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.

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.

Ko Matsushita graduated at the top of his class from the Kunitachi College of Music, Department of Composition, and went on to study chorus conducting under the late prof. Reményi János, and prof. Erdei Péter in Budapest and Kecskemét (Kodály institute), Hungary.

He is currently the conductor and artistic director of 14 choirs, which are often invited to perform in Japan, Europe, America, Canada, and Asia. They have also achieved excellent showings in the choral circuit and won awards in international competitions.

A prolific composer and arranger, Matsushita’s works are performed around the world. His compositions vary widely, ranging from works based on traditional Japanese music, Masses, motets, to etudes for choirs.

Besides conducting and composing, Matsushita is also an active workshop clinician and lecturer both within and outside Japan.

Most recently, his choir “The Metropolitan Chorus of Tokyo” was invited to the National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association in Salt Lake City, USA in 2015.

In 2005, he became the first Asian to receive the“Robert Edler Prize for Choral Music” in recognition of his outstanding achievements worldwide in conducting, composing, performance, and education within the field of choral music.

He is currently the Artistic director of the Tokyo Choral Alliance KOYUKAI and Karuizawa International Choral Festival, a board member of the Tokyo Choral Association, as well as a member of the Japan Choral Directors Association, the International Kodaly Society, and a representative of the Workshop of the Choral Expression. Furthermore he is a member of Japan Composers & Arrangers Association.

Composer, conductor

• Winner of composition prizes from Tokyo, Japan and Tours, France
• Writer of approximately 300 commissioned works for choirs around the world
• Featured composer at JCDA Tokyo 2012 and and 2013 in South Africa, Japan, Indonesia and Croatia
• Jury member in Takarazuka (Japan), Cro Patria Split (Croatia), Rimini (Italy) and the IFCM Composition Contest in 2012

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.

Ko Matsushita graduated at the top of his class from the Kunitachi College of Music, Department of Composition, and went on to study chorus conducting under the late prof. Reményi János, and prof. Erdei Péter in Budapest and Kecskemét (Kodály institute), Hungary.

He is currently the conductor and artistic director of 14 choirs, which are often invited to perform in Japan, Europe, America, Canada, and Asia. They have also achieved excellent showings in the choral circuit and won awards in international competitions.

A prolific composer and arranger, Matsushita’s works are performed around the world. His compositions vary widely, ranging from works based on traditional Japanese music, Masses, motets, to etudes for choirs.

Besides conducting and composing, Matsushita is also an active workshop clinician and lecturer both within and outside Japan.

Most recently, his choir “The Metropolitan Chorus of Tokyo” was invited to the National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association in Salt Lake City, USA in 2015.

In 2005, he became the first Asian to receive the“Robert Edler Prize for Choral Music” in recognition of his outstanding achievements worldwide in conducting, composing, performance, and education within the field of choral music.

He is currently the Artistic director of the Tokyo Choral Alliance KOYUKAI and Karuizawa International Choral Festival, a board member of the Tokyo Choral Association, as well as a member of the Japan Choral Directors Association, the International Kodaly Society, and a representative of the Workshop of the Choral Expression. Furthermore he is a member of Japan Composers & Arrangers Association.

Composer, conductor

• Winner of composition prizes from Tokyo, Japan and Tours, France
• Writer of approximately 300 commissioned works for choirs around the world
• Featured composer at JCDA Tokyo 2012 and and 2013 in South Africa, Japan, Indonesia and Croatia
• Jury member in Takarazuka (Japan), Cro Patria Split (Croatia), Rimini (Italy) and the IFCM Composition Contest in 2012