Béla Bartók Male Choir (Pécs, Hungary)
Conductor Tamás Lakner
The all-male chorus was founded in 1945, and it has been conducted by Lakner Tamás since 1980. Due to the high-level artistic work of Dr Lakner, the choir has had a stable position on the choral map of Europe and the world ever since. The choir is famous for its amazingly rich collection of fourty-two prizes and awards of different international choir competitions, such as Arezzo, Debrecen, Gorizia, Rome, Tours or Vienna, just to mention a few.
The years of 2006 and 2008 were particularly successful for the group, as the 4th Choir Olympics in China and the 5th Choir Olympics in Austria brought twice the Olympic Championship of All-Male Choirs to Pécs. In 2014, the Pécs men fascinated the jury and audience again – resulting an absolute first prize in the Beijing International Competition for Choirs. As a result of the high artistic reputation, the chorus has been invited to make tours in Europe as well as in the US, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and China.
“Bartók Béla” Male Choir has been the host ensemble of the Convivial Wine-song Festivals since its very beginning in 1993. Four thousand singers from all-male choirs of thirty-six countries have performed the best and most beautiful convivial wine songs of their homeland as well as the gems of the music history. This CD aims to give a good taste of Hungarian convivial wine songs – presented by the “Bartók Béla” Male Choir, renown also for the excellent interpretation of this genre. Through the years, a remarkably rich repertoire was built, all praising grape, wine, love and friendship. Take a glass of wine – and enjoy! They represented Hungary at the Eurovision Choir of the Year 2017. In 2023, they obtained a gold certificate at the InCanto Mediterraneo Choir Competition in Milazzo (Sicily).
Menura Vocal Ensemble (Florence, Italy)
Conductor Edoardo Materassi
The Menura Vocal Ensemble is a youth choir of female voices only and has a repertoire that ranges from classical polyphony to pop, Jazz up to the ethnic genre. in the Liceo P. Calamandrei in the municipality of Sesto Fiorentino. The choir has been followed since its origin by Maestro Edoardo Materassi who also takes care of the arrangements. Most relevant events attended by the choir: Sixth edition of the Finnish film review “Una Finestra Sul Nord”, Odeon Cinema Florence. Inauguration of the exhibition “A Finn at the Medici court” Palazzo Madici Riccardi Florence, “In the network of words” Teatro Niccolini chamber orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino performing in the world premiere of original music by the composer Andrea Portera. In April 2018 the choir was invited to Berlin for a tour with the youth orchestra G.F. Haendel gaining consensus from both the public and critics The choir received the following awards: First prize in the “Michelangelo International Music Festival” 2017. First prize at the “Florence world choir festival” 2018. First prize in the “Coro Più” competition Grand Prix Choral of Tuscany 2018. Third prize National AERCO Video Choral Competition “2020
