"INTERKULTUR continues to create endless opportunities for choirs all over the world to showcase their talents and gain experience and contacts within the international choral scene."
5th Vietnam International Choir Competition
A unique choir competition in fascinating Vietnam
Since the outstanding success of the first event in 2011 INTERKULTUR organizes biannually the International Choir Competition Vietnam in the city of Hội An. From that time on the event has been increasing and has now become an inherent part of international choir tours.
The setting of the competition is located directly at Hội An’s coast and provides a stunning panorama for the performances.
In cooperation with the Vietnamese central government, the provincial government of Quang Nam and the city council of Hội An INTERKULTUR offers choirs from all parts of the world the possibility to discover the beauty of this country and to combine this exciting journey with a participation in an international choir competition.
Participation Opportunities
This INTERKULTUR event provides you the opportunity to choose from the following options of participation:
Non-competitive participation | Competitive Participation |
---|---|
Non-competitive Festival Participation* | Competition categories* |
Evaluation Performance* | Evaluation Performance* |
Individual Coaching* | Individual Coaching* |
Friendship Concert Performance included
- Category A – Level of difficulty I with compulsory piece
- A1 – Mixed Choirs
- A2 – Male Choirs
- A3 – Female Choirs
- Category B – Level of difficulty II without compulsory piece
- B1 – Mixed Choirs
- B2 – Male Choirs
- B3 – Female Choirs
- Category C – Chamber Choirs
- C1 – Chamber Choirs of equal voices
- C2 – Chamber Choirs of mixed voices
- Category G – Children’s and Youth Choirs
- G1 – Children’s Choirs
- G2 – Youth Choirs of equal voices
- G3 – Mixed Youth Choirs
- Category S – Sacred Choir Music
- Category F – Folklore
A detailed description of the competition categories can also be found in the booklet available for download:
Participant Information(1.2 MB)
The respective Category Winners are invited to participate in the competition for the Grand Prize. The jury reserves the right to nominate further choirs for participation. The winner of this competition will receive the Hội An Choir Prize 2017.
- Program: two freely chosen a cappella pieces which may not be the ones the choir had already performed in their whole competition program. Those two pieces must be confirmed by the Artistic Committee.
- Singing time: the maximum actual singing time is 8 minutes.
Evaluation Performance
For non-competing choirs
- three (3) pieces of the choir’s own choice
- performed before a panel of qualified international jurors who provide immediate positive artistic and pedagogical advice for improvement
- certificates of participation will be awarded, as well as evaluation ratings and recommendation letters for future INTERKULTUR competitions upon request
Number of singers: unlimited
Singing time: maximum 15 minutes
Accompaniment: maximum 1 piece
Duration: 45 minutes
For competing choirs
- presentation of competition program the day before competitions begin
- performed before a panel of qualified international jurors who provide immediate positive artistic and pedagogical advice for improvement
- evaluation does not involve preliminary decisions regarding the competition result
Number of singers: according to category rules
Singing time: according to category rules
Accompaniment: according to category rules
Duration: 45 minutes
Individual Coaching
- one piece of the choir’s own choice
- with an international choral expert for stimulating artistic ideas and interpretive guidance
- for an effective rehearsal, choirs must prepare one piece in advance
Number of singers: unlimited
Singing time: 45 minutes rehearsal session
Accompaniment: possible
Participating choirs may register to perform together with other international choirs. The Friendship Concerts will take place at central venues such as churches, public squares, parks or museums.
Choirs must prepare approximately 20 minutes of their own music pre-approved by the artistic committee. The concert should be preferably a cappella or with own instruments (a piano or e-piano can be provided upon request).
Please be aware that several friendship concerts are planned open air. In the event that weather conditions do not allow this, some concerts may be cancelled due to the weather. The organizers will try to manage alternatives but choirs do not have any legal claim to this.
Choirs can also take part in Friendship Concerts ONLY (Non-competitive Festival Participation).
"The experience of this competition was just stunning. […] We made many friends and our performance of Vietnam’s national anthem during the choir parade proved to be a huge success."
Registration Information
This event lies in the past!
