potential through music and music education.

Recently, he conducted Taipei Philharmonic Youth Choir, May 4 performed the richness of Choral Music from Indonesia at National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan.

Dr. Katalin Kiss, a worldwide experienced choral conductor and music educator graduated and obtained her doctoral degree in performing arts from the Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, Hungary. She had been lecturing between 1989 and 2019 at the Kodály Institute of Liszt Academy of Music, where she served as Deputy Director-General in 2002-04. She spent several years in the United States of America as a guest lecturer and conductor at the invitation of the Kodály Centre of America in Boston. Since 2015, she is a guest professor at the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. In addition, she lectures, and holds workshops regularly at music symposia and seminars in Europe, Australia, in China and in the USA.

Dr. Katalin Kiss founded the Ars Nova Vocal Ensemble in 1990 and has given hundreds of concerts around the world, winning sixteen first prizes and special prizes and seven Grand Prix-s at international competitions, including the Champion of World Choir Games title in 2008 (in Graz, Austria) and in 2014 (in Riga, Latvia). With Ars Nova she has premièred, and recorded a great number of contemporary choral pieces, many of them dedicated to her and her ensemble. In addition to Ars Nova, she conducts foreign choirs and gives concerts in Europe, in the USA, Australia, and China as a guest conductor. She often serves on juries for international choir competitions. She is representative of Hungary in the World Choir Council, a founding member and continental ambassador of Europe of the International Choral Conductors’ Federation. In 1993, she founded the Ars Nova Editio Music Publishing House, which specializes in contemporary Hungarian choral music. She is the author of several music theory books for high education published in English and Chinese languages.

Since 1998, Mārtiņš Klišāns, works as art director of the Rīga Cathedral Boys’ Choir. Under his guidance, the choir has been granted the Latvian Grand Music Award - the highest State award in music and Latvian Music Recording Award.

Klišāns has graduated from the conducting class at the Jāzeps Vītols’ Latvian Music Academy (tutored by Imants Kokars). He got his Master’s degree in 2009. His vocal skills were improved at Bach Academy (Stuttgart, Bruce Abel). As a vocalist, Klišāns has contributed to the chamber choir Ave Sol and Rīga Vocal Group. As a tenor solo performer, he has participated in more than one hundred performances of the Baroque operas and oratories.

Klišāns still teaches at the Rīga Cathedral Choir School and at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. In July, 2004, he was a guest conductor at the Americafest: the world festival for boys’ and men’s choir singing. He’s a member of the council of the World Choir Games and of the INTERKULTUR association, and has been a part of international juries lately. He is the conductor of the amateur choirs Juventus and Beverīna and also conducts the mixed choir Vaidelote, the mixed choir Valmiera, and is chief conductor of Cēsis district. Klišāns has also been elected chief conductor of the Great Song Festival 2008, 2013 and 2018 as well; he was also among the chief conductors of the IX and X Latvian Youth Song and Dance Festivals. Annually he is invited to the different choral competitions as a jury member. In 2015 Mārtiņš Klišāns got the highest State award – The Order of Three Stars.

choral and orchestral conductor, music director

• choral and orchestral conductor, church music director, organist
• 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
• jury member at eight editions of the World Choir Games

conductor, adjudicator, arranger, author

• 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)

Mia Makaroff is a composer, arranger, music teacher and a choral conductor. In 2003, she graduated from the Sibelius Academy as a Master of Music in Music Education studies. Her work experience includes teaching music in schools, working with choirs, composing, creating and conducting different music projects.

Many well-known song groups and choirs have brought Mia Makaroff's music to a wider audience, such as Rajaton, King's Singers, Cantus, Amarcord and others. She has been involved in many national and international projects, such as "Song Bridge", bilingual musical "Crown Children", the mass "Diligam Te" and "The New Carmina". Further she has held master classes of composing for children choirs in Belgium, Italy and Russia. Mia Makaroff has also worked as a juror and a lecturer in choir competitions and festivals, for example in the 10th World Choral Games in Tshwane in South Africa. Her favorite themes are creativity, rhythmics and enhancing communication. Also theatre music is one big interest of hers.

