Unanimously recognized as one of the greatest interpreters of the Renaissance and Baroque vocal repertoire, Giovanni Acciai studied choral music, choir conducting organ and organ composition at the Conservatory “Giuseppe Verdi” in Milan, and took his master degree in musicology at Pavia University.

He was conductor of the Chamber Choir and of the Symphonic Choir of the Italian Broadcast and of the Corale Universitaria of Turin. Presently, he is the conductor and artistic director of the vocal and instrumental ensembles “I Solisti del Madrigale”, and “Nova ars cantandi”, with which he carries out an intense concert and recording activity; he has published several articles and reviews on early music, musicological essays, as well as recordings of unreleased works for the publishers Antes, Stradivarius, Sarx, Unda maris, Tactus and Archiv Deutsches Grammophon.

His latest CD production with Nova Ars Cantandi, the "Armonici entusiasmi di Davide" by Giovanni Battista Bassani, has been nominated for the International Classic Music Award as the best CD of the year 2017 in the category Early Music.

His CD "Contrafacta" was named album of the month for the magazines Classic Voice and Amadeus as well as his CD "Responsoria" by Leonardo Leo for the music critic review Musica. He teaches musical history and early music semiography at the Conservatory “Giuseppe Verdi” in Milan, moreover he is the artistic director of the International choir competitions of Quartiano, Grado, Perugia and Lucca. He is regularly invited as an international jury member and jury president in most renewed choir competitions; he is sought after as a lecturer at conferences of musicology and asked to hold masterclasses for choral conducting in Italy and abroad.

For his high-ranking international artistical achievements in 1991, he was appointed honorary member of the American Choral Directors Associations (ACDA). Giovanni Acciai was a member in the panel of the International juries at the Choir Olympics as well as the World Choir Games and since 2004 he is an active member and official representative for Italy in the World Choir Games International World Choir Council. Since 2014, he is artistic director of the Accademia di Musica Antica of Milan and since 2005 active member of the Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne” (REMA) of Versailles.

Prof. Ren studied under the supervision of the conductor and music educator Prof. Geshun Ma, and started his own career in choral arts and teaching in 1983. By adding decades of practical achievements into Chinese choral realm, with the aid of innovation, he created the distinctive choir “Peiyang Acoustics”.

Prof. Ren is regularly invited to give lectures in more than 30 provinces and cities in China and many young conductors and composers are nurtured by Prof. Ren, like Yong Mao, Yuchuan Wen, Wenhao Mou, Jinming Zhu, Can Zheng, Wei Cui.

Throughout the years, he has set up Choral Appreciation, Chorus and Conduct and other courses at the Tianjin University. Apart from that, he advocates for holding Chinese Chorus Conductor Masterclasses, the pedagogic achievements of which won the Chinese government's rewards. Prof. Ren also shouldered the responsibility successively to be the Art Director of more than 20 choirs and is guest professor at a large number of universities.

Prof. Baoping Ren is Vice Director-General of the China Choral Association and of the China higher-education academy musical education major committee, Chairman of China higher-education choral committee, Vice Director of the China Choral Association University Choral Committee, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of Peiyang Chorus and is regularly invited as a judge for international choir competitions.

Michael is the conductor of the University of Pretoria (TUKS) Camerata and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Music. He was a member of the Drakensberg Boys Choir and today holds a Doctorate in Music Performance (UP) and a Performance Licentiate from UNISA.
Tuks Camerata is largely regarded as one of the finest University ensembles in the world, having won the World Choir Games (Riga 2014), the Grand Prix of Nations (Riga 2017) and having been invited to the World Choral Symposium in Barcelona (2017). The choir has been nominated for three consecutive SAMA’s for CD Albums that have been received to critical acclaim. Michael is also an active composer and arranger. His music is internationally published by Santa Barbara Music Publishers and Walton Music.

Benedykt Błoński (1957) - conductor, choirmaster, university lecturer.

A graduate of the Music Academy in Warsaw (1982). Academic employee at the Art Department of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.

In 1999 (at the age of 42!) he received the title of professor of musical arts. Since 2012 - dean of the Faculty of Arts. Since 1982 he has been running choirs earning the highest national awards and international choir competitions. He has conducted hundreds of concerts in Poland, Europe (Greece, Ireland, Great Britain, Belgium, Lithuania, Belarus, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Vatican, Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia) 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.

