Lecturers

PANEL: THE CHANGING ROLES OF THE CONDUCTOR

The role of choral conductors has changed within the choir field and, more in general, in the world of classical music. What roles do conductors play when facing the new challenges to classical music? Are they equipped for those roles? How do they see the future of professional choirs?

The non-professional choir field has also broadened, and new skills are required from the conductors, partly because of how the pandemic changed our thinking and our society. How to adapt to the challenges in funding or attracting an audience? In the end, who are we making music for?

BABETTE GREINER has worked in the music industry since 1996, mostly for contemporary music and improvising ensembles and festivals. From 2008 to 2020, she ran Tenso Network Europe, the European network for professional chamber choirs, organizing international festivals, workshops, summer schools and other projects where the forefront chamber choirs of Europe joined forces. In those years, she has seen the transformation of the role of choral conductors, both within a choir and, more in general, in the world of classical music. What role do conductors play in facing the challenges for classical music? Are they equipped for those roles? And how do they see the future of professional choirs?

Photo by: Zazie de Jong

Babette Greiner (NL)

Babette Greiner has worked in the music industry since 1996, mostly for contemporary music and improvising ensembles and festivals.

CONCERT PLANNING

Bernhard Heß’s presentation provides the seminar participants with an overview of how programme planning works at the RIAS Kammerchor. The presentation offers interesting looks at their concert series and venues and at the team that is involved in the concert planning.

BERNHARD HEß is the manager of the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin, a professional choir with 34 permanent positions for singers.

During his studies of recorder and transverse flute, he sang a lot in various choirs and took over the management of a semi-professional ensemble. He has been working full-time in music management for 34 years: initially for a choir and a baroque orchestra, then as head of marketing for various music festivals in Germany and finally from 1998 to 2005 as managing director and foundation director of the Leipzig Bach Archive where he was responsible for establishing the annual Leipzig Bach Festival and all other events.

Since 2006 he has been in charge of the management of the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin. In addition to being responsible for all organizational matters, he also develops the annual artistic programs and individual concert programs together with the chief conductor.

Heß is a member of the artistic advisory board of the Tenso Network Europe and the advisory board of the German Music Council's Conducting Forum.

Photo by: Oliver Look

Bernhard Heß (DE)

Bernhard Heß is the manager of the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin, a professional choir with 34 permanent positions for singers.

RENAISSANCE MUSIC AND MADRIGALS FROM JOSQUIN TO PALESTRINA

Bo Holten talks about how to perform renaissance music today, presenting ideas how to do it with amateurs and how to approach more complex polyphonic music with singers not used to it. In the workshop, the participants discover the important elements in renaissance music and learn how they can get all the essential things out of a choir during a performance

BO HOLTEN (born 1948) is a Danish composer and conductor. He has composed 10 operas, 6 concertos, 4 symphonies, various orchestral pieces and chamber music, film scores and app. 40 works for a cappella choir, altogether more than 100 works. In 1979, he founded Vocal Ensemble Ars Nova Copenhagen and directed the group for 17 years. He also founded Vocal Ensemble Musica Ficta in 1996 and is still their director. Holten conducts and records regularly with all the Danish Symphony Orchestras. He was Principal Guest Conductor for The BBC Singers during 1990-2006 and Chief Conductor for The Flemish Radio Choir, Bruxelles during 2008-2011. He has recorded 95 CDs, and conducted about 220 world premieres, altogether more than 1000 concerts and opera performances.

Photo by: Hanne Leth Andersen

Bo Holten (DK)

Bo Holten is a Danish composer and conductor. He has composed 10 operas, 6 concertos, 4 symphonies, various orchestral pieces and chamber music, film scores and app. 40 works for a cappella choir, altogether more than 100 works.

Dag Jansson (NO)

Dag Jansson is a professor of arts management at Oslo Metropolitan University. He has previously

been a senior lecturer of choral leadership at the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg.

