2019 CODI Programme Book

Contents Pages

Tickets 4

Foreword 5

SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER

Pre-festival Event: Anticlockwise 10

WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBER

Symposium 12 Conducting Masterclass 13 The Armed Man with Ulster Orchestra & Festival Chorus

THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER

Primary School Competitions & Big Sing Passion and Polyphony with The Gesualdo Six Bruckner Mass in E Minor with Codetta, Beckmann Foundation Choir & Ulster Orchestra

FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER

Post-Primary School Competitions & Big Sing

14 20 22 26 30

SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER

National Competitions 42 Closing Gala Concert & Awards Ceremony 44 Special Awards 46

EVERY VOICE COMMUNITY PROGRAMME

Community Concerts 49 Choral Trails 50 Sacred Trail 51 Events Map 52

BIOGRAPHIES

Adjudicators 54 International Choirs 60 Evening Concert Presenters 68 Festival Friends and Sponsors 70 Festival Schedule 74

All details correct at time of going to print

SLIXS 34

SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER

National Competitions 36 Big Sing Workshop 39 International Competition 40

Ticket Information

Tickets available from the Millennium Forum Box Office, Newmarket Street, Derry.

Call +44 (0) 28 7126 4455

Book online at www.millenniumforum.co.uk

N.B. Booking fees apply

Evening Concerts

Saturday 19 October

Anticlockwise, Millennium Forum, 19.30

Massed Choir and Ulster Orchestra

£12 (full), £6 (concessionary/groups)

Wednesday 23 October

The Armed Man with Ulster Orchestra and Festival Chorus, Guildhall, 19.30

£25 (full), £15 (concessionary/groups)

Thursday 24 October

The Gesualdo Six, Christ Church, 19.30 £15 (full), £10 (concessionary/groups)

Bruckner Mass in E Minor, St. Eugene’s Cathedral, 22.00

Codetta, Beckmann Foundation Choir & members of the Ulster Orchestra

Retiring collection

Friday 25 October

SLIXS, St. Columb’s Hall, 19.30

£20 (full), £12 (concessionary/groups)

Saturday 26 October

International Competition, St. Columb’s Hall, 19.30 £12 (full), £6 (concessionary/groups)

Sunday 27 October

Closing Gala Concert, St. Columb’s Hall, 19.30 £12 (full), £6 (concessionary/groups)

Full Festival Pass

All events (value £133.50) £100 (full), £60 (concessionary)

Competition Day Pass

All competitions for one day £5 (full), £3 (concessionary/groups)

Available to purchase on the door only

FOREWO RD

It’s that time of year again – the beautiful summer flower displays have gone, the leaves are falling from the trees and the City of Song bursts into life. Welcome to the seventh edition of the City of Derry International Choir Festival.

What a fantastic week of exciting and varied music we have ahead of us. Just a quick scan of the menu of events listed in the contents page of this programme is sufficient to get the musical taste buds going – a feast for the ears!

Among the returning guest artists are SLIXS, who received a deafening ovation at the end of their memorable performance at the festival in 2016 and the Ulster Orchestra, who will once again accompany the Festival Chorus for the opening night Gala Concert.

We welcome The Gesualdo Six as first-time visitors to the festival, who will perform as part of a double bill of concerts on Thursday night in the beautiful and contrasting settings of Christ Church and St. Eugene’s Cathedral. Joining Codetta for the late-night concert will be 10 singers from Mexico, courtesy of the generous support of the Beckmann Foundation in Tequila.

Community Programme, organised in partnership with local community arts organisation Allegri.

Enormous thanks as always goes to our small army of volunteers, to you our audience, to our friends, sponsors and funders, and of course to all the singers who bring such joy to the thousands who will be fortunate to hear them as part of Festival 2019.

Enjoy the feast!

Dónal Doherty

Artistic

Director of the Festival

The prestigious Oak Tree of Derry trophy has attracted superb choirs from as far away as Brazil to this year’s festival. They will entertain us in St Columb’s Hall and at many venues throughout the city, where they will be joined by hundreds of other singers as part of the extensive Every Voice

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF DERRY INTERNATIONAL CHOIR FESTIVAL 2019

As Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, I am delighted that we are once again hosting the City of Derry International Choir Festival. Now in its seventh year, the festival has built on the legacy of City of Culture 2013. Once again our reputation as the city of song will be well represented on an international stage. Not only does the festival attract choirs from across the globe, it also shines a light on our local singing talent, and I am particularly pleased to see a significant number of community concerts happening across the city, with Choral Trails and performances at many Sunday services through the Sacred Trail. Derry truly is a city with a great choral tradition at its heart, and it is exciting to see school and community choirs participating in competitions, concerts and pop-up events around the city.

Councillor Michaela Boyle

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council

The Council welcomes the opportunity to support this festival, which has already gained international recognition at the highest level and which provides a platform for singers of all ages and backgrounds to come together, share their experiences and celebrate a joyful feast of music-making.

On behalf of Derry City and Strabane District

Council, I would like to extend my best wishes to everyone associated with the festival and wish it every success.

A NOTE FROM OUR FUNDERS…

The Arts Council is proud to support the seventh City of Derry International Choir Festival, as once again it offers local audiences the opportunity to enjoy some of the most sought-after choral performers from around the world.

Thanks to its growing international reputation as a major celebration of the choral tradition, the festival continues to reach new heights of excellence. This year’s impressive programme boasts, for instance, world-class artists and choirs, SLIXS, The Gesualdo Six and outstanding homegrown talent in the form of Festival Chorus performing with the Ulster Orchestra and a stunning new work from Dumbworld.

The Arts Council supports the festival with funding from the National Lottery, which this year celebrates its 25th birthday. I would take this occasion to acknowledge the invaluable role that the Lottery plays in enabling arts organisations throughout Northern Ireland to deliver highquality, inspiring and enriching arts and cultural experiences for everyone to enjoy. With this backing, the City of Derry International Choir Festival is achieving great things, as it continues to deepen our appreciation of choral music and engage the whole city in song.

Ciaran Scullion Head of Music Arts Council of Northern Ireland

proud sponsors of the city of derry international choir festival

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PRE-FESTIVAL CONCERT

ANTICLOCKWISE

Millennium Forum, 19.30

Ulster Orchestra, Conductor Fergus Sheil

Codetta, Codetta Youth Choir & North Belfast Youth Choir, Conductor Dónal Doherty

Ulster University Chamber Choir, Conductor Shaun Ryan

Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana, Conductor Maeve Byrne

The award-winning Dumbworld, in collaboration with the Ulster Orchestra, has teamed up with 150 young people from Northern Ireland – North Belfast Youth Choir, Codetta, Codetta Youth Choir, Scoil Mhuire (Buncrana) and Ulster University Chamber Choir – to create a large-scale work that is a provocative and urgent response to the world of 2019.

A passionate study of gender, politics and mental health… Fortnite, zooz and human rights… new words for the Oxford English Dictionary and the ‘orangeness’ of Trump… you can expect visceral, exhilarating music, singing and film from this inspiring, Youtubing, Instagramming, social media savvy, post-Millennial generation!

‘Young people of the world take over… for if you don’t the world will come to an end!’

Composer

Writer & Director

Video Designer

Production Manager

Brian Irvine

John McIllduff

Conan McIvor

Ross McDade

Lights, Sound AV Moonlighting

Produced by Dumbworld in collaboration with the Ulster Orchestra.

DUMBWORLD

Dumbworld is an artist-led creative production company based in Belfast, established in 2009 by composer/conductor Brian Irvine and filmmaker/ writer/director John McIllduff.

Dumbworld makes work that is to be found at the intersection of music, image and words, including film, opera, documentary, oratorio, animation, public art installation, performance pieces, theatre and curatorial projects.

and delivered 17 productions engaging over 6,500 participants of all ages, background and demographics, attracting audiences of over 23,000.

Dumbworld is dedicated to creating innovative multidisciplinary projects that are created, devised and delivered in partnership with people from all corners of society. The work connects across all dimensions of society, fosters genuine respect, raises hope and ambition, and develops individual creative skills.