He is a member of artistic councils and jury of choir competitions and festivals of national and international range. He was the artistic director of the international choir workshops Eurochor 2001, artistic director of the Polish-German Choir Academy In Terra Pax.

Since 2008 he has been a member of the International Choir Olympic Council and also the artistic director of the International Choir Festival by Feliks Nowowiejski in Barczewo (Poland). Since 2009, the conductor of the CANTORES VARMIENSES Choir at the Warmian-Masurian Philharmonic in Olsztyn. He has been honored with numerous awards and distinctions for his artistic, pedagogical and organizational activities.

conductor, pianist, adjudicator

• licenciate of the Royal Schools of Music in Choral Conducting
• pianist and pedagogue
• founder and director of the children's choir "Cor Vivaldi of Barcelona"
• national and international adjudicator in Tours, Cantonigròs, Linz, Calella, Torrevieja and others
• has commissioned and premiered several new works dedicated to him and his choir

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

Jürgen Budday studied music education, church music and musicology from 1967 to 1974 at the State University of Music and the Performing Arts Stuttgart. From 1979 to 2012, he taught at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Maulbronn, a high school with boarding school.

He is the founder and artistic director of the "Maulbronn Chamber Choir", which he conducted until June 2016. From 1979 to 2013, he was the artistic director of the "Maulbronn Monastery Concerts" at the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Baden-Württemberg and developed the concert series into a classical music festival with international renown.

With the Maulbronn Chamber Choir he has won numerous prizes at home and abroad, such as 1st prize at the International Choir Days in Prague in 1990 and 1998, 2nd prize at the 3rd German Choir Competition in 1990 in Stuttgart, 2nd prize in 2009 at the International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf and victory at the International Choir Competition in Malta.

Regular activities as guest conductor, workshop leader and juror also lead Jürgen Budday to travel regularly at home and abroad.

From 2002 – 2019, he was Chairman of the Advisory Board for Choirs at the German Music Council and thus Jury Chairman of the German Choir Competition and has been the Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Federal Youth Choir at the German Music Council (DMR) since 2019.

In 2013, Jürgen Budday received the Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Ring, one of the highest awards in choral music, and in 2014 he was appointed artistic director of the International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf.

teacher, conductor, author, clinician

• Professor in choral conducting and management
• conductor of the "Vocal Group Nordic Blue" and the "Defrost Youth Choir"
• frequently engaged as guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator at international competitions
• specialist within the psychological / pedagogical aspects of choral leadership, coupled with the traditional perspectives of choral conducting and in the cross field between classical and rhythmical singing and conducting
• author of "The Learning Conductor", a book on choral conducting (2016)

conductor, adjudicator, lecturer

• National First Class Conductor and Vice President of China Chorus Association
• Director of Mass Chorus Committee of Chinese Chorus Association
• President of Guangdong Chorus Association and President of Shenzhen Chorus Society
• founder and Director of Guangdong International Choral Pedagogic Education Project
• has directed many choruses, which have won champion titles in numerous choral contests, both home and abroad in recent years

choir and orchestra conductor, Head Master

• established choir and orchestra conductor
• under his direction, his ensembles have won international accolades and championships
• the "Diocesan Boys' School Choir" is four-time World Champion at the World Choir Games
• Joint Choir of Diocesan Boys’ School and Diocesan Girls’ School is Hong Kong’s highest ranking choir in the World
• received the "Outstanding Artistic Award" as well as "The Outstanding Conductor Award" at International Competitions
• headmaster of the Diocesan Boys' School, Hong Kong

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

conductor, lecturer

• Director of Choral Activities at Mansfield, University of Pennsylvania and Conductor of the awarding-winning "Mansfield University Concert Choir"
• international lecturer on Choral Pedagogy and guest conductor throughout the United States
• winner of the "Elaine Brown Award for Choral Excellence" presented by the American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania (ACDA), "Presidential Coin of Excellence" and "Honored Artist of the American Prize"
• President-Elect of the Eastern Division of the ACDA

conductor, professor, composer

• 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

conductor, composer

• Associate Professor in Choral Music at the University of Southern California, USA
• award winning conductor and composer, active guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator and conducting pedagogue in North and South America, Europe and Asia
• member of the IFCM Board of Directors and current chair of the Ethnic and Multicultural Committee for the Western Division of the ACDA
• founder of a new Choral Series published by Gentry as an editorial outlet for new Latin American choral repertoire