You are interested in participating in this event series? Then have a look right now at our overview, which provides information about when the event will be held the next time. There you can also find further dates and destinations of our events taking place worldwide.
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Event Details
Wednesday, June 07, 2017
- Arrival
- Rehearsals and stage rehearsals
- Evaluation Performances
- 8:00 p.m. Hội An Theatre: Opening Ceremony
- Sightseeing & excursions*
Thursday, June 08, 2017
- Rehearsals and stage rehearsals
- Evaluation Performances
- 1:30 p.m. Competition in category G – Children’s & Youth Choirs
- 5:00 p.m. Friendship Concerts at 106 Bach Đang Street & Kazik Garden
- 7:00 p.m. Competition in category B – Mixed & Female Choirs
- 7:00 p.m. Ancient Town: Hội An Legendary Night
- Sightseeing & excursions*
Friday, June 09, 2017
- Rehearsals and stage rehearsals
- Individual Coachings
- 9:30 a.m. Competition in category A & C – Female & Chamber Choirs & S – Sacred Choir Music (Part 1)
- 2:30 p.m. Competition in category S – Sacred Choir Music (Part 2)
- 7:30 p.m. Competition in category F – Folklore
- 7:30 p.m. Ancient Town: Friendship Concerts "International Melody"
- Sightseeing & excursions*
Saturday, June 10, 2017
- 11:00 a.m. Hoi An Beach Resort: Grand Prize Competition
- 4:00 p.m. Hội An Theatre: Awards Ceremony
- 5:30 p.m. Hội An Theatre: Choir Parade
- 7:00 p.m. Ancient Town: Farewell Party
- Sightseeing & excursions*
Sunday, June 11, 2017
- Departure
- Sightseeing & excursions*
depending on the individual schedule
Subject to change!
All competition performances are taking place in the “Cua Dai Ballroom” of the Hoi An Beach Resort (Address: 01 Cửa Đại st., Hội An).
If you are interested in individual excursions please send an email to travel(at)interkultur.com.
Thursday, June 8, 2017
106 Bach Đang Street - 5:00 p.m.
- Southland, Australia
- Hội An Children's Choir Club, Vietnam
- Malaysian Institute of Art's Ladies Chorus, Malaysia
- Apostolos, Indonesia
Kazik Garden - 5:00 p.m.
- Saigon Choir, Vietnam
- Bina Bakti Choir, Indonesia
- Gitanada Smansagress Youth Choir, Indonesia
- Voice of Hope Kuala Lumpur (VOHKL), Malaysia
Friday, June 9, 2017
106 Bach Đang Street - 7:30 p.m.
- Hoi An Parish Choir (HAPC), Vietnam
- Voice of Hope Kuala Lumpur (VOHKL), Malaysia
- Phileo Choir, Indonesia
- Detskiy Concertniy Khor Gloria Detskoy Musikalnoy Shkoli Imenee Asafeva, Russia
Kazik Garden - 7:30 p.m.
- Ceibs Maple Choir, China
- Colegio San Agustin - Makati's the Augustinian Singers, Philippines
- Singapore Chinese Girls' School, Singapore
- Dan Hop Xuong Olympia, Vietnam
31 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street - 7:30 p.m.
- Smukiez Choir, Indonesia
- La Fontana, Japan
- King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi Chorus, Thailand
- La Salle Chorale, Philippines
Prof. Dr. Ralf Eisenbeiß
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.
Châu Anh Đặng (Vietnam)
Dang Chau Anh received her master degree in choral conducting and music education at the Vietnam National Academy of Music and Malmo Academy of Music (Sweden).
She is head of conducting subject in Vietnam National Academy of music and a member of the International Society for Music Education. She is the World Choir Council representative of Vietnam.
Dang Chau Anh has worked 20 years as chorus master, artistic director and conductor for children choirs, choir of vocal faculty, musicology- composing- conducting faculty of Vietnam National Academy of music, Vietnam SolArt and Hanoi International School. She is known as a pioneer in the field of choir and music education in Vietnam.