CONDUCTING A SYMPHONY OR AN OPERA CHOIR

With Ines Kaun, the seminar participants have an opportunity to dive into the world of opera and symphonic choirs and hear about their processes from rehearsals to concerts. There is also going to be a discussion about the differences and similarities in rehearsal techniques and sound between symphonic and a cappella choirs.

INES KAUN is currently working as a Chorus Master at the Royal Opera in Stockholm.

Originally from Berlin, she has studied orchestral and choral conducting in Weimar and in Stockholm. During the scholarship from the Dirigentenforum in Germany she worked with numerous professional choirs, such as the NDR, MDR and SWR, and widened her a cappella repertoire.

Concurrently, she began her career at the Opera house in Darmstadt, followed by chorus master positions in Heidelberg Salzburg and now Stockholm, where she leads the Opera Chorus in addition to conducting performances. Ines Kaun works regularly with the Berliner Rundfunkchor and won the DIMA international music competition in choral conducting in 2021. Her goal is to combine her experiences with both opera and radio choirs to achieve the highest musical quality on every level.

Photo by: Melissa Zigouridi

Ines Kaun (DE/SWE)

Ines Kaun is currently working as a Chorus Master at the Royal Opera in Stockholm.

OBSERVING A CONDUCTING MASTERCLASS FOR SIBELIUS ACADEMY STUDENTS

Sigvards Klava guides the students of the Sibelius Academy into the world of Sergei Rachmaninov: the tradition in his music and the creation of the sound and articulation in an ensemble. The differences and similarities between Rachmaninov’s tradition and the Western choir music are also discussed. The choir on stage is Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble.

The masterclass programme contains parts from Rachmaninov’s Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. The parts are the same that are rendered by the Sibelius Academy vocal ensemble in the concert on Friday. The sheet music is available at, e.g. IMSLP.

SIGVARDS KĻAVA (1962) is one of the most outstanding Latvian conductors, also active as a teacher and a producer. He is the artistic director of the Latvian Radio Choir since 1992.

As a result of Kļava’s steady efforts, the Latvian Radio Choir has become an internationally recognized, vocally distinctive collective, where each singer possesses a creative individuality. The choir has recorded a number of choral works by little known or completely forgotten composers of the past, as well as formed a friendly collaboration with a number of notable Latvian composers – Juris Ābols, Andris Dzenītis, Maija Einfelde, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Arturs Maskats, Kristaps Pētersons, Santa Ratniece, Pēteris Vasks.

Kļava initiated the collaboration with the most brilliant representatives of Latvian traditional music – The Suiti Wives, Ilga Reizniece and Zane Šmite. Together with director Uģis Brikmanis he has collected and recorded samples of Catholic musical culture in the Kurzeme (Courland) and Latgale regions – the chants sung by women of several generations. Kļava has been active in the field of amateur choir as well – he leads several distinguished amateur choirs, and has been appointed the Chief Conductor of the Latvian Song Festival.

Sigvards Kļava is a professor at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, and is frequently part of international juries. Kļava is a multiple winner of the Latvian Grand Music Award. He has performed at the Concertgebouw and Muziekgebouw of Amsterdam, Berliner Konzerthaus and Philharmonie, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Bervaldhallen in Stockholm, Dresdner Frauenkirche, New York Lincoln Centre a. o.

Sigvards Kļava (LV)

Sigvards Kļava is one of the most outstanding Latvian conductors, also active as a teacher and a producer. He is the artistic director of the Latvian Radio Choir since 1992.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN'S AND YOUTH CHOIRS

Anna Nora presents ideas concerning creativity with children and youth choirs through exercise and repertoire examples. Music and vocal teaching should be artistically rich while also rewarding for the children. Some of the questions also raised for discussion are: where do we find more children that sing? How to revive the culture of singing if it has already faded in the society?

ANNA NORA is a conductor, a choral pedagogue, and a composer of children’s operas. She works as an instructor of choir conducting in the division of church music in the Sibelius Academy of the University of Arts and as an instructor of choir and ensemble conducting in the Helsinki Conservatory of Music. Nora is also a sought-after educator who teaches children’s choir conducting around Finland. In choral pedagogy, she specialises in teaching choral skills, musicianship and singing technique step by step, as well as stimulating and encouraging musical expression from the youngest singers to professional studies.