Since the company’s creation in 2009 it has emerged as a major force within Northern Ireland and the UK, working collaboratively with national and international artists as well as organisations including the Ulster Orchestra, City of Derry International Choir Festival, Northern Ireland Science Festival, Culture Night, Irish National Opera and London 2012 Olympics. To date, Dumbworld has created

SYMPOSIUM

Song Seeking Project

In partnership with Sing Ireland Ulster University, Magee

FREE ENTRY, OPEN TO ALL

09.30: Registration

10–12: Welcome, panel discussion & workshop

How can singing help bring communities together and contribute to a sense of identity?

This year’s symposium will introduce findings from the Song Seeking Project, funded by Creative Ireland under the National Creativity Fund. It involved the creation of six intergenerational singing groups, working with choral facilitators and a composer, and was a cross-agency collaboration between Mary Immaculate College, Sing Ireland and the Irish Refugee Council.

The presenters will include Dermot O’Callaghan, Sing Ireland, and Dónal Kearney, Fingal Academy of Music, both of whom were directly involved in the project.

CONDUCTING MASTERCLASSES

FREE ENTRY, OPEN TO ALL

12.45: Registration

13.00 – 15.00: Conducting Masterclass

The masterclass will be led by Josep Vila i Casañas, one of the most recognised choral conductors in Catalonia and Spain. Since 2005, he has been a Professor of Choral Conducting at the Music High School of Catalonia. In addition to teaching, he is regularly a guest professor at international masterclasses, and as a chorus master he has collaborated with some of the best conductors in the world, including Daniel Barenboim, Sir Simon Rattle and Gustavo Dudamel.

The conducting masterclass will include discussions on choral training, conducting techniques, score preparation, repertoire selection and choir management.

Guest choir: Ulster University Chamber Choir, directed by Dr. Shaun Ryan

The Ulster University Chamber Choir has gained popular and critical acclaim for its distinctive performances. Dr. Shaun Ryan, Senior Lecturer in Music and Choral Director, has been instrumental in developing the choir’s reputation over the last 15 years. The choir regularly contributes to charity fundraising, and has been the focus of numerous TV and radio broadcasts.

OPENING GALA CONCERT

Ulster Orchestra & Festival Chorus

Guildhall, 19.30

Ulster Orchestra

Neil Ferris, Conductor

Dónal Doherty, Chorus Master

PROGRAMME

Enigma Variations, Edward Elgar

The Opening Gala Concert begins with Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations. Composed in 1898-9 for orchestra as a theme and 14 variations, it proved a landmark work for its composer and for English music. Each of the variations (Variation 9 ‘Nimrod’ being the best known) is a portrait of a friend, identified by initials or a nickname. The nature of the titled ‘enigma’ Elgar refused to disclose and remains mysterious to this day, despite many attempted decipherings.

INTERVAL

The Armed Man, Karl Jenkins

Kathryn O’Callaghan, Natalia de la Torre Sopranos

Itzeli Jauregui, Mayela Lopez, Helen O’Hare Altos

Omar Florez Tenor

Carlos Lopez Baritone

Jacobo Guzman Bass

Ibrahim Albero Muezzan

The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was commissioned by the Royal Armouries to mark the transition from one millennium to another. It reflects on the passing of ‘the most war-torn and destructive century in human history’ and looks forward in hope to a more peaceful future. The Armed Man is dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo conflict, whose tragedy was unfolding as the work was being composed. It was first performed in 2000 by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, conducted by Jenkins himself.

The texts were chosen jointly by the composer and the then Master of the Royal Armouries, Guy Wilson. A framework is provided by the traditional Catholic Mass and includes settings of the Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Benedictus, some of which have become popular self-standing pieces to be heard, for instance, on Classic FM. But what makes the work distinctive are the lyrics drawn from many parts of the world and from diverse religions and cultures. The music too is cosmopolitan in its inspiration.

Notes by Stuart Brown

ULSTER ORCHESTRA

Founded in 1966, the Ulster Orchestra has been at the forefront of musical life in Northern Ireland and the Orchestra’s full-time musicians form the region’s only professional symphony orchestra.

In 2019 the Ulster Orchestra was delighted to welcome Daniele Rustioni as its new Chief Conductor. Rustioni joins a distinguished line of past principal conductors including Bryden Thomson, Vernon Handley, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Thierry Fischer, Kenneth Montgomery, JoAnn Falletta and, most recently, Rafael Payare. Dutch conductor Jac van Steen’s relationship with the Orchestra was recognised in 2014 through his appointment as Principal Guest Conductor.

With a mission to enrich the lives of people living in Northern Ireland, those visiting, and those who encounter it through international touring and regular radio and TV broadcasts with both BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio 3, the Orchestra strives for excellence in all it undertakes.

The Ulster Orchestra gives around 40 evening and lunchtime concerts each season in its home, the Ulster Hall, and in the Belfast Waterfront. The Orchestra performs for the BBC Radio 3 invitational concert series at the Ulster Hall and in front of tens of thousands for the BBC’s Proms in the Park celebrations each year.

Neil Ferris was appointed Chorus Director of the BBC Symphony Chorus in 2017. He is also Artistic Director of the professional chamber choir Sonoro and Music Director of Wimbledon Choral Society. Earlier this year he made his Proms conducting debut, celebrating the 90th Anniversary season of the BBC Symphony Chorus with the premiere of Jonathan Dove’s specially commissioned piece We Are One Fire.

Formerly Director of Choral Studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Neil is recognised as one of the country’s leading teachers of choral conducting and has led masterclasses in the UK, US, Ireland, Denmark and, later this year, China and Singapore.

In demand as guest conductor of some of the finest choirs in the UK, Neil has worked with the London Symphony Chorus, the Choir of the Age of Enlightenment, the BBC Singers and the National Youth Choir of Wales.

FESTIVAL CHORUS

S OPRANOS

Ann McCay

Ariadna Rosales

Bridgeen McManus

Catherine McMinn

Christina Evans

Ciara McGilloway

Debbie Browne

Dora Sneddon

Emer Dunne Emma O’Kane

ALTOS

Anne Machniewski

Aoife Mullan

Brid McGinley

Caitriona Mullan

Carmel Doherty

Cathy Park

Christine Diamond

Claire McGirr

Connie O’Donnell

Dawn Stevenson

Deirdre Kelpie

TENORS

Aaron Slattery

Alec Moore

Chris Kerrigan

Columb Duffy

Dave Flanagan

James Sarsteiner

Fidelma Legge

Freda Mooney

Grainne McAnaney

Jacqui Armstrong Jane Hawkins

Jenny Huey Johanne Ennis Kathryn O’Callaghan

Laura McNutt Leona McWilliams

Maeve McAteer

Maeve McBride

Maeve Byrne

Margaret McCay

Margaret Ross Mary Barry Mary Lynch Minerva Rosas Moira O’Brien Natalia de la Torre

Emma Moore

Fiona Crosbie

Frances O’Kane

Gaye Grant Grainne Quinn Gráinne Stevenson

Gwen Garrett

Helen Gogarty

Helen McLaughlin

Helen Nutt Helen O’Hare

John Coyle

Karl Cook

Louis Fields

Luke McEvoy

Martin Meehan Martin White

Helena McNally

Itzeli Jauregui

Jennifer Doherty

Joan Gallagher

Joanne Armstrong Judith O’Hare

Julia McIvor

Mairead Nic Bhloscaidh

Maria Cutliffe Maria Howard Mary Coyle

Moya O’Leary

Neil Black

Nicky Morton Noel O’Donnell

Omar Florez

Ross Duncan

Noirin O’Connell

Patricia Valle

Rachel Harkin

Rachel Kelly Stephanie Warne Susan Spence

Una Marie O’Donnell Vanessa Craig

Mary Ellen McGuirk

Mary Kinsella Mayela Lopez

Rebecca O’Doherty

Roisin Rice

Rosemary Finan Rosie Brennan Sinead Coyle Ursula Doherty Yvette Rainey

Sean Canavan Sergio Dario

Tony Jackson

BASSES

Aaron McGlinchey

Benny Doherty

Carlos Lopez

Colm Rainey

David Barry

Dermot O’Donnell

Eddie Murray

Eoghan Doherty

Jacobo Guzman

James Cooke

John Brady

Kevin Healy Malachy McGlinchey

Maurice Kelly

Peter Barry Tom Wylie

R EHEARSAL ACCOMPANIST

McGonigle

Ben

COMPETITIONS

Primary School Competitions

St. Columb’s Hall, 10.00

Primary Unison Competition

1. Nazareth House Primary School, Derry (Joanna Higgins)

When she loved me, Randy Newman High hopes, James Van Heusen

2. Holy Family Primary School, Omagh (Maura Dolan)

Only in God (Psalm 62), John Michael Talbot Naughty from Matilda The Musical, Tim Minchin