Nicol Matt, one of Germany's few new generation conductors, studied Lutheran church music, conducting, vocal coaching, score playing, piano and singing at the music academies of Stuttgart, Trossingen and Strasbourg.

He is the founder and conductor of the Chamber Choir of Europe and was the conductor of the Amadeus Choir. Almost one hundred CDs with recordings of highly demanding vocal, orchestral and instrumental works document his sophistication as an artist. Worldwide sales of over eight million CDs testify to the demand for his highly-regarded and awarded interpretations.

He regularly receives invitations to perform at established concert series such as the Rheingau Music Festival, the SWR Festival, the MDR Musical Summer in Germany, and in many other countries.

As producer Nicol Matt developed and initiated many new projects for the international TV- and music industry, to support choirs and a cappella singing worldwide.

Nicol Matt has active partnerships with contemporary composers from Germany, England and the USA – including Morten Lauridsen, Bob Chilcott, John Rutter, Ola Gjeilo, Hans Schanderl and Frank Zabel.

As lecturer and judge he is regularly invited to international choir competitions, festivals and universities, to teach during workshops and master-classes for conductors and singers around the globe.

Choral conductor

• Director of Choral Studies and Regents Professor of Music at the University of North Texas
• National vice-president/immediate past-president of the American Choral Directors Association, and a member of the INTERKULTUR international advisory board
• Music Director of Schola Cantorum of Texas
• Founder/music director of the Texas Choral Artist, a professional chamber choir based in Dallas, Texas

Maria Emma Meligopoulou holds a Master Degree in Choral Conducting from Boston University CFA and a PhD in Choral Conducting and pedagogy for Children and Youth Choirs from Ionian University. She has also studied Law at Aristotle University. She teaches Choral Conducting Techniques and directs the University Choir at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki.

She also teaches at the master’s program of Choral Conducting at Ionian University and is professor of Choral Conducting at the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki. She has performed many choral concerts and international tours in Greece, Europe (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, UK), Asia (Israel, Turkey, Singapore, China, Japan), Africa (Egypt, South Africa), USA, Canada. As Choral Director she has been several times recipient of First Prizes with her own Choir “Ss. Cyril & Methodios Choir”, among them the Moscow Sounds Festival, Interkultur Festivals, Loto Quebec Festival (Canada), etc.

She is council member of the World Choir Games, Artistic Advisor of Interkultur Festivals, and she is on demand as lecturer, guest conductor and adjudicator in international symposiums, festivals and workshops worldwide. In 1992 she founded the Ss. Cyril & Methodios Children’s and Youth Choir, the largest choral organization in Northern Greece with over 300 singers in five departments (preparatory choir, children’s choirs, mixed youth choir and chamber choir).

She is author of the textbook Introduction to the Art of Choral Praxis (2011) 3rd Edition in 2013 and the Music Editions: Choral Works for Equal Voices by Greek Composers (2014), and Christmas Choral Works for Equal Voices (2016), all of them available by Nakas - Papagregoriou Editions, Athens.

conductor, lecturer, juror

• Chairman of the Children's Chorus Committee of China
• Vice-Board Chairman of China Chorus Association
• Director of China Broadcasting Children's Chorus (China National Radio) from 1983
• jury member of the World Choir Games since 2008

composer, conductor, clinician

• Artistic Director of the "Ąžuoliukas Boys' and Men Choir"
• Professor of Choral Conducting at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre
• President of the Lithuanian Choral Union
• won prestigious prizes at numerous national and international competitions with his choirs
• international adjudicator, conductor, composer and guest lecturer

Adjudicator, lecturer, guest conductor, director

• Choral conductor and Shobi University lecturer
• Board member of the Japan Choral Directors Association
• Conductor of the Ensemble Evergreen (first prize in the chamber choir category at the 8th International Choir Festival in Tallinn, Estonia)

