QSCOY 2023 - programme

WELCOME

“

Welcome to the return of Qatar School Choir of the Year! We are delighted to be back for our fifth run of this exciting event. Uniting children through singing is our mission statement and we strongly believe in the power of music and collaboration in raising the vocal skill, confidence and enjoyment of our young musicians. We are also delighted to welcome you to our new campus and auditorium at Doha College and hope that you enjoy the show. Over the two-day event, students have engaged in a variety of vocal workshops with esteemed adjudicator Greg Beardsell, who has been with us since the initial Primary School Choir Competition and has also been instrumental in the growth and development of vocal music in Qatar - we are so grateful to Greg for his ongoing expertise and support. I would also like to thank Olga Protopopova and Zlatan Fazlic for their support and adjudication - we are thrilled to collaborate with fellow music centres in Qatar and share experiences. Thanks are also extended to all the students, music departments, schools, support services and parents for their participation and preparation for the event.

For now, we ask you to sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderful music prepared for you by our talented students and their music teachers!

Motto: Uniting children through singing

STEPHANIE GOMAA QSCoY Director

Introduction to QSCOY

Originally called “Qatar Primary School Choir of the Year,” the competition was brought to life in 2017 by a team of music teachers, parent volunteers and choir enthusiasts from Doha College, to add new breadth to the music education in Qatar.

The competition anthem “Wings of the Falcon” - a rousing song that was the set piece of the inaugural QSCoY edition – was composed by Dana Al Fardan, ambassador, Qatari composer of international prominence, an alumna of Doha College and a champion of music education.

Following the rise of QSCoY, Qatar has seen choirs emerging or doubling in size, grander performances in local events, and widened participation in the competition itself, year on year. Owing to the continued success of the QSCoY model, we are excited to have expanded the competition, and welcome choirs from secondary schools also.

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QSCOY Mission

To enable children to experience and enjoy each other’s musical heritage, to give them a platform that encourages a touch of competitive spirit, with the desire to perform and excel, to contribute to Qatar’s vision for 2030 by enriching the education in performing arts.

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

Uniting children through singing

HEAT 1 - 9.15 AM Ages 5-8

Vision International School

Vis Choir

Sarah Atya

Lia

The Dream - Daniel Errico

Doha College

DC Prestos

Paulo Vicente

Ryan Sullivan

Pajama Party! - Cristi Cary Miller

and Jay M. Ferguson

In addition to the free choice song, each choir in Heat 1 will also sing the set piece ‘Just be Happy’ by Pinkzebra

2023 Uniting children through singing

HEAT 2 - 12.30 PM

Ages 7-118

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

Newton British Academy

Al Dafna Choir

Daniël Rossouw

Daniël Rossouw

Circle of Life - Elton John

Doha College

DC Fortes

Hayley McGivern

Ryan Sullivan

Pure Imagination - arr. Jay Althouse

ACS International School Doha

ACS Lower School Choir

Sandra Odendaal

Shannon De la Pena

I am a Small Part of the World

School: Choir: Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

Al Khor International School

AKIS Primary Choir

Jo-Mari Reynolds

Richard McPherson

Chicken Soup with Rice

M. Sendak and C. King

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

Park House English School

Park House School Choir

Gabriela Nunez

Emanuel Tabares

Sisi ni Moja (We are One)

Jacob Narverud

In addition to the free choice song, each choir in Heat 2 will also sing the set piece ‘J’entends le Moulin’ by Emily Crocker

Sally Albrecht and Jay Althouse

HEAT 2 - 12.30 PM (cont.)

Ages 7-11

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

The American School of Doha

Dragon Voice Squad

Britta Fray

Lisa Cheung

Route 66

Newton International School West Bay

NISW Choir

Roukoz Sakr

n/a

You-nique - Quaver

Doha British School (Ain Khaled)

DBS KS2 Choir

Lucy Martin

Sandra Hernandez

One Moment, One People

Compass Intl School

Compass Intl School Choir

Sara Connolly

Naomi Hoare

Hey Brother - Avicii

Oryx International School

Oryx International School Primary Choir

Cathryn Navarro

Victoria Salazzar

You will be Found

In addition to the free choice song, each choir in Heat 2 will also sing the set piece ‘J’entends le Moulin’ by Emily Crocker

Evan Hansen arr. Audrey Snyder

Bobby Troup arr. Roger Emerson

HEAT 3 - 11 AM (cont.)

Ages 11-188

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

School: Choir:

Conductor:

Accompanist: Free Choice Song:

Oryx International School

Oryx International School Senior Choir

Mariana Teixeira

Victoria Salazar

Nothing Else Matters - Metallica

Compass Intl School Doha Madinat Khalifa

CISD Secondary Choir

Kelly Mordecai

Naomi Hoare

Radio GaGa - Queen

Doha College

DC Young Voices

Hayley McGivern

Steph Gomaa

The Seal Lullaby - E Whitacre arr. E Crocker

Dukhan English School

DES SING!