3. Ardnashee School and College, Derry (Bríd Cutliffe)

Peace is flowing like a river, Traditional, arr. Bríd Cutliffe

O happy day, Philip Doddrige, arr. Edwin R. Hawkins

GUEST PERFORMANCE BY St. Zlata Meglenska

Female Choir, North Macedonia

Primary Part-Song Competition

1. Holy Family Primary School, Omagh (Maura Dolan)

I will sing with the spirit, John Rutter

The lonely goatherd from The Sound of Music, Henry Geehl

2. St. Colmcille’s Primary School, Claudy (Kellie McLaughlin)

This little light of mine, Spiritual, arr. Anna Laura Page

Colours of the wind from Pocahontas, Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, arr. Audrey Snyder

3. Nazareth House Primary School, Derry (Joanna Higgins)

I am the gentle light, Paul Mealor Jubilate Deo, Jay Althouse

NON-COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCES

1. Sacred Heart Primary School, Derry (Emer Dunne)

2. Long Tower Primary School (Ian Gallagher)

3. Model Primary School, Derry (Kathryn Green)

4. Holy Family Primary School, Derry (Claire Doherty)

GUEST PERFORMANCE BY Coro Feminino do Vale do Sousa, Portugal

BIG SING WORKSHOP WITH Róisín Blunnie

The primary school adjudications will take place immediately after the Big Sing workshop.

THE GESUALDO SIX

Christ Church, 19.30

Guy James and Tom Lilburn, countertenor Joseph Wicks and Gopal Kambo, tenor

Michael Craddock, baritone

Owain Park, director and bass

The Gesualdo Six appear by arrangement with Hazard Chase Ltd.

Passion and Polyphony

Te lucis ante terminum, Thomas Tallis

Look down, O Lord, Jonathan Seers

Lase kiik käia! (Let the cradle swing!), Veljo Tormis Aspice Domine, William Byrd

O Ecclesia, occuli tui, Hildegard von Bingen

Morning star, Arvo Pärt Phos hilaron, Owain Park

In pace, Christopher Tye

O Maria vernans rosa, Clemens non Papa

Put out into the deep, David Bednall

INTERVAL

Potrò viver io più se senza luce, Luca Marenzio Io son ferito, ahi lasso, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Felice primavera, Carlo Gesualdo

My heart is like a singing bird, Sarah Rimkus

The wind’s warning, Alison Willis

Bushes and briars, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams

O little rose, O dark rose, Gerda Blok-Wilson

Abendlied, Josef Rheinberger

The Gesualdo Six present a wealth of polyphony from Britain and Europe, ranging over 500 years from the early 16th to the 21st centuries. Hildegard of Bingen’s O Ecclesia is earlier still, a 12th century chant celebrating the Christian martyr St. Ursula. Ancient chants and hymns remained an inspiration and an important structural scaffold for composers well into the 16th century and beyond. Three works by composers for the late Tudor church, Tallis, Byrd and Tye, thread through this programme, each weaving old forms into a glorious, rich mix of monody, hymn and polyphony.

work tonight is by British composers, however, with recent sacred works by Jonathan Seers, Owain Park and David Bednall set alongside two pieces by Sarah Rimkus and Alison Willis that both emerged from the ensemble’s own composition competition.

New music is an important element in the ensemble’s programmes. Some of the finest choral writing of recent years has come from Estonia, and features here in short works by Veljo Tormis and Arvo Pärt. The largest quotient of contemporary

Secular music opens the second half with pieces from the 16th century heyday of the Italian madrigal, one by its acknowledged master Marenzio and two by Gesualdo and Palestrina, composers better known for their sacred work but who were successful writers in this genre. Closing the programme are two folk inspired works by Vaughan Williams (Bushes and Briars) and Canadian composer Gerda Blok-Wilson, with Rheinberger’s celebrated Abendlied bringing the evening to a tranquil and affecting conclusion.

THE GESUALDO SIX

The Gesualdo Six is a vocal consort comprising some of the UK’s finest young consort singers, directed by Owain Park. Formed in March 2014 for a performance of Gesualdo’s ‘Tenebrae Responsories for Maundy Thursday’ in the chapel of Trinity College, Cambridge, the group went on to give over 60 performances around the United Kingdom and abroad in its first three years. Over this time, The Gesualdo Six further developed a passion for ensemble singing that for many of them stemmed from formative years as choristers in churches and cathedrals around the country.

Whilst initially focusing on early music, concert programmes began to reflect a desire to include more modern repertoire and now renaissance polyphony is often juxtaposed with works by composers including György Ligeti and Joanna Marsh amongst others. In 2016 The Gesualdo Six successfully curated its first Composition Competition, supported by St. John’s Smith Square and the Music Sales group of companies, attracting 174 entries from around the world. In 2019 over 300 composers entered the second edition of the Composition Competition, with the winning works by Alison Willis and Jacob Beranek receiving their world premieres at Cadogan Hall in London.

The ensemble released their debut recording on Hyperion Records in early 2018, an album of English renaissance polyphony titled ‘English Motets’.

LATE-NIGHT CONCERT

BRUCKNER MASS IN E MINOR

St. Eugene’s Cathedral, 22.00

Codetta Beckmann Foundation Choir, Tequila

Ulster Orchestra

Dónal Doherty, Conductor

Mass No. 2 in E Minor, Anton Bruckner

I Kyrie

II Gloria

III Credo

IV Sanctus

V Benedictus

VI Agnus Dei

Anton Bruckner’s Mass No. 2 in E minor was commissioned in 1866 by the Archbishop of Linz for the dedication of the Votive Chapel of

the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Bruckner completed the work in the space of two months, but the completion of the chapel was repeatedly delayed and the Mass was not premiered until September 1869, with Bruckner conducting the performance. While the premiere was a great success, Bruckner could not resist tinkering with the Mass and produced a total of four revisions to ‘tighten up the structure’. Today’s performance uses the final version of 1886.

The Mass is set for chorus, winds and brass; there are no soloists and the orchestra lacks the usual strings, timpani and organ (the piece may have been first performed outdoors, which would make sense of the unusual scoring). The influence of Palestrina is immediately apparent from the a cappella, polyphonic opening of the Kyrie, which Bruckner sets antiphonally for four-part women’s and men’s choirs. Throughout the Mass, Bruckner displays a technical mastery of counterpoint and complex, eight-part vocal writing, an expansive and idiosyncratic harmonic freedom, and a wonderful lyricism, which has made the Mass in E minor one of his most frequently performed choral works.

CODETTA

The international prize-winning choir Codetta was formed in 2001. Since then, the choir has earned a reputation for choral excellence, having performed in such prestigious venues as the Roundhouse and the Royal Albert Hall in London, and the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC.

B ECKMANN F OUNDATION C HOIR , T E Q UILA

The Tequila Music School was founded in 2004 as an initiative of the José Cuervo Foundation. Since then the Tequila Choir has been firmly established with a core membership of between 30 and 35 singers. The International Academy of Tequila was founded in 2015, attracting young musicians from throughout Mexico and abroad.

In December 2015 Codetta performed to an audience in excess of 8 million viewers as part of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year broadcast from Belfast and joined again with the Ulster Orchestra for the Last Night of the Proms from the Titanic Quarter in September 2016.