Composer, conductor

• Winner of composition prizes from Tokyo, Japan and Tours, France
• Writer of approximately 300 commissioned works for choirs around the world
• Featured composer at JCDA Tokyo 2012 and and 2013 in South Africa, Japan, Indonesia and Croatia
• Jury member in Takarazuka (Japan), Cro Patria Split (Croatia), Rimini (Italy) and the IFCM Composition Contest in 2012

Conductor, professor, adjudicator

• Professor in choral conducting at the Bulgarian National Academy of Music and at Sofia University
• Conductor of Classic FM Radio and VA Sofia Chamber Choir
• Regular adjudicator and clinician at international choral events
• Awarded the Golden Lyre which is the highest award for musicians in Bulgaria

choral conductor, orchestra conductor

• conductor and vice director of the Vietnam National Opera & Ballet
• assistant conductor of the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (1989 – 2001) and the Dean of Conducting - Composition at the Vietnam's Military University of Arts (1984 – 1989)
• founder and conductor of the Vietnam's Children Choir (2004) and Hanoi New Choir (2009)
• member of the international jury at World Choir Games since 2006

Coach and adjudicator

• International Judging Program Moderator for Sweet Adelines International
• Performance coach for numerous choruses and quartets in Canada and United States
• Member of the International Faculty and Certified Expression Judge with Sweet Adelines International
• Adjudicator in competitions in North America, Great Britain and New Zealand

Zimfira Poloz is an expert in choral artistry for young voices. Recipient of awards from Ontario, Canada, and Kazakhstan and with invitations to conduct from around the globe, Zimfira has been a guest artist at Europa Cantat (France, 2018), 1st International Choral Alberto Grau Competition (Venezuela, 2017), America Cantat (Bahamas, 2016), and World Choir Games (2000-2016).

Zimfira established her musical credentials in Kazakhstan as founder of their first choir school. In Canada, Zimfira found a home with Toronto Children’s Chorus, St. Michael’s Choir School, and eventually as Artistic Director of Hamilton Children’s Choir and Young Voices Toronto.

In 2018, Zimfira celebrates her 15th anniversary as Artistic Director of Hamilton Children’s Choir (HCC). Under her direction, HCC has become among the most acclaimed youth choral programs in the world, appearing at "Podium" Choral Canada Conference 2012 and 2018, ACDA National Conference 2017, America Cantat XIII 2016, Polyfollia 2014, IFCM World Symposium 2014, 1st Xinghai International Choral Competition 2013, Euroradio Choral Competition 2009.

Zimfira teaches music at the University of Toronto. Her curated Canadian choral collection can be found with Cypress Choral Music: The Zimfira Collection.

Choral conductor and composer

• Associate professor, composer in residence and coordinator of music programs (University of Macao, China)
• Director of choral activities (Santa Rosa da Lima School English section, Macao, China)
• Visiting Conductor Music Education Department Shanghai Conservatory of Music
• Artistic Director Porfiri & Horváth Publishers (former Edition Music Contact, Pohlheim, Germany)

Tove Ramlo-Ystad is an educated singer and conductor with a Master Degree from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim. Her teachers and mentors in conducting have been Stefan Sköld, Anders Eby and Mogens Dahl.
Tove is one of Norway's most acknowledged choir conductors. She is a popular and inspiring guest conductor, and is frequently invited as an adjudicator in international choir competitions. Tove is representing Norway in The World Choir Council. Since 2015 she has been the artistic director of The Norwegian National Championship for Choirs.
Ramlo-Ystad has conducted both mixed and male choirs through the years, and has kept conducting the female choir Cantus since their beginning in 1986. Through Tove's leadership has Cantus received a lot of attention, won several competitions and has recorded 9 CD’s. The three last recordings got a Grammy nomination. Cantus is known by their Nordic sound. This sound was the reason Disney discovered Cantus, and led to the choir being asked to sing in their animation movie 'Frozen' 1 and 2. Several of the works commissioned for Cantus through the years have become an inspiration for many other female choirs around the world.
Tove Ramlo-Ystad is music director for the Norwegian Choral Association.