Together with the Vietnam SolArt Choir she attended many events and festivals of Vietnam television as well as in the role of an artistic director, she led the choir to many titles in competition such as: Gold Medal, Audience Prize and Best Performance in International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival in Wernigerode, Germany.For several years she was guest conductor in Children of the World in Harmony and The Voices Without Border in Petoskey, USA.
She is a frequent juror at choir competitions, such as the Vietnam International Choir Competition, in the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia and Spain among others. Dang Chau Anh is also well-known by Vietnam Television audience as M.C, Music expert, Jury of many music programs and competitions on Vietnam Broadcasting System over the whole country.
Johan Rooze
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.
Châu Anh Đặng (Vietnam)
Dang Chau Anh received her master degree in choral conducting and music education at the Vietnam National Academy of Music and Malmo Academy of Music (Sweden).
She is head of conducting subject in Vietnam National Academy of music and a member of the International Society for Music Education. She is the World Choir Council representative of Vietnam.
Dang Chau Anh has worked 20 years as chorus master, artistic director and conductor for children choirs, choir of vocal faculty, musicology- composing- conducting faculty of Vietnam National Academy of music, Vietnam SolArt and Hanoi International School. She is known as a pioneer in the field of choir and music education in Vietnam.
Together with the Vietnam SolArt Choir she attended many events and festivals of Vietnam television as well as in the role of an artistic director, she led the choir to many titles in competition such as: Gold Medal, Audience Prize and Best Performance in International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival in Wernigerode, Germany.For several years she was guest conductor in Children of the World in Harmony and The Voices Without Border in Petoskey, USA.
She is a frequent juror at choir competitions, such as the Vietnam International Choir Competition, in the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia and Spain among others. Dang Chau Anh is also well-known by Vietnam Television audience as M.C, Music expert, Jury of many music programs and competitions on Vietnam Broadcasting System over the whole country.
Randy Stenson (USA/Japan)
Randy Stenson is the Director of Choral Activities at St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo, Japan where he conducts the internationally acclaimed Varsity Ensemble and International Show Choir along with the school’s 130 voice Men’s Choir.
Globally recognized for his engaging use of expressive movement in choral rehearsal and performance, he is a leading international advocate for male choral music education. In demand as a guest conductor, choral clinician, and adjudicator he has directed Honor Choirs, All-State Choirs, Festival Choirs, lead workshops, lectured at universities and international conferences, and adjudicated festivals in over 40 countries.
Co-author of Creating Artistry: Movement and the Maturing Male Voice published by Hal Leonard; he edits the Randy Stenson Male Choral Series and Randy Stenson International Choral Series for Pavane Publishing; and is co-editor of the Randy and Rachel Stenson Choral Series for Santa Barbara Music Publications.
A graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and MME from VanderCook College of Music he studied under Paul J. Christiansen, Larry L. Fleming, and Robert Sinclair with further graduate study under David Ryal, and esteemed mentor Rodney Eichenberger.
Kittiporn Tantrarungroj (Thailand)
Kittiporn Tantrarungroj associated himself with choral singing since his early age as a member of a church choir in his hometown. He enriched his experiences and learned the art of choral conducting while studying in the Philippines.
He is a well-known figure both in Thailand and in the international choral community. He is frequently invited as lecturer, clinician and jury member and has also served as an adviser to several ensembles in Thailand. Tantrarungroj is a vivid choral arranger and composer. His over hundred choral arrangements are frequently sung by various choirs in Thailand.
He has conducted numerous groups, from church to school and university choir as well as community and concert choirs. At present, he conducts “The Bangkok Voices”, a multi-award winning choir which is considered to be the best choral group in Thailand and currently claiming place 114 in the INTERKULTUR World Ranking List.
Moreover Tantrarungroj is an accomplished piano and organ player.
Tantrarungroj lives in Bangkok and works as a surgeon. Besides conducting “The Bangkok Voices”, he also serves as Vice-President of the “Thailand Choral Association”, Member of the “International Federation of Choral Music - Asia-Pacific Choral Council” and Member of the “World Choir Council”.
Jonathan Velasco (Philippines)
Jonathan Velasco is a much sought-after choral conductor, clinician and adjudicator in the world today.