Codetta also tours regularly, most notably for concert performances in Tuscany in 2012 and to present two concerts at the Sacred Music Festival in Cuenca, Spain, along with Barry Douglas and Camerata in 2014.

Codetta was delighted to be awarded 1st prize and the Fleischmann International Trophy at the Cork International Choral Festival in May 2017.

With the support of the Beckmann Legorreta family, the School of Music has now grown to include both children and adult choirs, Youth Mariachi, guitar, string and percussion ensembles, Youth Symphonic Band, as well as theatre and dance groups. Tuition is provided by some of the best teachers from Guadalajara, Tequila and Mexico City, as well as a wide range of visiting teachers and facilitators.

Strong links have already been established between the Beckmann Foundation and the City of Derry International Choir Festival. We are delighted to welcome 10 singers from the Foundation to participate in this year’s festival.

Highlights for the year ahead include concerts in Tequila and Guadalajara, Mexico.

DÓNAL DOHERTY

Dónal’s passion for choral music was nurtured as a member of the Schola Cantorum in St. Finian’s College, Mullingar and later at University College Dublin.

As director of the internationally recognised chamber choir Codetta, he has performed throughout Europe and in the US. He has also worked with conductors Sakari Oramo, Vasily Petrenko and David Robertson as part of the BBC Proms series in London.

He was Head of Music Services for the Western and Southern Regions of Northern Ireland during the period 1996-2016 and was Director of the Music Promise initiative in 2013, a key element of the inaugural UK City of Culture programme in Derry. Dónal fulfilled a long-held ambition in founding the City of Derry International Choir Festival the same year.

Current initiatives include both the groundbreaking North Belfast Youth Choir (NBYC) –previously titled the Harmony North project – and the Codetta Junior and Youth Choirs in Derry, which were both launched in September 2017. He has most recently been working on a development programme with the Beckmann Opera Studio in Tequila, Mexico and is looking forward to continuing this project in 2020.

COMPETITIONS Post-Primary School Competitions

St. Columb’s Hall, 10.00

Post-Primary Unison/2-Part Competition

1. St. Mary’s College, Derry (Emma Jayne Kelly)

Bohemian rhapsody, Freddie Mercury, arr. Mark Brymer Adiemus, Karl Jenkins

2. St. Cecilia’s College, Derry (Ryan Quinn)

Adoramus te, Victor C. Johnson

Circle of life from The Lion King, Elton John & Tim Rice, arr. Audrey

3. St. Joseph’s Boys’ School, Derry (Margaret Ross)

The Salley Gardens, Traditional, arr. Benjamin Britten Sinner man, Spiritual, arr. Roger Emerson

4. Thornhill College Junior Choir, Derry (Kevin Healy)

Lunar lullaby, Jacob Narverud

I’m gonna sing when the spirit says sing, James DesJardins

5. Loreto Secondary School, Cork (Tim Fouhy)

For the beauty of the earth, John Rutter

La Cumparsita, Gerardo Matos Rodríguez, arr. Gwyn Arch

6. Holy Cross College Chamber Choir, Strabane (Jenny Stewart)

Cantate!, Mary Lynn Lightfoot

Good vibrations, Brian Wilson & Mike Love, arr. Mark Brymer

GUEST PERFORMANCE BY Solheimkoret, Norway

COMPETITIONS

Post-Primary 3-/4-Part Competition

1. Wesley College Girls’ Choir, Dublin (Holly Woods)

Szellö Zúg, Lajos Bárdos Sanctus, Richard Oswin

2. St. Mary’s College, Derry (Emma Jayne Kelly)

Glow, Eric Whitacre Fite fuaite, Ben Hanlon

3. Loreto Secondary School, Cork (Tim Fouhy)

Geantraí, Michael McGlynn So fair and bright, Bob Chilcott

4. St. Cecilia’s College, Derry (Ryan Quinn)

Jubilate Deo, Peter Anglea Deep river, Spiritual, arr. Russell Robinson

5. Sacred Heart Secondary School, Offaly (Shane Farrell)

Deep river, Spiritual, arr. Donald Patriquin Fly me to the moon, Bart Howard, arr. Gwyn Arch

6. Holy Cross College Chamber Choir, Strabane (Jenny Stewart)

Be thou my vision, John Rutter Superstition, Stevie Wonder, arr. Paul Langford

7. Thornhill College Senior Choir, Derry (Elizabeth Quigley)

This song of mine, David N. Childs

Lord of the dance, Sydney Carter, arr. Stuart Nicholson

GUEST PERFORMANCE BY Coral Brasília, Brazil

BIG SING WORKSHOP WITH SLIXS

The post-primary school adjudications will take place immediately after the Big Sing workshop.

GUEST CONCERT

SLIXS

SLIXS are turning a cappella listening habits on their head. With a powerful and daring mixture of jazz, pop and funk, classical and world music, these six multitalented voices have rocked audiences at concerts across Europe and Asia.

St. Columb’s Hall, 19.30

Katharina Debus

Michael Eimann

Gregorio Hernández

Karsten Müller

Thomas Piontek

Konrad Zeiner

The SLIXS members all share the same unique musical ambition: to plumb the depths of the human voice, carrying the listener into a paradise of tone colours, soundscapes and vocal percussion.

These singing artists create a particular sound that has dropped the jaws of a cappella masters: before his death, a captivated Ward Swingle, founder of the legendary Swingle Singers, praised the band saying, ‘Your style is unique’, King’s Singer Gabriel Crouch named SLIXS ‘better than any group (he’s) ever heard!’, and before inviting SLIXS on his 2013/14 VOCAbuLarieS tour, Bobby McFerrin said ‘I’ve never heard these tunes so funky’.

SLIXS’s extensive international acclaim makes the sextet currently one of the best vocal bands in the world. Their artistic daringness and thirst for innovation have been honoured with some of the world’s most prestigious awards for vocal art, including Best Jazz Song of the Year 2008 and Best Folk/World Song of the Year 2013 at the CARAs (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards), and in 2006 they were two-time audience winners at the International A Cappella Competition in Graz, Austria.

COMPETITIONS

National Equal Voice Competitions

St. Columb’s Hall, 10.00

National Female Voice Competition

1. Melica, Derry (Elizabeth Quigley)

Anahorish, Michael Holohan

Deo gracias from A Ceremony of Carols, Benjamin Britten

2. Boydell Singers, Dublin (Sophie Dolan)

Ceann dubh dílis, Michael McGlynn

When you wish upon a star from Pinocchio, Ned Washington & Leigh Harline, arr. Pete King

3. Continuum Youth Choir, Dublin (Blanaid Murphy)

Duo seraphim clamabant, Tomás Luis de Victoria Alleluia, laus et gloria, Tarik O’Regan

4. Strabane Chamber Choir Ladies’ Chorus, Tyrone (Gerard Bradley)

Nothin’ gonna stumble my feet, Greg Gilpin When I was in my prime, Traditional, arr. Stephen Hatfield

5. Dulciana Vocal Ensemble, Dublin (Judith Lyons)

Phoenix, Éna Brennan Hoj, hura hoj!, Otmar Mácha

National Male Voice Competition

1. Phoenix Choir of Wales, Swansea (John Mills)

Calon lân,Daniel James, arr. Siân Pearce Swansea Bay, John Mills

2. Rosemount Male Voice Choir, Derry (Raymond Kelly)

And so it goes, Billy Joel, arr. Kirby Shaw He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother, Bob Russell and Bobby Scott, arr. John Coates, Jr.

3. Strabane Chamber Choir Men’s Chorus, Tyrone (Gerard Bradley)

Shenandoah, Folk tune, arr. Jack Hindmarsh

How can I keep from singing?, Folk tune, arr. Kirby Shaw

4. Co. Sligo Golf Club Male Voice Choir, Sligo (Niamh Fitzpatrick)

Shenandoah, Folk tune, arr. Jack Hindmarsh Alexander’s ragtime band, Irving Berlin, arr. Denys Hood

5. Portadown Male Voice Choir, Armagh (Gordon Speers) The pasture, Randall Thompson

A wet sheet and a flowing sea, Charles Harford Lloyd

The adjudication of the National Equal Voice Competitions will take place after the National Male Voice Competition.