Conductor, professor of music, director of choral studies

• Director of Choral studies and Head of the Division of Ensembles and Conducting at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)
• Guest conductor and teacher of conducting and masterclasses in Chengdu, China, Seoul, South Korea, and at the Juiliard School and Carnegie Hall in New York City
• Music director and conductor from 1988-2008 of Cincinnati‘s Vocal Arts Ensemble (VAE)

Johan Rooze studied Piano and Conducting at the Utrecht Conservatory, the Netherlands. Later he went to the U.S. to specialize in Jazz Piano, Singing and Arranging.

He was founder and 23 years Musical Director of the Utrecht University Vocal Group “Dekoor”. They won many prices such as The Dutch Choir Festival, The International Vocal Group Festival and the “Idols for choir” TV show, “Korenslag” 2007 in the Netherlands. He was Conductor of the Utrecht Student Symphonic Choir and Orchestra. With these choirs he toured all over the world. Johan Rooze founded the “Dudok-Ensemble”, an outstanding Project Choir, conducted the monthly Bach Cantatas in Utrecht and was guest conductor with the National Radio Choir.

Furthermore he was Professor for Vocal Jazz, Conducting and Arranging at the Conservatories of Rotterdam and Alkmaar, a member of the board of Musical Advisors for the Dutch Royal Christian Music Association and Artistic Director for the International Choir Festival, Netherlands 2005.

In 2008 he moved to South Korea and teaches Choral Music and Jazz Piano at the Yeongnam University. He is musical director of a new Jazz Choir (Yaenoeul Jazz Singers) and in 2010 he founded the professional Daegu Students Choir. He is a frequent guest conductor with other choirs. Besides his choral work he is very active as a Jazz Pianist and Arranger. He works as Artistic Director for INTERKULTUR and is a frequently asked adjudicator, speaker and workshop-leader internationally.

conductor, educator, producer

• founding Artistic Director of "Estonian Television Girl's/Children's Choir", Principal of Tallinn Georg Ots Music College
• worked with Michael Jackson, Arvo Pärt, Veljo Tormis, Roxanna Panufnik, Imogen Heap and performed at Eurovision Song Contest & Film Awards live, for HM Elizabeth II and Their Majesties Japanese Emperor
• Artistic Director/conductor of the Estonian Song Celebration Choir with 20 000 singers and board/council member of WCG, IFCM, Estonian CA
• "Guidoneum Award", "Order of the White Star of the Republic of Estonia in 2004", "Prize of the UNICEF Estonian National Committee"

conductor, music educator, lecturer

• lecturer at Malaysian Institute of Art, University of Malaya, and University of Technology MARA – Music Faculty
• founder and Director of Young Choral Academy in Kuala Lumpur, a venue for choral music training, Malaysian Kodály Centre and a platform to nurture young Malaysian choral singers and teachers
• founder of the "Kuala Lumpur Children's Choir", "Young Kuala Lumpur Singers" and Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod (an annual choral symposium for children and youth choirs)

Kirby Shaw has made a major impact in choral music education and has shared his musical expertise in 45 states. Kirby has degrees in Music Education and Choral Composition from San Jose State University and a DMA degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington. Dr. Shaw’s teaching is infused with a sense of humor and breadth of knowledge that is transmitted in an exciting and highly contagious manner. Kirby taught in the Mt. Shasta public schools before joining the faculty at College of the Siskiyous in California where he founded and directed the innovative and highly acclaimed COS Vocal Jazz Ensemble. He also pioneered similar groups at Colorado State University and The University of Missouri - Kansas City, and is now directing the Jefferson State Choral Coalition at Southern Oregon University. Kirby has scatted one-on-one with such notables as Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, Greta Matassa and Chris Calloway.