Nora conducts four choirs at the Helsinki Conservatory of Music: Tähtisumu for children between 6 and 9, Ryhmä X for boys between 8 and 12, Galaxi for children between 9 and 11, and a mixed-voice choir for young singers between 14 and 20 years of age. In the autumn of 2024, Anna Nora and Anna Sandström will launch a new course on conducting children’s choirs at the Conservatory.

Nora is also the artistic director of the Finnish Association of Children’s and Youth Choirs, the children’s chorus master at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, and a creator of teaching materials for school opera productions. In addition, she is the choral master in the annual Junior Concert of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Nora has composed five children’s operas, the last three of which include a children’s choir and the latest one a child soloist.

Photo by: Heikki Tuuli

Anna Nora (FIN)

Anna Nora is a conductor, a choral pedagogue, and a composer of children’s operas. She works as an instructor of choir conducting in the division of church music in the Sibelius Academy of the University of Arts and as an instructor of choir and ensemble conducting in the Helsinki Conservatory of Music.

Helga Margrét Marzellíusardóttir (ISL)

Helga Margrét Marzellíusardóttir is the musical director of Hinsegin kórinn in Reykjavík, Iceland. She has a dual bachelor’s degree in singing and choir conducting from the Iceland University of the Arts and a master’s degree in innovative rhythmical choir leading from the Royal Academy of Music in Denmark.

Karin Oldgren (SWE)

Karin Oldgren graduated as a Church Musician from the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm 1991 and continued with studies in orchestral and choral conducting which led to her Diploma Concert in 1996.

THE BASIC INGREDIENTS OF CHORAL GROOVE

With Merzi Rajala, the seminar participants have an opportunity to dive into the basics of rhythm and groove; how to support the singers to internalize and express groove through singing. The very concept of “groove” is also discussed: what does the word actually mean and how to create groove? What is the difference between groove and pulse? What are subdivisions and ghost notes – and how are they linked to the topic?

MERZI RAJALA is a Finnish rhythmic choir conducting pioneer, composer and pedagogue, specialized in popular music / world music genres, fusions, transcultural collaboration and collective improvisation. Rajala works as lecturer in Global Music Department at the Sibelius Academy, University of Arts Helsinki, and is known as the developer for Global Choir Leadership study-option, looking into the leadership of collective singing from wide cultural and aesthetic perspective. She sees choral conducting skills as a great artistic vehicle to contribute to the society and the world around us all. Rajala also teaches and leads different community engagement projects globally – in the field of artistic activity. She appreciates multicultural and multidisciplinary dialogues as part of her own growth and identity as artist and pedagogy.

Photo by: Maarit Kytöharju

Merzi Rajala (FIN)

Rajala is a Finnish rhythmic choir conducting pioneer, composer and pedagogue, specialized in

popular music / world music genres, fusions, transcultural collaboration and collective improvisation.

Nils Schweckendiek studied music at Clare College, Cambridge, and orchestral and choral conducting in Freiburg and Helsinki. He is committed to performing the music of our time and has conducted around 100 first performances, including music theatre, orchestral, choral and ensemble works. His recordings have earned him a GRAMMY (Best Choral Performance for Kaija Saariaho: Reconnaissance), three German Record Critics' Awards, an ICMA Award and an Emma Award.

Since 2007 Nils Schweckendiek has been Artistic Director of the Helsinki Chamber Choir. In 2014 he was appointed Professor of Choral Conducting at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, and since 2017 he has been Artistic Director of the Helsinki Music Centre Chorus.

Recent guest conducting has included the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Baroque Orchestra, Norwegian Soloists' Choir, Chamber Choir Ireland, Coro Casa da Música in Porto and the North German Radio Choir. In 2020 the Society for Swedish Literature in Finland awarded him the Fredrik Pacius Prize for his services to Finnish music.