National Mixed Voice Competition

St. Columb’s Hall, 13.30

1. Millicent Singers, Kildare (Alan Kelly)

Will the circle be unbroken, Trad. Appalachian, arr. J. David Moore Ritmo, Dan Davison

2. Tullamore Academy Chamber Choir, Offaly (Ciaran Brady)

Reggel, György Ligeti

Let my love be heard, Jake Runestad

3. UCC Singers, Cork (Ben Jacob)

When the earth stands still, Don MacDonald Incantations, Michael McGlynn

4. Strabane Chamber Choir, Tyrone (Gerard Bradley)

Star sonnet, Daniel Elder

Fair Phyllis I saw, John Farmer

5. Cantamus, Derry (Raymond Kelly)

Lullabye, Billy Joel, arr. Kirby Shaw Shine, Mark Owen, Gary Barlow, Stephen Robson, Jason Orange & Howard Donald, arr. Christopher Hussey

6. Continuum Youth Choir, Dublin (Blanaid Murphy)

O magnum mysterium, Tomás Luis de Victoria Alleluia, Jake Runestad

7. Octavoce, Edinburgh (not conducted)

O radiant dawn, James MacMillan The Barber of Seville overture, Gioacchino Rossini, arr. Daryl Runswick

8. NUI Staff Singers, Galway (Michel Durham-Brandt)

O radiant dawn, James MacMillan Amemos, Francisco Javier Calvo

9. Trinity Singers, Dublin (Patrick Kennedy)

Beati quorum via, Charles Villiers Stanford Desh, Indian raga, arr. Ethan Sperry

National Popular, Jazz & Gospel Music Competition

1. Octavoce, Edinburgh (not conducted)

Let’s do it, Cole Porter, arr. David Blackwell

Lullabye, Billy Joel, arr. Philip Lawson

2. Continuum Youth Choir, Dublin (Blanaid Murphy)

And so it goes, Billy Joel, arr. Bob Chilcott

Ride the chariot, Spiritual, arr. William Henry Smith

3. Rosemount Male Voice Choir, Derry (Raymond Kelly)

Let it be me, Gilbert Becaud, arr. Haydn James & David Last

We rise again, Leon Dubinsky, arr. Stephen Smith & Scott Macmillan

4. Millicent Singers, Kildare (Alan Kelly)

Fix you, Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin, arr. Adam Anders & Peter Astrom

Jolene, Dolly Parton, arr. Mark Brymer

THE BIG SING WORKSHOP with SLIXS

In partnership with Sing Ireland

Saturday 27 October, 16.15

A fun and entertaining workshop exploring the building blocks of successful choral singing, led by SLIXS, one of the best vocal ensembles on the world a cappella stage.

The adjudication of the National Mixed Voice and Popular, Jazz & Gospel Music Competitions will take place immediately after the Big Sing workshop.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

St. Columb’s Hall, 19.30

Presented by John Toal, BBC

The International Competition will undoubtedly be a highlight of the City of Derry International Choir Festival, featuring eight competitors who will compete for the prestigious Oak Tree of Derry trophy.

For more details on the International Choirs see pages 60 to 67

INTERVAL

1. Coro Giovanile Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy (Petra Grassi) Haec dies, William Byrd A nywe werk, Seán Doherty Patriarcharum vestigia, Andrea Venturini O sapientia, Tadeja Vulc

2. Solheimkoret, Norway (Inger-Pernille Stramrud)

Telemark-springar, Henrik Ødegaard

There is a spot mid barren hills, John Buckley Matona mia cara, Orlande de Lassus Till there was you, Meredith Willson Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Spiritual, arr. Moses Hogan

3. St. Zlata Meglenska Female Chamber Choir, North Macedonia (Letka Dimovska Polizova) Ave Maria, Eibhlis Farrell Velichanija Kirilu i Metodiju, Todor Skalovski Zastupnice userdnaja, Pavel Chesnokov Olà! O che bon eccho, Orlande de Lassus Livada, Zapro Zaprov

4. New Dublin Voices, Ireland (Bernie Sherlock)

Puer natus in Bethlehem, Levente Gyöngyösi

Die mit Tränen säen, Johann Hermann Schein The wee wee man, Vagn Holmboe Snow dance for the dead, Seán Doherty

5. Coral Brasília, Brazil (Deyvson Miranda)

Cantabo Domino Deo meo, Iacobus Gallus An raibh tú ar an gCarraig, Caitríona Ní Dhubhghaill Suite de Lorca, Einojuhani Rautavaara Boi do Maranhão, Folk tune, arr. Elenice Maranesi

6. Voices of Hope, England (Simon Davies-Fidler)

Cantate Domino, Claudio Monteverdi Et clamabant, Seán Doherty Bogoroditse Dyevo, Sergei Rachmaninov Beati quorum via, Janet Wheeler Didn’t my Lord deliver Daniel?, Spiritual, arr. Moses Hogan

7. Coro Feminino do Vale do Sousa, Portugal (Sílvio Cortez)

Fair Phyllis I saw, John Farmer Ave Maria, Gustav Holst Nunc dimittis, Sílvio Cortez Rorate caeli, Rhona Clarke Canção da Vindima, Folk tune, arr. Sílvio Cortez

8. Côrdyyd, Wales (Huw Foulkes)

Deus ex machina, Jakub Neske Heilig, Felix Mendelssohn It’s strange about stars, Seán Doherty Olà! O che bon eccho, Orlande de Lassus Esgyniad, Tudur Dylan Jones & Héctor MacDonald

Join us at our Resonance Bar Festival Club in St. Columb’s Hall Ballroom immediately after this concert for a céilí and some impromptu singing!

National Sacred Music Competition

St. Columb’s Hall, 12.00

1. Portadown Male Voice Choir, Armagh (Gordon Speers)

The Lord is my shepherd, Franz Schubert

Exultate justi, Ludovico da Viadana, arr. R. Vené

2. Continuum Youth Choir, Dublin (Blanaid Murphy)

Ubi caritas, Ola Gjeilo Gaude et laetare, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck

3. Codetta Junior Choir, Derry (Margaret Ross)

Veni, veni, Emanuel, Gregorian Chant

Kyrie from A Little Jazz Mass, Bob Chilcott

4. Dulciana Vocal Ensemble, Dublin (Judith Lyons)

Pueri concinite, Jacob Handl Gallus Totus tuus, Rihards Dubra

5. Codetta Youth Choir, Derry (Margaret Ross)

Locus iste, Karl Jenkins Cantate, astra, Cecilia McDowall

6. Millicent Singers, Kildare (Alan Kelly)

Ave Maria, Jacob Arcadelt

Laudate Dominum (Psalm 117), Dan Davison

National Vocal Ensemble Competition

1. NoteOrious 4, Sligo

Come fly with me, Jimmy van Heusen & Sammy Cahn, arr. Kevin Keller

You are my sunshine, Jimmie Davis & Charles Mitchell, arr. Vicki Uhr

2. The Codettes, Derry

Blackbird, John Lennon & Paul McCartney, arr. Daryl Runswick Alleluia: Incantations, Michael McGlynn

3. Octavoce, Edinburgh

Lay a garland, Robert Lucas Pearsall Summertime, George Gershwin, Du Bose & Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin, arr. Roderick Williams

National Youth Choir Competition

1. Codetta Junior Choir, Derry (Margaret Ross)

The city from City Songs, Eriks Ešenvalds

Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop, Lionel Hampton & Curley Hammer, arr. Steve Zegree

2. Continuum Youth Choir, Dublin (Blanaid Murphy)

I will lift mine eyes, Jake Runestad Incantations, Michael McGlynn

3. North Belfast Youth Choir, Belfast (Katrina Brown)

Stand by me, Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller, arr. Mac Huff

The heavenly aeroplane, John Rutter

4. Codetta Youth Choir, Derry (Margaret Ross)

Rivers of Babylon, Spiritual, arr. Ken Burton

Buffalo gals, Bob Chilcott

5. Belfast Philharmonic Youth Choir, Belfast (Lynsey Callaghan)

Hotaru koi, Japanese children’s song, arr. Ro Ogura

Lord of the dance, Sydney Carter, arr. Sue Furlong

GUEST PERFORMANCE BY Coral Brasília, Brazil

The adjudications of the National Sacred Music, Vocal Ensemble and Youth Choir Competitions will take place immediately after the guest performance.