He has overseen the creation of hundreds of educational recordings, five college and university albums and two solo CDs. Kirby is a member of Just 4 Kicks, a zany 4-man a cappella vocal ensemble specializing in Jazz. A composer/arranger with nearly 3000 choral compositions/arrangements in print, Kirby’s music is sung around the world and has sold over 20 million copies. He has many commissioned pieces to his credit, including one for The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. This creative and prolific output has resulted in numerous ASCAP awards. Kirby and his wife, Markita have written an original musical based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol entitled SCROOGICAL.

music educator, conductor, juror and administrator

• former principal, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney and artistic director of the annual Hong Kong International Youth Music Festival
• has been the director of several choirs, symphony orchestras, brass choirs, marching bands
• was awarded the Australian Public Service Medal (P.S.M.) in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his service to music in 1990
• juror at all World Choir Games and 2 Asia-Pacific Choir Games as well as judging at competitions around the world, e.g. in Austria, France, Wales, Singapore, Argentina, the USA and Korea

• 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

conductor, composer, clinican

• for 17 years he has been teaching conducting and ensemble leadership at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm
• leads courses for both choral singers and conductors and was invited as guest conductor all over the world
• has been workshop leader at several world symposia and he is a guest lecturer and a diligent jury member at choral competitions and festivals worldwide
• amongst other awards, he received the Kings Medal of the 8th Magnitude with a bright blue ribbon for valuable service as director of the male choir Orphei Drängar

Aida Swenson is one of Indonesia‘s strongest forces of choral music development. A founder and conductor of the Indonesian Children‘s & Youth Choirs- Cordana, who have gathered international recognitions and awards, and have been invited to perform in major cities worldwide.

As a graduate of the Westminster Choir College, Princeton, USA and as a sought after clinician, Aida Swenson conducts numerous workshops and adjudicates national and international events. Her activities as a juror includes in: USA, England, Germany, Vietnam and Singapore.

Aida Swenson has spent many years traveling throughout Indonesia creating and leading choirs, giving masters classes, and training choral conductors. However, her professional endeavors are largely but not limited to her choral clinician activities. Her professional activities include: Council Member of the World Choir Games for Indonesia; Member of the Advisory to INTERKULTUR‘s World Choir Games; Chairman of the Foundation for the Development of Choral Music in Indonesia; Member of Advisory of the Foundation of Church Music; Member of Artistic team of Polyfollia World Showcase; Member of the committee APCS-IFCM; Artistic Director of National Christian Universities Choir Competition in Indonesia.

Aida Swenson is featured in the “World Who is Who in Choral Music”. Her personal commitment to her musical endeavors in Indonesia is not only centered on her vision in furthering the quality of children‘s choral development. Aida is a pillar of change, of progression, and of energy to achieve unassailable quality in choral music in Indonesia and internationally.

Lecturer, singer

• Master Director of the Rich-Tone Chorus
• Teacher, Singer and Coach of Barbershop
• Education Direction Committee and the International Board of Directors of Sweet Adelines organization

conductor, pedagogue, clinician

• Artistic Director and conductor of "SYC Ensemble Singers" and Artistic Director of the "Young Musicians' Society"
• coordinator of Asia Pacific Working Committee of the International Federation for Choral Music
• recipient of the Cultural Medallion 2012, Singapore’s highest arts accolade, awarded by the President of Singapore

André J. Thomas, the Owen F. Sellers Professor of Music, at Florida State University is in demand as a choral adjudicator, clinician, and director of Honor/All-State Choirs throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia.

International conducting credits are extensive. They include, conductor/clinician for IFCM, World Youth Choir in Taiwan, Philippines, and in Europe. He has been the guest conductor of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in England, and guest Conductor for the Berlin Radio Choir and the Netherlands Radio Choir.

Thomas has also distinguished himself as a composer/arranger and has produced two instructional videos. His Book, "Way Over in Beulah Lan' is published by Heritage Music Press.

Professor, musician

• Professor at the Conservatory of Music and director of the Choral Art Research Center of China, Huazhong Normal University
• Vice-Chairman of the Federation for Choral Music of Chinese Musicians Association
• Standing Director of China Chorus Association
• Deputy Director of China’s Chorus Academic Committee of Normal Universities

Composer, conductor, educator

• 5 Grammy nominations, 14 Downbeat Awards, producer for artists such as the King’s Singers, Manhattan Transfer, Barry Manilow, Bobby McFerrin and SMASH’s Katherine McPhee
• Writer of hundreds of works for high school and college-level choir, orchestra, jazz band and chamber ensemble
• Commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Culture, the Danish Radio Symphony and Choir, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Disneyworld and Microsof

Romāns Vanags is a graduate of Emils Darzins' specialized music college and of the Department of Choir and Orchestra Conducting of Jazeps Vitols' Latvian State Conservatory in Riga. He has received a diploma in choir conducting and in music pedagogy. He studied also symphonic orchestra conducting. In 2003, Romāns Vanags received the professional master's degree in music.