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

composer, conductor, associate professor

• one of Israel's most prominent and well known composers and conductors
• jury member at 9 World Choir Games
• composed more than 100 compositions, including chamber, choral and orchestral music
• received the "Prime Minister's Award for Composition" (1997, 2015) and the "ACUM Life Achievement Award" (2008)
• since 1976 Associate Professor in choral and orchestral conducting at the Jerusalem Academy of Music, Israel
• principal conductor and Music Director of the "Kefar Sava Chamber Choir", Israel

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

conductor, international juror, teacher

• founder and Artistic Director of the "Swiss National Youth Choir", the "Oberwalliser Vokalensemble" and the "Sing-School Oberwallis"
• Artistic Director of the international competition "Montreux Choral Festival" and the "Alpine Choir Festival"
• former Vice President and Chairman of Europa Cantat Music Commission
• teaches soloist singing and choral conducting at "Music School Oberwallis"

professor, couductor, editor

• Professor and Dean of Choral Conducting Department at the Brno Conservatory
• Artistic Director and principal conductor of "Korea Chamber Singers"
• former music director of "Kwangju City Chorus" & "Namyanhju City Choir"
• Artistic Director of Korea Btec Inc.

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.

After graduating with a degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Performing Arts (VŠMU) in Bratislava under Prof. Peter Hradil, Milan Kolena continued his studies of Gregorian Chant with Prof. J.Kohlhaufl at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. He is the author of the first Slovakian professional publication about Gregorian chant: ”Current Directions in Interpretation of Gregorian Chant“. He actively cooperates with Prof. Dr. F.K. Prassl from Graz and Prof. Dr. J.B. Goschl from Munich regarding the interpretation of Gregorian chant and teaches choir conducting and Gregorian chant at the VŠMU. Kolena regularly acts as a jury member and leads workshops about vocal polyphony, Gregorian chant and Slovakian contemporary music all over the world. Since 1998 he has been the Art Director of the international festival in Bratislava and since 2013 he is the president of the Slovakian Choral Association. Kolena recorded CDs of Bratislava antiphons for the Slovakian National Library together with Schola Gregoriana Bratisalvensis. In 2014 he gave lectures at three American universities regarding the interpretation of Latin texts in Sacred Choral Music. He was awarded the special prize for the best conductor during the „Singing World“ choral competition in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2015.

Artistic Director, conductor, professor

• Artistic Director and chief conductor of the grand choir "Masters of Choral Singing"
• Head of the Contemporary Choral Performing Art Department of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory
• Artistic Director of the master class "The National Youth Chorus of Russia's Conservatories"
• The Chief Choirmaster of the "All Russians Children's Choir"
• Head of the jury panel of the "All Russians Choral Conductors Competition"

Gulmira Kuttybadamova graduated from the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory in Almaty in 1994.

Already starting during her studies until 1998 she was choirmaster of the State Choral Chapel. Subsequently, from 1998 until 2011 she was head of the Choral Conducting Department at Kazakh National University of Arts. There she co-developed the educational program of the Choir Conducting Department. Moreover Kuttybadamova initiated and organized the Choir Festival "Astana - on the wings of song" in 2000, 2008 and 2010 and organized a number of workshops for students and choirmasters.

Gulmira Kuttybadamova is professor at the Kazakh National University of Arts and founder and art director of the "Samgau" Chamber Choir which is affiliated to the university and the Children's Choir "Eligai".

Further she is the art director and chief conductor of the "State Philharmonic Chamber Choir of Astana".

Kuttybadamova is a Laureate of the State Scholarship (2011, 2012) and was appointed "Honored Culture Worker" for the "Excellence in education" by the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Under her direction choirs have received top prizes at different international competitions.