CLOSING GALA CONCERT

St. Columb’s Hall, 19.30

Presented

by Eoghan Doherty, JOE.ie

This celebratory concert brings the seventh festival to a close with performances from each of the international competitors and the announcement of the top prize of the festival – winners of the Oak Tree of Derry trophy.

For more details on the International Choirs see pages 60 to 67.

4. St. Zlata Meglenska Female Chamber Choir, North Macedonia (Letka Dimovska Polizova) Svita, Trajko Prokopiev Chae Shukarie, Folk tune, arr. Dragan Shuplevski

5. Côrdyyd, Wales (Huw Foulkes)

Pantyfedwen, M. Eddie Evans & W. Rhys Nicholas, arr. Jeffrey Howard Gad i’r ddaear droi, Carly Simon, arr. Jeffrey Howard

P ROGRAMME

1. Voices of Hope, England (Simon Davies-Fidler)

Witness, Spiritual, arr. Jack Halloran Country songs, Traditional, arr. Percy Lovell

2. Coro Feminino do Vale do Sousa, Portugal (Sílvio Cortez)

Las amarillas, Traditional, arr. Stephen Hatfield Lenga lenga, Traditional, arr. Ricardo Fráguas

3. Solheimkoret, Norway (Inger-Pernille Stramrud) Naar fjordene blaaner, John Paulsen Bruremarsj fra Lødingen, Traditional, arr. Erlend Fagertun

6. Coro Giovanile Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy (Petra Grassi)

Tre canti popolari del Friuli Venezia Giulia, Folk tune, arr. Patrick Quaggiato Cantate Domino, Josu Elberdin

7. New Dublin Voices, Ireland (Bernie Sherlock)

Drive my car, John Lennon & Paul McCartney, arr. Simon Lesley Bean Pháidín, Traditional, arr. Seán Doherty

8. Coral Brasília, Brazil (Miranda Deyvson) Medley de Samba-Exaltação, Brazilian folk tune, arr. Elenice Maranesi Tico-tico no Fubá, Zequinha de Abreu & Aloysio de Oliveira, arr. Maurício Maestro

INTERVAL

AWARDS CEREMONY

Closing ceremony of the festival, presentation of special awards and announcement of the winning choir of the 2019 International Competition.

‘Oak Tree of Derry’ Trophy

SPECIAL AWARDS

The festival is delighted that a number of special prizes will be awarded to choirs this year and is grateful to all of its supporters for their part in making this possible. All of the special awards will be announced during the Closing Gala Concert on Sunday 27 October.

Bernadette Kelly Memorial award for most promising school choir

Bishops Daly & Mehaffey award, presented by the Inner City Trust, for an outstanding performance in the school competitions

Sing Ireland Conducting Scholarship for the most promising conductor in the national competitions or a participant in the conducting masterclasses

Contemporary Music Centre award for the best performance of a piece by a composer from Ireland

Derry City and Strabane District Council award for outstanding contribution to the festival

Bishop’s Gate Hotel award for an outstanding performance of a work composed before 1750 in the International Competition

City Hotel award to the conductor of the most interesting and varied programme in the International Competition

Visit Derry award for an outstanding competitive or non-competitive performance by a visiting national or international choir

Airporter award in recognition of an exceptional contribution to the festival made by a first-time participant

Bringing Cork to life

COMMUNITY PROGRAMME

Produced in partnership with local arts organisation Allegri

The Every Voice Community Programme takes place throughout Derry and Strabane during festival week, offering performance and learning opportunities for vocal ensembles in the region.

The Allegri team has worked closely with the City of Derry International Choir Festival to build upon the success of its community programme of previous years and take the high standard of music-making on to the streets and into the hearts of as many local people as possible.

The Every Voice Community Programme will feature a packed schedule of events beginning on Monday 21 October through to Sunday 27 October, and will include over 40 noncompetitive performances by local, national and international choirs.

ALLEGRI

Allegri is a creative arts organisation established within the Derry~Londonderry area during the UK City of Culture year in 2013. Allegri comprises a ladies’ choir and kids’ choir, it administers community singing projects and it has recently established a regional symphony orchestra for local instrumentalists, Orchestra NorthWest.

Director Maurice Kelly, they offer access to the expertise of professional musicians.

Allegri founded the Every Voice Fringe Festival in 2018 in partnership with the City of Derry International Choir Festival and presents the Every Voice Community Programme involving choral trails, community concerts and sacred trails during this year’s festival.

Through a wide range of choral coaching and performance experiences, Allegri aims to inspire and increase the confidence, self-expression and creativity of those who sing in their choirs. They create spaces where participants feel comfortable, supported and uplifted, and work to eliminate all barriers to arts participation. Led by Musical

COMMUNITY CONCERTS

Date/Time Venue

Monday 21 October 19.30

Tuesday 22 October 18.30

Wednesday 23 October 16.00

St. Columb’s Cathedral

Holywell Trust Garden of Reflection

Derry City and Strabane District Council Headquarters

Choirs

King’s College School Chamber Choir, London St. Columb’s Cathedral Choir, Derry

Encore Contemporary Choir, Derry The Pink Ladies, Derry

Derry City and Strabane District Council Choir, Derry/Strabane Springtown Voices (Seagate), Derry Foyle Hospice Choir, Derry Public Health Agency Choir, Derry

Friday 25 October 12.30

An Cultúrlann

Saturday 26 October 14.00

Sunday 27 October 14.00

Studio 2, Skeoge

The Glassworks

Sunday 27 October 14.00

St. Columb’s Park House

Phoenix Choir of Wales, Swansea Solheimkoret, Norway St. Patrick’s & St Brigid’s College, Derry St. Oliver Plunkett Primary School, Strathfoyle

YMUR Female Choir, Iceland Musically Sound, Dublin

Altnagelvin Hospital Choir, Derry Warbling Wheezers, Derry Cancer Centre Choir, Derry The Pink Ladies, Derry

Coro Giovanile Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy Clanmil Community Choir, Belfast Big Belfast Choir, Belfast

Sunday 27 October 16.00

The Gasyard

Rathlin Sound, Antrim NoteOrious, Sligo New Dublin Voices, Dublin Every Voice Fringe Festival Chorus

Saturday 26 October

Time Venue Choir

11.30

Musically Sound, Dublin

12.00 NUI Galway Staff Singers, Galway 12.30 Sing Club, Derry

13.00 Rathlin Sound, Antrim

13.30 Big Belfast Choir, Belfast

City Hotel

14.00 Melodies and Memories, Derry

14.30 Umbilical Chords, Derry 15.00 Song for the Soul, Derry

15.30 Momentum Community Choir, Derry 16.00 NW Cancer Choir, Derry

14.00 Sandwich Co.

Clanmil Community Choir, Belfast

14.30 Rathlin Sound, Antrim

15.00 Sing Club, Derry

15.30 The Mood Swings, Derry

14.30

15.00

Foyleside Shopping Centre

Phoenix Choir of Wales, Swansea

Portadown Male Voice Choir, Armagh

15.30 Big Belfast Choir, Belfast

ADJUDICATORS

Josep Vila i Casañas, Spain (Chair of the Adjudicating Panel)

Conductor, composer and pedagogue, Josep Vila i Casañas was born in Sabadell, Spain in 1966. His specialism is the a cappella repertoire, as well as choral and orchestral literature down the ages.

He conducts the Lieder Càmera Chamber Choir from Sabadell and collaborates often as guest conductor with the Francesc Valls Chamber Choir, a professional vocal ensemble engaged by the Sagrada Família church and by Barcelona Cathedral. He has served as resident conductor of the Orfeó Català choral society (1998-2016), the Cor de Cambra of the Palau de la Música

Catalana (2011-2016) and the Radiotelevisión Española Choir (2007- 2010).