His professional work is focused on conducting and pedagogy. He has been the Chief Conductor of the teachers' choir "Vanema" from 1984 – 2004 and since 1990, he has been the principal Conductor of the Latvian University Female Choir "Minjona". Since 1987, he has been Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of Jāzeps Mediņš Music School Boys` Choir and has worked with the Jāzeps Mediņš Music College Symphonic Orchestra from 1990 – 1993. Since 1987 Romāns Vanags was employed at the Latvian Academy of Music in Riga as professor of choir conducting. From 2005 to 2012 he was the head of the Conducting Department.

Romāns Vanags has been the organizer of various courses for conductors in numerous countries around the world and also jury member of many international choral competitions. He has been appointed as one of the chief conductors of the All Latvian Song Celebration and the Youth Song Festival. Since 2008 he is a member of the World Choir Council. Since August 2014 Romāns Vanags is one of the Artistic Directors of INTERKULTUR and also chairman of the Latvian choral conductors’ board.

The choirs conducted by Romāns Vanags have won numerous awards at international competitions (Arezzo, Debrecen, Tour, Varna, Powel River) and made concert tours all over the world.

In 2008 Romāns Vanags received the highest civil decoration in Latvia – the Three Star Order.

Singer, educator, clinician

• Lead Singer of Sweet Adelines International Championship Quartets MAXX Factor and Signature Sound
• Singer/ educator/ coach for Quartet and Chorus specializing in Expression and Sound categories
• Educator, coach, judge, performer at different festivals

choral conductor, teacher

• founder and Professor of the Conducting Department of China Conservatory and expert panel member of the Committee for Art Education of Ministry of Education of China
• Vice President of the China Chorus Association and choir master of National Center of the Performing Art
• has been very active in both performing and educating which is very rare in China
• top conductor with huge popularity and a professor with great prestige

conductor, music educator, juror

• Professor of Conducting at the Central Conservatory of Music
• Principal Conductor of "Tianjin Symphony Orchestra", resident conductor of the "Children and Young Women's Chorus of China National Symphony Orchestra", director and conductor of "Beijing Philharmonic Chorus"
• publisher of articles in the "Journal of the Central Conservatory of Music" and "Journal of Tianjin Conservatory of Music" and of the text book on conducting titled "Modern Conducting Techniques"

Professor and conductor

• Seoul National University (BA), Graduate School of Music, University of Cincinnati (M.M, DMA)
• Member of Board of KFCM, KCDA
• Professor at the Han Sei University (Choral Conducting Departement)
• Music Director of Chang-Won Municipal Choir and the Yoido Full Gospel Church, Conductor of Seoul Ladies’ Singers

Conductor, adjudicator, lecturer

• Conductor of Taipei Philharmonic Chorus and Chamber Choir; international guest conductor at Carnegie Hall of New York City, National Art Center of Beijing, and the Symphony Hall of Chicago
• Doctoral candidate at the University of Cincinnati, master degree from Temple University in conducting
• Chorus master for several opera productions by Taiwan’s National Symphony Orchestra
• Representative of Taiwan in the International Federation of Choral Music’s Asia Pacific Committee since July 2008

Pianist, conductor, clinician, arranger and adjudicator

• Internationally recognized as one of the most respected vocal jazz conductors and educators in the world
• Serves as “Bobby McFerrin Distinguished Professor of Music” at Western Michigan University
• His internationally acclaimed vocal jazz ensemble, Gold Company, has won numerous “Outstanding Performance” awards
• Founder of The Steve Zegree Vocal Jazz Camp, held every summer at Western Michigan University