Mark Young

Louise Clelford

I will Sing you the Stars - Mark Burrows

In addition to the free choice song, each choir in Heat 3 will also sing the set piece ‘Don’t you Worry ‘bout a Thing’ by S. Wonder

2023 Uniting children through singing

FINAL - Thursday, 4 PM

National Anthem - please be upstanding

Presented by Steph Gomaa

Al Khor International School - age 7-11

Vision International School - age 5-8

Doha British School - age 7-11

Doha College Prestos - age 5-8

American School of Doha - age 7-11

Call to prayer and interval

Oryx International School - age 11-18

Park House English School - age 7-11

Dukhan English School - age 11-18

Adjudication

Sonata Concertata for Guitar and Violin, Mvt. I - Allegro Spiritoso, Paganini

Violin - Anya Tarzimanova , Guitar - Joel Sharbaugh

Music for the Royal Fireworks: Suite HWV 351

III. La Paix, Handel

Flute - Ilenia Torsello , Violin - Anya Tarzimanova ,

French Horn - Krisztina Sonda , Guitar - Joel Sharbaugh

Presentation of certificates and trophies by Greg Beardsell

ADJUDICATORS

University New York, and music education hubs across England.

He has conducted the BBC Symphony Chorus, London Bach Choir and the London Symphony Chorus and collaborated with conductors such as Marin Alsop, Edward Gardner and Sir Colin Davis. He has conducted the National Youth Orchestras of Ireland and Ulster, the City of London Sinfonia, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra in a range of performance and education projects.

An avid collaborator, with a Masters degree in composition, Greg has commissioned new music for choirs, electro-acoustic musicians, Irish folk ensembles, traditional Indian musicians, dance companies, pop stars and jazz bands.

Greg Beardsell is a leading light in music education and performance; his ability to inspire people of all ages to explore new musical horizons has created new and exciting music-making opportunities, particularly for children and young people.

He is Music Director of the London Youth Chamber Choir, Principal Conductor of the National Youth Training Choir and Associate Conductor of London Voices. He is also Musical Director of the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, an ensemble established in 1995 as a peace initiative and composed of exceptionally talented young musicians from all over the island of Ireland. Every year, in collaboration with the orchestra, he conducts over 35,000 school children across Ireland and the UK in a concert series called the Peace Proms; performances which help to build and nurture vital cross community relations.

He has held directorships with the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, the Irish Youth Choir, the Ulster Youth Choir and the Royal College of Music Chamber Choir and has presented seminars on conducting and teaching strategies for organisations such as Cambridge University, the Association of Swedish Choral conductors, Cornell

He enjoys a very close association with Royal Albert Hall, devising the inaugural International Youth Choir Festival there in 2017. The festival, produced in collaboration between the RAH Education & Outreach team and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, featured seminars, workshops and performances in the Hall and across the city from some of the finest choirs in the world. Greg also hosts the ‘Carols at the Hall’ shows, a series of multiple sold out performances across the festive period.

He is a guest presenter for BBC Radio 3’s Live in Concert, Inside Music and Choir and Organ programmes, and this year he featured as a choral music expert for the BBC Proms television broadcasts.

GREG BEARDSELL IS A UNIQUELY EXCITING PERSONALITY IN MUSIC TODAY. AT A TIME WHEN THE ART-FORM’S RELEVANCY COULD EASILY BE CONTENDED, NOBODY IS ABLE TO IMPLANT ITS VIBRANCY AND POWER IN THE HEARTS OF A NEW GENERATION MORE THAN GREG.

JAMES MURPHY - Southbank Sinfonia

ZLATAN FAZLIĆ

Zlatan graduated with first-class honours from the Music Academy in Sarajevo. His music and teaching education continued at the Guildhall School of Music and Kingston University in London. His teaching career spanned over 25 years during which time, he taught at and led some of the finest music and performing arts departments in the UK. His choirs won numerous local, county and international choral competitions in the UK between 1995 and 2019, covering a wide range of repertoires from The Beatles to Bernstein, and from Handel to Bruckner. Zlatan is now the Director of Qatar Music Academy.

OLGA PROTOPOPOVA

Olga graduated with distinction from the world-acclaimed Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music (Kyiv Conservatory), and subsequently worked as a professional accompanist to world-renowned vocal tutors, and has extensive experience working with international singers. She has built considerable experience in the Middle East, including four years in Jordan, where she taught numerous high-level students and staged many classical concerts. Since 2006, Olga has been Principal for the International Centre for Music in Doha, where she continued to be a munificent mentor with a passion and commitment to excellence.

About Doha College

We are one of the world’s leading British international schools. We enjoy an outstanding reputation for achievement in academia, sports, music, drama and arts. Our state-of the art campuses and facilities re ect our ongoing commitment to the pursuit of excellence.

At Doha College, we pride ourselves on our holistic approach to education. Students are consulted and engaged at every stage of their learning. Our teaching team are exceptional and we are very particular in the qualities and skills we require in recruiting the very best people.

A Doha College education reaches far beyond the curriculum. Students acquire skills that will serve them well as global citizens. We nurture the abilities to listen, to consider other perspectives, to form opinions and to have the con dence to stand up and be heard.