He and his choirs have won first prizes in major European choral competitions. He regularly adjudicates choral competitions in Europe and Asia, and gives choral conducting workshops and choral clinics worldwide. He currently conducts the Ateneo Chamber Singers.
Velasco is the Philippine representative in the INTERKULTUR World Choir Council. He was elected the first President of the Philippine Choral Directors Association in 2008. He was awarded the Pinoy Playlist Music Festival Ryan Cayabyab 2022 Award for his lifelong excellent contribution to Filipino choir music. He was recently appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to the Board of Trustees of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Wang Jin (China)
Born into a musical family of Chinese Opera composers and musicologists, Wang Jin began to play the piano at the age of six. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in choral conducting at the China Conservatory of Music under Professor Wu Lingfen and received her master’s degree in choral conducting at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music under Professor Ma Geshun. Later she studied with Professor Peter Erdei and Professor Eva Rozgonyi in Hungary and with Dr. Betsy Cook Weber in Houston-TX.
Wang Jin founded Shanghai BG Choir (2005) and was a founding member of The Shanghai International Festival Chorus-IFC (2003) and the Shanghai International Choral League-SICL (2011). Currently, Wang Jin has been a lecturer and jury member of several national and international choral competitions, an Associate Professor of Choral Conducting at Shanghai Normal University's Music College and lecturer at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She has been the artistic director and conductor at the Shanghai Opera Chorus, the Wen Zhou Great Theater Philharmonic Choir as well as Shanghai BG choir. She also is a board member of the China Chorus Association, and Vice-President of the Shanghai Choral Association.
INTERKULTUR
in cooperation with the
City of Hội An
President INTERKULTUR
Günter Titsch (Germany)
Artistic Committee
Prof. Dr. Ralf Eisenbeiß (Germany), Senior Artistic Director
Dang Chau Anh (Vietnam)
Johan Rooze (Netherlands)
Project Manager International
Thomas Schüle (Germany/Philippines)
INTERKULTUR Executive Committee
Günter Titsch (Germany)
Qin Wang (China)
Stefan Bohländer (Germany)
Dr. Christoph Wirtz (Germany), Secretary General
Organizers are INTERKULTUR Management GmbH and the City of Hoi An, Vietnam.
Program Book
Participating Groups
We are happy to welcome 32 choirs from 10 nations to the 5th Vietnam International Choir Competition!
DESTINATION
The historic coastal city of Hội An (translated as „peaceful meeting place“) is located directly at the South-Chinese Sea in Central Vietnam and surrounded picturesquely by paddy fields. Hội An was once the biggest port in South-East Asia and represented one of the most important harbours of the Silk Road. Already during the 4th century merchants from Arabia, Persia, India and China moored here.
The beautiful old town of Hội An was announced World Cultural Heritage in 1999 by the UNESCO and represents a well-preserved example of a Southeast-Asian trading port during the 15th up to the 19th century. Until now the old merchant homes can still be found on the banks of the Thu-Bon River and throughout the placid alleys. Visitors discover in every corner charming taverns, galleries and of course the typical colorful lantern shops and also temples, pagodas and prayer shrines. Vietnamese traditions mingle in Hội An with Japanese and Chinese elements – a sign of deeply rooted historical connections. Surrounded by all the original buildings, bridges and streets, time seems to have stopped. And nevertheless one is constantly surrounded by the lively Vietnamese everyday life with all its traditions and cultural activities – a fascinating experience!
Hội An is one of the most beautiful and charming destinations you can visit in Asia. In 2015 Hội An was chosen on rank 7 of the Top 25 Destinations in Asia (TripAdvisor).
The venues are located directly at the beach, which is part of the more than 120 km long coast of the Quang Nam province – the ideal place for refreshment in the cool sea after sudatory choral competitions!
By the way: During the event the famous Full Moon festival will also take place in Hội An. On this occasion all electric lights throughout the whole city are being switched off and the city is being illuminated by numerous candles and lanterns. On this evening Hội An is inspired by an emotional and nearly magical atmosphere!
Competition Results
We congratulate all singers to their great results! All in all 29 golden and 18 silver diplomas were awarded. Many thanks to all choirs and ensembles for participating!
Results(297 KB)