The marketplace in Wernigerode with its town hall and the timber frame buildings is a must-see for every visitor of the Harz. The town hall was originally being erected as a "Spelhus" and served as a court as well as a place for public entertainment for dance, juggler events and wedding festivities. Today it is the office building of the municipality Wernigerode. On the marketplace in front of the town hall the Wohltäterbrunnen (benefactor well) is being situated. The well, which was casted in 1848 by the  iron foundry Ilsenburg, shall remind the citizens of all people who rendered outstanding services for the welfare of Wernigerode. In 1991 e.g. the city installed a plaque for colonel Gustav Petri, who saved the city of Wernigerode in 1945 of being destroyed with his brave intervention. During the competition friendship concerts will be taking place on the market place.

Reference: www.wernigerode-tourismus.de, Photo: INTERKULTUR

Address: Westernstraße 29, 38855 Wernigerode

The Gerhart-Hauptmann School is one of the high schools in Wernigerode. During the competition evaluation performances and concerts take place in its beautiful Auditorium.

Address: Domplatz 16A, 38820 Halberstadt

Since over 1.200 years the St. Stephanus and St. Sixtus Dome is the spiritual centre of the city and the whole region. Fascinating works of art document its eventful history. The cathedral, which is nowadays open to the public, was erected between 1236 and 1486 according to the example of French cathedrals. 290 Medieval glass paintings glow in the windows of the presbytery. The most significant element is the monumental triumphal cross group, originating from about 1210 and representing a masterpiece of medieval carvers.

Reference: www.die-domschaetze.de, Photo: Domschatzverwaltung

On 3 March 2022, the Liebfrauen Concert Hall Wernigerode, the new home of the Wernigerode Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and a concert hall unique in its acoustics and architecture in the Harz region, was opened.

In the middle of the town centre, the church tower proudly stands out among the colourful half-timbered houses: the silhouette of the former Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) has long dominated the townscape of Wernigerode. The church, which is significant in the history of the town, was converted into a rehearsal and concert venue from January 2020 - December 2021 and is a consequence of the rich musical tradition in the town of Wernigerode.

Due to its construction, the hall church is excellently suited as a concert hall: the best view from the almost 500 seats, a stage large enough for a symphony orchestra, an excellent Sauer organ with 1800 organ pipes in 30 stops from 1883 and a choir loft above the stage.

The hall promises to be a uniquely inspiring space - at once spacious and intimate, contemporary and reminiscent of the former Liebfrauenkirche in its interior design.

With its excellent acoustics and striking architecture, the hall forms the musical centre of Wernigerode and offers a professional stage for local orchestras and guest artists alongside the Fürstlicher Marstall.

Events range from classical orchestra, choir and chamber music performances to jazz and world music evenings and singer-songwriter concerts.

Information & tickets: www.konzerthaus-wernigerode.de

Text: Konzerthaus Liebfrauen Wernigerode
Photos: Polyluchs Kreativagentur

Primož Kerštanj graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Ljubljana and has studied at Ljubljana University, Academy of Music. His current professional position is teaching piano and solfeggio at Willems Music Center DO RE MI Bled, where he also conducts the children‘s choir DO RE MI and the vocal group DO RE MI. Kerštanj is specialized in working with children with special needs and children with autistic spectrum disorder.

He has conducted several choirs in his career: Milko Škoberne female choir Jesenice, Vox Carniolus and from 2000 to 2010 Akademski pevski zbor France Prešeren Kranj. He has been directing Dekliški pevski zbor Gimnazije Kranj from 2006 to 2014 and has brought it to a high quality level.

Primož Kerštanj was awarded as best conductor in the competitions in Riva del Garda in 2007 and in Calella/Barcelona in 2013.

The female choir Carmen manet is one of the three choirs Primož Kerštanj conducts nowadays. Most important achievements of the choir was winning the Grand Prix at 50th Montreux Choral Festival in April 2014 and a gold plaque in the Slovenian national competition in Maribor in April 2016. 2017 Carmen manet became "Eurovision Choir of the Year 2017" which was broadcasted on TV in 12 European countries.

Primož Kerštanj is further an internationally sought-after composer, arranger and juror.

Axel Pfeiffer studied musicology and instrumental pedagogy with a major in piano in Gießen and Mainz, as well as choral conducting at the Akademie für Tonkunst in Darmstadt. As a choral conductor, he has won numerous first prizes with his choirs at national and international choral competitions. Since 2008 he has been the organisational director and one of two conductors of the "Landesjugendchor Hessen", since April 2023 he has been conducting the choir alone.

Axel Pfeiffer was national choir director of the Hessian Choir Youth and chairman of the Federal Music Committee of the Hessian Singers' Association. He taught music theory, choral voice training and rehearsal at the Frankfurt Choral Conducting School and, as head of the Marburg Choral Conducting School of the Hessian Singers' Association, the subjects of conducting, rehearsal and choral voice training. He teaches in seminars and advanced training courses and is regularly engaged as a critic and juror.

In 2009 Axel Pfeiffer founded the choir Cantamus Gießen. Since then, he has won numerous first prizes with this ensemble at competitions, including winning the Hessian Choir Competition in 2013, 2017 and 2022 and the highest score of the day of all participating choirs at the national choir competition at the Harmonie Festival in 2017.

Dr. Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng is the President of the Philippine Choral Directors Association, Associate Professor of Music at the University of the Philippines, Artistic Director of the Las Piñas International Bamboo Organ Festival, and Music Director of the New Millennium Evangelical Church.

She is a First Prize Winner at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Graduate Conducting Competition.

Highlights of the 2023 Season include serving as one of the artistic directors for the World Symposium on Choral Music, being a featured presenter at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference, and serving as guest conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. Performance and adjudication engagements have brought her to South Africa, Germany, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Spain, Vietnam, Portugal, and Singapore. She also regularly leads workshops in different parts of the Philippines.

Dr. Shangkuan-Cheng received a Bachelor of Music (summa cum laude) from the University of the Philippines, a Master of Music from the Yale School of Music and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan.

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.