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 more than 20 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 about hundred 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.

Josef Habringer, Master of Theology (studies in Linz and Salzburg), has gained his musical education at the Mozarteum in Salzburg (member of the ORF Choir Salzburg from 1974-1978), at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz (Music Education) and at the University of Vienna (song and oratorio). In 1972 he founded the vocal sextet Voices and has been conducting this group ever since. In 1978 he founded a choir at the Catholic University Community (KHG Choir) which has now about 70 singers and is performing since 1992 as Collegium Vocale Linz.

Josef Habringer has been working as a Cathedral Cantor at the Mariendom Linz since 2006 and from 1992-2014 as a referent for church music at the Diocese of Linz. He taught at the Pedagogical Academy of the diocese Linz from 1989-2005 and at the diocesan conservatory for sacred music from 1992-2014. Furthermore he gives lessons in and holds lectures about vocal training, solo singing and choir conducting e.g. at the choir Academy Krems, Vocal Week in Melk, Austrian Week for Sacred Music, Week of Choral Singing of the diocesan Linz, Choral Week Laudate Dominuma and the Sacred Choral Music Week in St. Gallen and Einsiedeln. Josef Habringer also performs as a tenor soloist regarding sacred music. In 2013 he was awarded the Gold Medal for Services to Upper Austria and in 2014 the Orlando di Lasso Medal.

Fred Sjöberg, born 1953, is an educated singer and choral conductor at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm and Örebro. Among others he has studied with Prof. Solwig Grippe, Prof. Eric Ericson and Prof. Helmuth Rilling. He has been the first conductor to conduct the three major international youth choirs as World Youth Choir (1991 and 2005), World Chamber Choir (1993) and European Youth Choir (1999).

When the Swedish organization for young choirs “UngiKör” started he was elected as their first president. In 2000 he was appointed as the “Conductor of the Year” in Sweden by SCDA (Swedish Choral Directors Association) appointed with the Johannes Norrby Medallion for outstanding and 2001 service and development to the Swedish Choral Life. From 1997 to 2004 he was the Music Director and conductor of the project “Notes for Millions”.

From 2000 to 2004 he was also Music Director of the Swedish Choral Centre as well as Artistic Director for Lund International Choral Festival from 2005 to 2006. Since 2009 he is Music Director of Swedish International Choral Centre in Örebro. Fred Sjöberg has been Vice President of Europa Cantat as well as President of the Music Commission of Europa Cantat and has also been Vice President of IFCM.

He is Council Member of INTERKULTUR and also on the Artistic Directorium of INTERKULTUR.

From 2015 he is General Artistic Director of INTERKULTUR.

- in memoriam -

Christian Ljunggren was born in 1942. He studied music at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm as well as musicology and theology at the University of Uppsala. For many years he worked at the Music Department of the Swedish National Broadcasting Company, and was responsible for the presentation and programming regarding music.

He was the conductor of the Adolf Fredrik Madrigal Choir since their foundation (1965 and 1974). He was the first President of the Swedish Choral Directors Association (1986 – 1998) and President of KÖRSAM, the joint committee of the Swedish choral organisations (1997 – 2004). From 1997-1999  he worked for the of IFCM, the International Federation for Choral Music, as the Secretary General from 1997-1999 and as a liaison officer (until 2005).

He was one of the Artistic Directors of INTERKULTUR and the Artistic Director of the World Choir Games. Due to his engagement as a clinician for seminars and workshops around the world and having built up the INTERKULTUR series of seminars in China the Swede gained growing recognition since 2003.

Christian Ljunggren has written numerous articles in Swedish and international magazines and was also a keen arranger of choral music.

Lena Ekman Frisk earned her master’s degree in choral conducting at the Malmö Academy of Music in 1993. Since 2000, Ms. Ekman Frisk teaches choral singing, methods, conducting and repertoire at the Malmö Academy of Music. In 2012 she was promoted to Senior Lecturer.

Ekman Frisk also serves as the director of the Southern Choral Centre – a cooperation between several distinguished music and educational institutions. Their common goal is to stimulate choral activities and choral education in the southern part of Sweden.

In 2011 she founded the Malmö Academy of Music Womens Chorus and in 2015 the chorus released its first CD: Spring Sketches. One year later, they received a Golden Diploma at the Gdansk International Choir Festival.

From 2003, Ekman Frisk also holds the position of conductor of Christianstad Motet Choir. The choir competed in 2007 in Warszaw International Choral Competition, where they received a Gold Medal. In 2013 they received the Culture Award from Kristianstad’s Newspaper.

From 2010 to 2016, Lena Ekman Frisk held the position as president of Swedish Choral Directors’ Association.

Josef Habringer, Master of Theology (studies in Linz and Salzburg), has gained his musical education at the Mozarteum in Salzburg (member of the ORF Choir Salzburg from 1974-1978), at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz (Music Education) and at the University of Vienna (song and oratorio). In 1972 he founded the vocal sextet Voices and has been conducting this group ever since. In 1978 he founded a choir at the Catholic University Community (KHG Choir) which has now about 70 singers and is performing since 1992 as Collegium Vocale Linz.

Josef Habringer has been working as a Cathedral Cantor at the Mariendom Linz since 2006 and from 1992-2014 as a referent for church music at the Diocese of Linz. He taught at the Pedagogical Academy of the diocese Linz from 1989-2005 and at the diocesan conservatory for sacred music from 1992-2014. Furthermore he gives lessons in and holds lectures about vocal training, solo singing and choir conducting e.g. at the choir Academy Krems, Vocal Week in Melk, Austrian Week for Sacred Music, Week of Choral Singing of the diocesan Linz, Choral Week Laudate Dominuma and the Sacred Choral Music Week in St. Gallen and Einsiedeln. Josef Habringer also performs as a tenor soloist regarding sacred music. In 2013 he was awarded the Gold Medal for Services to Upper Austria and in 2014 the Orlando di Lasso Medal.

Ernie Rhein teaches music and politics at the Taunusstein secondary school. He is also director of the renowned female chamber choir Cantando Cantabile and the Horbach Female Choir, one of Germany’s largest and most succesful womens choirs.

He studied with Professor Winfried Toll at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt (Main), graduating as a music teacher and choral director. Furthermore he has served on juries at numerous choral and composition competitions and is in demand as a lecturer and workshop director, especially in the field of female and youth choirs.

Ernie Rhein is the choral chairman of the Hessian Youth Choir association and a member of the Music Committee of the Hessian Singer’s Association. Since 2014, he has been a member of the extended board of the Professional Association of German Choral Directors (FDB).

Moreover, he has co-published the choir book "Reine Frauensache" at Edition Peters in 2016. Ernie Rhein is initiator and chief juror of "Chorrekt", which is an established Competition for choral composing.