Prior to the huge closing concert of the 30th Int. Franz Schubert Choir Competition and Sing Along Concert with the Berlin Radio Choir, Prof. Ralf Eisenbeiß, Artistic Director of INTERKULTUR insisted on awarding two longstanding companions of INTERKULTUR with the Golden Badge of Honor:

Hofrat Prof. Friedrich Lessky and Regierungsrat Prof. Herbert Wild have been working with INTERKULTUR for many years and contributed to many choral events being held in Austria since years.

First Prof. Lessky was awarded the Badge of Honor by Ralf Eisenbeiß: “The decades-long care of Franz Schubert’s choral music on a high artistic level is connected to you and your name. The International Franz Schubert Choir Competition is due to you and your friends in the Franz-Schubert-Gesellschaft Wien-Lichtental. We’re proud that INTERKULTUR continues this pearl among the international choral competitions with success since 2007 in cooperation with the Schubert-Gesellschaft.”

Also Prof. Wild was awarded the Badge of Honor by Ralf Eisenbeiß. “You’re one of the people that opened the way to INTERKULTUR in Austria through your sage and wise advice years ago,” he said. “We feel obliged to you and are very pleased that we’re having the pleasure of covering such a long, sometimes tough but always great way together with you.”

The following Sing Along Concert with Simon Halsey and the Berlin Radio Choir was a worthy closing of the 30. International Franz Schubert Choir Competition & 3rd Sing’n’Joy Vienna, which will be followed by many further choral events in Austria, supported by strong partners.