Photo by: Marco Borggreve

Nils Schweckendiek (DE/FIN)

Since 2007 Nils Schweckendiek has been Artistic Director of the Helsinki Chamber Choir, since 2014 Professor of Choral Conducting at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, and since 2017 Artistic Director of the Helsinki Music Centre Chorus.

CHOIR SOUND AND VOCAL TECHNIQUE

Jani Sivén focusses on how to rehearse choir sound and develop the singers’ vocal technique. Sivén’s choir, Chamber Choir Audite, will also be on the stage to demonstrate some exercises and ideas presented in the workshop.

JANI SIVÉN (born 1971) is an acclaimed conductor, composer and pedagogue. He is a full-time lecturer in choral conducting at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki and artistic director of the Audite Chamber Choir.

Sivén has previously served as the artistic director of the Tampere Philharmonic Choir, Sinfonietta SOI, the Finnish Choral Institute, the Finnish Boys’ Choir and the Galante Youth Choir, and as the chorus master of the Helsinki Music Centre Choir. As a guest conductor, he has collaborated with over 40 choirs and orchestras, including the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, the Finnish Baroque Orchestra, the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, the chamber choirs of both Finnish and Latvian radio, and the choir of the Finnish National Opera. In his role as a teacher, Sivén served as lecturer in choral and orchestral conducting at the Helsinki Conservatory of Music and ran the teaching programme in choral and ensemble conducting at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences.

His composition catalogue contains such works as the chamber operas Pyhä Birgitta (Saint Birgitta), Abelard & Héloïse and Troijan naiset, Metropolin tuulet (Winds of the Metropolis), a cantata commissioned for the centenary of the Nation of Southern Finland student organisation, and Fenestra Finnorum, a work commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Finnish Institute in Rome. Sivén was awarded the conductor’s prize at the Tampere Vocal Music Festival chorus review in 1999 and was named the Choral Conductor of the year by The Finnish Choral Directors’ Association (FCDA) in 2000.

Photo by: Markku Nurminen

Jani Sivén (FIN)

Jani Sivén (born 1971) is an acclaimed conductor, composer and pedagogue. He is a full-time lecturer in choral conducting at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki and artistic director of the Audite Chamber Choir.

CONDUCTING AN EQUAL VOICES CHOIR

Marit Tøndel Bodsberg Weyde talks about her experience in leading both female and male choirs at the Oslo university: The Women’s Choral Society (SA) and The Norwegian Student Choral Society (TB). In the workshop, the participants are given ideas about how to improve the sound of an equal voices choir through warm-ups and repertoire choices. There is also going to be a discussion about the overall impression that a choir gives on stage and how the singers can best express themselves during a performance.

MARIT TØNDEL BODSBERG WEYDE has worked with several of Norway’s most prominent choirs and orchestras. With her energetic personality and musical dedication, she is not only an acclaimed conductor, but also an inspiring and popular teacher and speaker, being frequently invited to sit on panels or asked to adjudicate. She has received several prestigious honours and awards in international choir competitions, and in addition to nine first prizes, Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening was ranked number one in INTERKULTUR’s world ranking of competing female choirs from 2015–2020. Marit has also received several awards for conducting, both in Europe and in Norway.

Marit has participated in numerous highly acclaimed recordings, both as a conductor and a musical director. Her most recent recordings include Magnificat (Ellen Andrea Wang, LAWO Classics, 2023) and I signet juletid (LAWO Classics, 2023).

Photo by: Lars Gunnar Liestøl

Marit Tøndel Bodsberg Weyde (NO)

Marit has worked with several of Norway’s most prominent choirs and orchestras. With her energetic personality and musical dedication, she is not only an acclaimed conductor, but also an inspiring and popular teacher and speaker, being frequently invited to sit on panels or asked to adjudicate.

Nordic Conference for Choral Conductors | 4–6 October, 2024 | Helsinki Music Centre