Gulmira Kuttybadamova is regularly invited to judge at national and international choir competitions all over the world.

chief conductor, artistic director, lecturer

• graduated with honors from Moscow State Conservatory P.I. Tchaikovsky
• principal chorus master and later on Artistic Director and chief conductor of the Russian State Music Center of Television and Radio from 1994 to 2015
• Artistic Director of the "State Academic Siberian Russian Folk Choir"
• Artistic Director of Russian folk choir "ZIL" which is the oldest amateur choir in Moscow
• Honored Artist of the Russian Federation
• teacher for musical disciplines at the Moscow State Institute of Culture

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, professor, adjudicator

• Professor of the Choir Conducting Department at Ural Mussorgsky State Conservatoire
• Creative Director of chamber choir "Lik" from 1996 till 2013
• Chairwoman of the Choir Society of the Region Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg)
• member of the Executive Committee of the Russian National Choir Society
• Laureate of the international competition "Christmas in Russia" in 2006

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)

choral conductor, singer, clinician, adjudicator

• graduate with distinction from Birmingham Conservatoire (UK) in choral conducting and voice
• Artistic Director and conductor at Young Choral Academy (Malaysia)
• resident chorus master at Kuala Lumpur City Opera (Malaysia)
• co-founder of the Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod
• international choral conductor, singer, clinician and adjudicator

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

conductor, piano teacher, jazz pianist, juror

• director and founder of the Gitameit Music Center
• founded "Gitameit Voices" which is believed to be the first secular choir in Myanmar in 2004
• Principal at Legacy Music Academy, Music Supervisor at International Language and Business Center (ILBC) in Myanmar
• in 2010, he successfully organized the very first choir festival in Myanmar in partnership with a Malaysian choir
• representative of INTERKULTUR in Myanmar

choral conductor, lecturer, adjudicator

• studied choral conducting in France with Stéphane Caillat and Jacqes Barathon and in the Netherlands with Jos V. Veldoven
• founder and director of several choirs, among them the "Children's Choir of Bénin"
• created the festival "Les Rencontres Polyphoniques du Bénin"
• guest conductor and lecturer in Namibia, South Africa, Belgium, France, USA, Canada, Togo and the Netherlands

professor, composer, conductor, juror

• Professor (1986-2010) and Emeritus Professor (2010-present) in composition at the College of Music, Dankook University
• Music Director and choral conductor at the Seoul Presbyterian Church since 1992
• composer of 150 choral pieces including mass "O Lord our Lord" (2015), Missa Brevis "Arirang" (2015) and "Praise the Lord" (2015)
• member of the Asian Composer’s League (ACL), International Society of Contemporary Music (ISCM) and Contemporary Music Society in Seoul (CMSS)

conductor, lecturer, clinician, juror

• founder and conductor of "Exaudi Chamber Choir" since 1987, which regularly receives first prizes at international choir competitions
• Professor of Choral Conducting at the University of Arts and the National School of Music in Havana
• internationally sought-after adjudicator, workshop leader and guest lecturer in Cuba and abroad
• member of the National Program for Development of the Choral Music

conductor, lecturer, chorus master, juror

• graduated from the Leningrad State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire in choral, opera and symphony conducting
• guest lecturer and lecturer for choral and symphony conducting at the St. Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire
• Principal Chorus Master of Mariinsky Theatre since 2000
• toured to more than twenty countries with various choruses, ballet companies and symphony orchestras
• Honoured Artist of Russia (2008)

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

conductor, lecturer, clinician

• made a distinguished career as a conductor and pedagogue
• her choirs "Grex Musicus" and "Philomela" have been successful in many competitions at home and abroad
• characterized as a pioneer of female choir singing and inspiring instructor at domestic and international choir seminars
• the President of Finland granted her the Finnish honorary title of "musiikkineuvos" in 2009

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)

conductor, professor, lecturer

• graduate of the Humboldt-University of Berlin (music education) and the Academy of Music "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin (choral and ensemble conducting)
• conductor of successful national and international choirs
• from 1980-1994 honorary lecturer in choral conducting at the Humboldt-University
• since 2005, choral conducting professor at the State University of Campinas, Brazil
• juror and head of national and international conductor seminars worldwide
• was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit with Ribbon of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2004 for his services to German choir music

conductor, professor, adjudicator

• Music Director of "Symphony Silicon Valley Chorus"
• Artistic Director of the "Cantabile Youth Singers"
• Professor of Conducting and Director of choral studies at San Jose State University
• international guest conductor and adjudicator
• editor of Elena Sharkova Choral Series at Carl Fischer Music Publishing

conductor, composer, adjudicator

• studied composition at the University of Sydney and on scholarship in Germany
• composes choral, orchestral and chamber music and music for film and advertising
• has conducted throughout Australia, Europe and Asia, including "Musica da Camera", the "Gold Coast Youth Orchestra", "Coffs Regional Youth Orchestra", "North Coast Camerata" and "Beecraft Symphony Orchestra"
• jury member at the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna and the Leonardo da Vinci International Choral Festival in Florence

conductor, composer, adjudicator

• Artistic Director of the children’s and youth choir "Preobrajhenie"
• Head of the Foundation of Creative Development "Preobrajhenie"
• member of the Union of Composers of Russia
• author of choral works and songs for children and adults
• works at the Natalya Sats Musical Theatre and the musical theatre Helikon-Opera
• juror at international choir competitions worldwide
• chairman of the jury of the International Vocal and Choral Competition of Jean Sibelius in Turku, Finland

