Ralf Eisenbeiß was born in 1952 in Zeulenroda. After his secondary school examination he studied pedagogy, German philology and musical education. He received his PhD in 1979 at the Pedagogical University of Zwickau. From 1978 to 1981, he studied choir and orchestra conducting at the Franz Liszt Conservatory in Weimar.

Ralf Eisenbeiß was working as the director of the choral department at the Pedagogical University in Zwickau and appointed professor for choir conducting and choral singing in 1987. He was conductor of the renowned Pedagogical University Zwickau Choir. With his choir he performed a wide repertoire of compositions for a cappella choirs and with orchestra, too. Under his direction the choir won numerous prizes at national and international choir competitions.

Ralf Eisenbeiß was lecturer at the central seminar for choral conductors in Berlin and organized numerous workshops himself. He often appears as guest conductor at home and abroad. Since almost 30 years he works as artistic director of INTERKULTUR. Ralf Eisenbeiß is founder of the Int. Robert Schumann Choir Competition in Zwickau and one of the founders of the World Choir Games. Since 1992 he was responsible for more than 150 international competitions of INTERKULTUR in Germany, Italy, Korea, Indonesia, China, Austria, Spain, USA and other countries. Ralf Eisenbeiß is very often invited as a juror in national and other international choir competitions all over the world.

From 1983 to 1987 Nico Nebe visited the special class for music education in Zwickau. He continued his qualifications with studies of choral conducting at the University of Chemnitz-Zwickau from 1989 to 1995. Since then he has been acting as a freelancer in music teaching, conducting, arranging and music publishing in Zwickau.

Since many years Nico Nebe has been conducting the chamber choir "Belcanto" Zwickau and the male choir "Liederkranz" Zwickau 1843. Under his direction both ensembles won numerous prices and diploma in national and international competitions. In the framework of these competitions, Nico Nebe was repeatedly awarded several conductor prices.

As the president of the West Saxony Choir Association and as the vice president of the Choir Association of Saxony Province, he has a strong connection to the choir movement. He made significant contributions to unify the several and different Saxony Choir Associations to the present Choir Association of Saxony Province with nearly 10.000 members.

As the owner and head of the publishing company "edition choris mundi" he maintains a close cooperation with renowned German and international choral composers. Apart from his own arrangements and compositions the publishing company edits each year numerous new music pieces for all choral genres.

Nico Nebe furthermore regularly acts as a juror at national and international choir competitions and holds conductor workshops in Saxony.

From 1983 to 1987 Nico Nebe visited the special class for music education in Zwickau. He continued his qualifications with studies of choral conducting at the University of Chemnitz-Zwickau from 1989 to 1995. Since then he has been acting as a freelancer in music teaching, conducting, arranging and music publishing in Zwickau.

Since many years Nico Nebe has been conducting the chamber choir "Belcanto" Zwickau and the male choir "Liederkranz" Zwickau 1843. Under his direction both ensembles won numerous prices and diploma in national and international competitions. In the framework of these competitions, Nico Nebe was repeatedly awarded several conductor prices.

As the president of the West Saxony Choir Association and as the vice president of the Choir Association of Saxony Province, he has a strong connection to the choir movement. He made significant contributions to unify the several and different Saxony Choir Associations to the present Choir Association of Saxony Province with nearly 10.000 members.

As the owner and head of the publishing company "edition choris mundi" he maintains a close cooperation with renowned German and international choral composers. Apart from his own arrangements and compositions the publishing company edits each year numerous new music pieces for all choral genres.

Nico Nebe furthermore regularly acts as a juror at national and international choir competitions and holds conductor workshops in Saxony.

conductor, lecturer, professor, juror

• Professor of Choral Conducting and choir director at the Music Conservatory of Paris
• former Professor of Choral Conducting at Mahidol University College of Music in Bangkok, Thailand
• former choral conductor of the "Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra"
• international adjudicator, conductor and guest lecturer

Branko Stark (1954), composer, choral director and voice teacher, is a teacher at the Arts Academy (University of Split-Croatia) where he teaches vocal technique, singing and acting voice. He has written over two 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 (Argentina, China, Slovenia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Malta, USA, Korea, South Africa, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapur, Brunei, Latvia, Russia, Czech Republic, Spain).

Mr. Stark is also a prominent adjudicator for many international choral competitions (Germany, Austria, Croatia, China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Latvia, Italy, Czech Republic, Sri Lanka, Korea,).

He is President of the Croatian Choral Directors Association, leader of the Vocal Academy, and a member of the International Council of the World Choir Games.