Josep has worked as a guest conductor with choirs and orchestras such as the Spanish National Choir, the Swedish Radio Choir, the World Youth Choir (2010 and 2019), the Choir of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, the Venezuelan Simón Bolivar National Youth Choir, the Radiotelevisión Española Orchestra and the Catalan Baroque Orchestra.

As a composer, his main area of interest is music for voice and instruments, and he has written an extensive body of works for children’s and youth choirs, for mixed a cappella choirs, and for choir and orchestra.

Borbála Szirányi, Hungary

Borbála Szirányi graduated in music education and choral conducting from the Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary. From 1996 to 2015 she worked at the Music School of the Hungarian State Opera House’s children’s choir as a classroom music teacher and choir conductor.

Borbála regularly teaches as a visiting professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where the Kodály programme was launched in the year 2000 under her direction, and she has subsequently conducted Kodály courses around the world.

Borbála currently teaches at the Kós Károly Általános Iskola, which is part of the Model School Program led by the Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary. In this project, she and her colleagues experiment with new music methodological techniques, based on the Kodály concept, in order to refresh and renew the Hungarian music pedagogy, making it more adaptable to the 21st century classroom.

Ur š a Lah, Slovenia

Ur š a Lah studied Musical Education at the Ljubljana Music Academy and Choral Conducting in the University of Tromsø (Norway).

With Mixed Youth Choir Veter, APZ Tone Tom š icø University of Ljubljana and the National Radio Chamber Choir, she has been involved in many première performances, and won numerous first prizes, golden plaques, special prizes and conducting awards at national and prestigious international choral competitions, including the Grand Prix of Europe (Debrecen, 2008).

In recognition of her valuable work with choirs, Ur š a received the highest award of the Municipality of Ljubljana for cultural achievement in 2008, and in 2009 the award of Public Fund of the Republic of Slovenia for Cultural Activities. Ur š a now lives in Norway, where she conducts the Trondheim Symphony Choir. She works as Associate professor of Ensemble Leading and Choral Conducting at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and as Chorus Master for Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and the Artic Philharmonic Orchestra. She lectures at educational seminars for choral conductors, is a frequent member of adjudicating panels at international choral and conducting competitions, is a guest conductor of recognised ensembles and one of two artistic leaders of the international chamber choir Utopia & Reality.

Neil Ferris, England

Neil Ferris was appointed Chorus Director of the BBC Symphony Chorus in 2017. He is also Artistic Director of the professional chamber choir Sonoro and Music Director of Wimbledon Choral Society. Earlier this year he made his Proms conducting debut, celebrating the 90th Anniversary season of the BBC Symphony Chorus with the premiere of Jonathan Dove’s specially commissioned piece We Are One Fire.

Formerly Director of Choral Studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Neil is recognised as one of the country’s leading teachers of choral conducting and has led masterclasses in the UK, US, Ireland, Denmark and, later this year, China and Singapore.

In demand as guest conductor of some of the finest choirs in the UK, Neil has worked with the London Symphony Chorus, the Choir of the Age of Enlightenment, the BBC Singers and the National Youth Choir of Wales.

Róisín Blunnie, Ireland

Dr. Róisín Blunnie is a choral conductor based in Dublin, Ireland and is Assistant Professor of Music at Dublin City University. She leads DCU’s new MA in Choral Studies, and teaches a range of undergraduate and postgraduate modules in conducting, keyboard and aural skills, music history and analysis, form and style, and choral leadership. She studied conducting with Prof. Peter Erdei and Dr. Katalin Kiss at the Kodály Institute in Hungary, and has a PhD in Music from Trinity College Dublin.

Róisín conducts the mixed-voice chamber choir Laetare Vocal Ensemble. Laetare is active in performance, recording and competition, and recent successes include awards at the City of Derry International Choir Festival, Cork International Choral Festival, Mayo International Choral Festival, Sligo International Choral Festival and Navan Choral Festival.

Róisín also conducts the Lumen Chorale, a 60-voice choir of undergraduate music students at DCU, and leads workshops in choral technique for conductors and music teachers.

INTERNATIONAL CHOIRS

Coral Brasília, Brazil

Conductor: Deyvson Miranda

Coral Brasília, created in 1995, aims to develop a high standard of repertoire and represent Brasília and Brazil in national and international events, sharing the art and culture of Brazil with other countries.

The choir has participated in festivals, competitions and concerts in Brazil and abroad, including performances in Argentina, Chile, Slovenia, Hungary, Spain, Italy and Russia. Coral Brasília also participates in social projects including workshops for children in public schools.

In 2017 the choir was awarded the Gold Diploma in Mixed Choirs and Folklore, and the Silver Diploma in Sacred Music at the 2nd Kalamata International Choir Festival in Greece.

The choir is currently under the leadership of conductor Miranda Deyvson, with vocal preparation by Livia Bergo.

Côrdyyd, Wales

Conductor: Huw Foulkes

Côrdydd has established itself as one of Wales’ most successful and prominent choirs. It has won at the National Eisteddfod 12 times, and claimed the main title of ‘Choir of the Festival’ on six occasions. Côrdydd won the Mixed Choir category in the ‘Côr Cymru’ competition in 2009 and 2017, and claimed the top prize and Karl Jenkins trophy at the Wales International Choral Festival in April 2019.

Over the years, the choir has performed varied repertoire on numerous stages in Wales and beyond. It has travelled to Barbados and Hong Kong, performed in Carnegie Hall in New York, and sung in the Ontario Welsh Festival in Canada. Côrdydd has also been fortunate to work with some of the world’s most famous choral composers, including Eric Whitacre, Paul Mealor and Morten Lauridsen.

Coro Feminino do Vale do Sousa, Portugal

Conductor: Sílvio Cortez

The Coro Feminino of the Conservatório do Vale do Sousa (Female Choir of the Sousa Valley) was founded in 2007 and consists of 25 members from within the cultural conservatory.

The choir has participated in a number of festivals and competitions including International Choir Festivals in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Switzerland, winning many 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards in various categories.

The choir has been conducted since its establishment by Sílvio Cortez.

Coro Giovanile Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy

Conductor: Petra Grassi

The FVG Regional Youth Choir was founded by USCI Friuli Venezia Giulia (the regional choral association of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) in 2016.

At present, the FVG Regional Youth Choir has 44 young singers and features classical, early and contemporary music repertoire. Programmes also include pieces that have been commissioned from composers from the region, chosen for their high artistic value.

In 2017 the choir had its debut in San Vito al Tagliamento at the General Assembly of the regional choral association and has performed at many other important events, including the national Officina Corale del Futuro project in Montecatini Terme, Tuscany, and in the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Florence.

Additionally, in 2018, the choir gave notable concerts in the prestigious MITO SettembreMusica festival in Milan and Turin and in Salzburg, Austria.

The FVG Regional Youth Choir is conducted by Petra Grassi, a young musician who has achieved national and international awards.

New Dublin Voices, Ireland

Conductor: Bernie Sherlock International award-winning New Dublin Voices was founded by conductor Bernie Sherlock in 2005. Presenting concert programmes that are fresh, innovative and exciting, New Dublin Voices has given more than 55 world premieres and takes special pleasure in exploring the music of living composers. The choir leads the way in performing, premiering, commissioning and disseminating Irish choral music, and in introducing international choral music to Irish audiences.

New Dublin Voices has won prizes at major competitions in France, Hungary, Germany, Finland, Belgium, Spain, England, Slovenia, Latvia and Italy.

Most recently the choir won First Prize for mixed choirs at the 2018 Béla Bartók international choral competition in Hungary and the overall Grand Prix at the 2017 International Baltic Sea Choral Competition in Latvia.

New Dublin Voices regularly tours to prestigious international festivals at home and abroad. In July 2017 the choir was one of 24 ensembles from around the globe – and the first from Ireland – invited to perform at the triennial World Symposium on Choral Music in Barcelona.