• 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, artistic director, professor

• Artistic Director of the "Suwon City Women's Silver Choir"
• conductor of the "Old Boy's Choir"
• Head of the "Korea International Federation of Choral Directors"
• Professor at Calvin University of Music
• Professor at Anyang University School of Music

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.

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”.

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

juror, lecturer, producer, publisher

• studied music history, organ and music education
• Secretary General of the European Federation for Choirs of the Union
• 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 music festivals in Basel, Nantes, Poznan and Riga

André van der Merwe is a conductor and composer from Cape Town, South Africa. 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 initially studied B.Mus at the University of Cape Town, but later changed course and studied B.Drama (Directing) at the University of Stellenbosch. He received national awards and prizes as actor and director. André van der Merwe was invited e.g. 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 Rankings) 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. In 2012 André has been selected as the South African representative on the World Choir Council for INTERKULTUR.

Jonathan Velasco is a much sought after choral conductor, clinician and adjudicator in the world today. He studied at the University of the Philippines College of Music and at the Berliner Kirchenmusikschule in Germany.

He was a member and assistant conductor of the World Youth Choir, and for the 1996 summer session became its first Asian conductor. Jonathan Velasco regularly holds choral clinics and workshops all over the world. Together with his choirs, he has won first prizes in choral competitions in Maribor, Cork, Marktoberdorf, Tolosa, Torrevieja, and Riga. He has also been a member of the jury in prestigious choral competitions in Europe and Asia. He currently conducts the Ateneo Chamber Singers.

Jonathan Velasco is an adviser to the board of the International Federation for Choral Music, and is the Philippine representative to the World Choir Council. In 2008, he was elected the first President of the newly formed Philippine Choral Directors Association.

Elena Veremeenko was born in 1978 in Leningrad and, at 7 years old, studied at the first Children's Choir Studio "Pioneria" in the USSR, founded by Russian composer and conductor G. Struve in 1953. In 2002, Elena Veremeenko graduated with honors from the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory (Class Choral Conducting) and has worked with leading conductors of the world in a chamber choir under the direction of B. Tevlin. She is a participant of international competitions and master-classes in Italy, Germany, Finland, France, Austria, Poland, the USA, and others. In 1998 she was a choirmaster of "Pioneria". In 2004, she became the chief choirmaster and conductor, and – under her musical leadership – the choir won numerous prizes and diploma in national and international competitions (Germany, Italy, Austria, Ukraine etc.). Besides competitions, the choir has held many concerts in Russia and abroad and takes part in shows with Moscow’s best orchestras. Since 2014 the choir has been acting in the New Opera Theatre of Moscow with various repertoire (Bach, Tchaikovsky, Puccini, Szymanowski, Janacek). Elena Veremeenko is the artistic director of the annual choir festival held in the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory; moreover, she works as an actress and soloist at the Theatre of Music and Poetry under E. Kamburova.

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 and is 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.

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"

choral conductor, teacher

• lecturer at the Department of Fine Arts-Music Education at Uludag University in Bursa
• former instructor at the Department of Music Education, Burdur Faculty of Education at Suleyman Demirel University
• conductor of "Nilufer Polyphonic Choir" since 2006
• past Music Director of Bursa State Theater
• awarded as "The Best Conductor" at international choir competitions in Italy, Spain and Turkey
• member of Bursa Philharmonic Association

conductor, professor, musicologist, author

• Professor of Choral Conducting and Chairman of the Institute of Culture and Art at Moscow Pedagogical University
• Artistic Director and conductor of the chamber choir “Gaudeamus” of the Moscow State Technical University of N. Bauman
• Chairman of the Commission of the Academic Choruses of the Moscow Musical Society and member of the executive committee of the All-Russian Choral Society
• musicologist and author of textbooks and manuals devoted to choral performance and conducutor’s and choral pedagogics
• Honored Artist of Russia (1989)