Solheimkoret, Norway

Conductor: Inger Pernille-Stramrud

Established in 1968, Solheimkoret is a Norwegian mixed choir of 60 singers from the Ringsaker Municipality, 120 km north of Oslo. In the last 10 years, Solheimkoret has participated in competitions in Vienna (Interkultur) and Venice (Venezia in Musica), achieving gold diplomas in both. It has also participated in the Nordic-Baltic festival and many competitions in Norway. The choir

enjoys representing a versatile repertoire of sacred and secular music in different languages, and continuously strives to evolve and reach new musical goals.

Solheimkoret is under the direction of conductor Inger-Pernille Stramrud. Inger-Pernille was educated in Music and Conducting at Hamar School for Teachers and Toneheim (private academy). She conducts two additional choirs and currently holds the post of Choir Supervisor in the Norwegian Choir Association.

St.

Zlata Meglenska Female Chamber

Choir, North Macedonia

Conductor: Letka Dimovska Polizova

The Women’s Chamber Choir ‘St. Zlata Meglenska’ is one of the most successful choirs in North Macedonia and was independently established in 1996 by its founder, Artistic Director and Conductor, Letka Dimovska Polizova.

The choir is composed of 22 singers, who are academics and students from across the public universities of Skopje. Although volunteers, the young women contribute to the reputation of Macedonian culture and the popularity of the choral singing tradition, developing a varied repertoire of music.

Supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as several embassies of North Macedonia abroad, the choir has been an excellent international representative of Macedonian choral music in performances across Europe, the US and Australia.

In 2016 the choir was awarded three gold medals and the title of World Champions in the category of Women’s Chamber Choir at the World Choir Games in Sochi, Russia.

Voices of Hope, England

Conductor: Simon Davies-Fidler

Voices of Hope is an award-winning chamber choir based in the north-east of England. Founded in 2011 by Music Director Simon Davies-Fidler, Voices of Hope was the 2016 National Choir of the Year and 2017 Let the People Sing finalists, and it has twice been Performing Artist of the Year finalists in the Journal Culture Awards.

With a keen sense of local identity, Voices of Hope regularly performs music by local composers, having premiered works by Ian Stephenson, John Kefala-Kerr, Kathryn Tickell and Agustin Fernández. Last year the choir released its second album ‘A New Christmas’, featuring six seasonal pieces by composers from the north-east of England.

Since forming for a one-off charity concert in 2011, the choir has gone on to perform at Sage Gateshead, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Cardiff Millennium Centre and Helsinki’s Musiikkitalo, and it has given several broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and BBC 4.

A Voices of Hope performance of John Rutter’s Requiem was described by the composer as ‘music-making of the highest order – engaging, inspiring and a joy to the ear’.

EVENING CONCERT PRESENTERS

John Toal, BBC

International Competition, St. Columb’s Hall, Saturday 26 October, 19.30

John Toal’s musical career began when, aged five, he sang The Friendly Cow on stage at Newry Feis. He studied music at QUB before joining the BBC in 1989. He now presents ‘Classical Connections’ on Sunday afternoon and ‘The John Toal Show’ on Saturday mornings on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Foyle.

The John Toal Show was recently awarded Gold in the Magazine Programme category of the 2019 IMRO Radio Awards.

Eoghan Doherty, JOE.ie

Closing Gala Concert, St. Columb’s Hall, Sunday 27 October, 19.30

Eoghan is Senior Creative on the award-winning website JOE.ie. Since joining JOE in 2013, Eoghan has overseen the development of the site into one of Ireland and the UK’s most prominent online publishers. He is an experienced TV and radio broadcaster, contributing to numerous productions on BBC, RTÉ, TV3, UTV and Today FM, as well as currently presenting and producing ‘The Big Reviewski’, Ireland’s number-one film and TV podcast.

A graduate of Music and English Literature from University College Dublin, Eoghan is an oboist, violinist and member of the acclaimed Derry-based chamber choir Codetta.

Thank You!

The City of Derry International Choir Festival is produced in association with Walled City Music and wishes to thank…

Festival Funders

Arts Council of Northern Ireland

Derry City and Strabane District Council

Inner City Trust, Derry Arts & Business Northern Ireland

Enkalon Foundation Festival Sponsors

Tourism NI City Hotel

Caldwell & Robinson Allstate Airporter

Bishop’s Gate Hotel

FinTrU

Foyleside Shopping Centre Festival Partners

Ulster University

Sing Ireland

Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland

Allegri

Choral Festival Network

Friends of the Festival

Vivace Friends

Anonymous

Des Rainey

Jennifer Rainey

Colm Rainey

Manoel Neto

Allegro Friends

Pat and James Crosbie

Seamus and Patricia Brady

Andante Friends

Brid and Don McGinley

David Flanagan

Eoghan Doherty

Joy Tennis

Judith O’Hare

Largo Friends

Catriona McGonigle

John McGonigle

Special thanks to:

Pádraig O’Duinnín, Lumière Events Ltd.

John Gallagher, Lumière Events Ltd.

Urban 3D, Graphic Design

Peter Meenagh, Web Design

Dr. Shaun Ryan, Ulster University

Dermot O’Callaghan, Sing Ireland

Anne Bergin, EA Music Service

Michelle Ramsay, Principal, Model Primary School

Caroline Cutliffe, Festival Accompanist

Ben McGonigle, Festival Chorus rehearsal pianist

Patricia McCormack, Flowers

Festival Team

Dónal Doherty, Artistic Director

Matthew Greenall, Executive Director, Walled City Music

Fiona Crosbie, Festival Manager

Gráinne Stevenson, Festival Assistant

Aoife Mullan, Festival Assistant

Ioanna Ladopoulou, Festival Intern Festival Board of Directors

Philip Gilliland, Chair Grainne Stevenson

Colm Rainey

Joy Tennis Martin White

Every Voice Community Programme Team

Maurice Kelly

Margaret Kelly Rachel Tennis

VOLUNTEERS

wonderful atmosphere - the festival is going strengthfrom to strength

FESTIVAL COMPETITION/CONCERT SCHEDULE

Saturday 19 October

Wednesday 23 October

Symposium

Ulster University Magee 10.00

Thursday 24 October

Primary School Competitions St. Columb’s Hall 10.00

Anticlockwise Millennium Forum 19.30

Conducting Masterclass

Ulster University Magee 13.00

Big Sing Workshop (primary schools) St. Columb’s Hall 12.30

Adjudication of Primary School Competitions St. Columb’s Hall 13.00

The Armed Man with Ulster Orchestra and Festival Chorus Guildhall 19.30

The Gesualdo Six Christ Church 19.30

Bruckner Mass in E Minor St. Eugene’s Cathedral 22.00

Post-Primary School Competitions

St. Columb’s Hall 09.30

Big Sing Workshop with SLIXS (post-primary schools) St. Columb’s Hall 13.45

National Equal Voice Competitions St. Columb’s Hall 10.00

Adjudication of Equal Voice Competitions

St. Columb’s Hall 12.00

National Mixed Voice Competition St. Columb’s Hall 13.30

Adjudication of PostPrimary School Competitions

St. Columb’s Hall 14.30

National Popular, Jazz & Gospel Music Competition St. Columb’s Hall 15.30

Big Sing Workshop with SLIXS (open to all) St. Columb’s Hall 16.15

Adjudication of Mixed Voice and Pop, Jazz & Gospel Competitions

St. Columb’s Hall 17.00

National Sacred Music Competition St. Columb’s Hall 12.00

National Vocal Ensemble Competition St. Columb’s Hall 13.15

National Youth Choir Competition St. Columb’s Hall 14.00

SLIXS

St. Columb’s Hall 19.30

International Competition St. Columb’s Hall 19.30

Festival Club (céilí) Ballroom, St. Columb’s Hall 22.00

Adjudication of Sacred Music, Vocal Ensemble and Youth Competitions St. Columb’s Hall 15.00

Closing Gala Concert and Awards St. Columb’s Hall 19.30

Festival Club City Hotel 22.00