Interschool Female Choir at Secondary School nr 3 – Białystok, Poland
Conductor – Anna Olszewska
music festivals in Poland and abroad. The choirs give a cappella concerts and also vocal-instrumental ones.Community Interschool Female Choir at Secondary School nr 3 from Bialystok (Poland)was created in October, 2004. Up to October 2015 it had functioned at Secondary School nr 10 in Białystok. The choir gives concerts not only in Bialystok but also in the whole country. Moreover, it successfully participates in music contests and festivals, for example in:International Choir Festival “Kaunas Musica Religiosa” (Lithuania) – I Award and II Award in Grand Prix (2015), 50th International Choir’s Songs Festival in Międzyzdroje – the main prize – St. Peter’s Amber Halo, Golden Diploma in Musica Sacra category; Golden Diploma in Contemporary Music category (2015), XXXVII Polish a Capella Choirs Competition of Children and Youth in Bydgoszcz – Grand Prix and special awards (2017), II Nation Competition of Secondary School Choirs, Kalisz – Grand Prix, Golden Diploma and 4 special awards (2018), III National Choral Music Festival Cantantes Lublinensis – Golden diploma, Special award for the highest scoring in the category, Special award for the best conductor (2018). The repertoire of choir involves a cappella works from various periods and music styles, and also vocal-instrumental pieces. From the very beginning, the choir is led by Anna Olszewska. Anna Olszewska leads the Conductor Class at the Instrumental-Pedagogical Faculty of the Fryderyk Chopin Music University in Bialystok. She is the founder and the conductor of Chamber Choir Con Spirito (late Stanislaw Staszic College of Public Administration in Bialystok) and the Interschool Female Choir at Secondary School nr 3. She is also the conductor of Schola Cantorum Bialostociensis – The Padarewski Music School Female Choir in Bialystok. The choirs conducted by her get the highest awards during various contests and music festivals in Poland and abroad. The choirs give a cappella concerts and also vocal-instrumental ones.
Klapa Ventula – Split, Croatia
Conductor – Sara Dodig
Female klapa Ventula was founded in 2006 in Split, Croatia. Since its beginning, klapa has been gladly participating in numerous concerts, festivals and other cultural events both in Croatia and abroad. During these 13 years klapa Ventula has won a range of awards proving their quality and commitment to preservation of the original type of singing, specific for the region Dalmatia. They won second place at the International klapa Festival in Perast (Montenegro). They have reached the finals of the oldest and most appreciated klapa festival, the Festival of the Dalmatian klapas Omiš, nine times and won the following prizes: third prize of the audience, 2 first prizes of the audience, third prize of the jury at the Evening of the newly composed songs and third prize of the jury. In 2013 klapa Ventula won golden medal in the Festival of traditional singing in Zagreb, while in 2018 they won second place in the Festival of female klapas in Omišalj, Krk. All the mentioned awards proved their quality and confirmed their place among the best female klapas in Croatia. For the last four years, klapa Ventula was led by maestro Mr. Milivoj Rilov, and since January 2019 klapa has a new conductor, Mrs. Sara Dodig. The members of the klapa Ventula are dedicated to the original klapa singing and its popularization. Their name Ventula, literally translated as a hand fan, symbolizes a wide range of beautiful voices, bringing each time a fresh interpretation of the ancient klapa songs.
Choir “Russian Canon” of the Moscow State Institute of Culture – Moscow, Russia
Conductor – Olga Burova
The Choir of Moscow State Institute of culture «The Russian Canon». A young collective with rich traditions of concert activity which originated from the long-term history of choir conducting department of the Moscow State Institute of culture. The repertoire of the choir includes classic Russian and Western-European music, renditions of folk songs, and works by contemporary composers. The choir works with professional orchestras. The choir took part in a concert performance of opera by G. Bizet «Carmen» (2012), opera by S. Rachmaninov «Aleko» (2016), performed Requiem G. Faure (2011), Missa di Gloria by D. Puccini (2013), oratorio St. Matthew Passion by metropolitan Illarion (2013), «Five Days that Changed the World», B. Chilcott (2013), Magnificat and Messa G-dur F. Schubert (2017). The chorus is the laureate of International Festival and Competition “Kaunas Cantat” (Lithuania, 2018) Winner of the category “Adult Choirs” at XI International Festival of Advent and Christmas Music (Slovakia, 2016), Winner of several special awards and received the title “The Best University Choir” at XXIII International contest – festival of academic choirs in Pardubice (Czech Republic, 2014) and winner of the IX International choral festival named Vladislav Sokolov in Ribinsk (2014). The Choir is the laureate of International choir competition «Slovakia Cantat» (Slovakia, 2012); the laureate of the International choir Competition of sacred music «Crystal Chapel» (Moscow, 2011); the graduate of the X International Festival of the University Choirs «Universitas Cantat» (Poland, 2011); the laureate of the All-Russian students choir festival «Festоs» (Moscow, 2010); the graduate of the International choir competition «Chorus Inside» (Moscow, 2008). Artistic Director and conductor of the Choir of Moscow State Institute of culture «The Russian Canon», Laureate of international competitions, Honored Art Worker of the Moscow Music Society, the Dean of the Faculty of Musical Art of the Moscow State Institute of Culture, is professor Olga Burova. She is the founder and artistic director of the «Ozarenie» chamber choir of the Moscow Music Society. Together with the «Ozarenie» chamber choir she has performed in over 11 countries, winning high prizes at competitions both within Russia and abroad. (www.ozarenie-choir.com) Olga Burova is a member of the jury at Russian and international choral competitions and choir conductors contests. The wide range of her artistic interests includes primarily European choral literature from the 19th – 21st centuries.
Vocal Group Radost – Godovič, Slovenia
Conductor –Damjana Voncina
Vocal Group Radost, Godovič, consists of 9 singers. At the very beginning of its existence, the group performed ecclesiastical music in Godovič. Love for singing and sharing musical company soon stretched beyond local frames. With its richer musical repertoire the group began to participate in singing contests, festivals, at concerts and in competitions too: 2006 – Praga Cantat, two golden awards in the category of women’s choirs and in the category folk songs, special cup for the best choir in women’s category. National choral competition, Postojna, Slovenia, gold prize. 2007 – Maribor, National Choral Competition Naša pesem, silver plaque, the best women’s choir in the competition, a special award for the best performance of the set piece of the competition for women’s choirs. City of Rimini, winner of category, fourth place in the final. 2008 – International singing week Europa Cantat. The group took lessons with prof. 2009 – Slovakia Cantat, gold prize in the category musica sacra, gold prize in the category folk songs. Radost won first prize in the category folk songs and special prize for the best chosen competition program in the category musica sacra,Vienna, 26th International Choir Competition Franz Schubert, gold prize in the category musica sacra. 2010 – Maribor, National Choral Competition Naša pesem, gold plaque. 2012 – 1st International choral competition Canta al mar, gold prize in the category folklore and gold prize in the category sacred choral music. 2013 – Montreux International Choral Competition. First place in the category equal voices and gold prize with distinction. The best group of the competition. In canto sul Garda. Gold prize in the category folklore and gold prize in the category sacred choral music. Special prize for Damjana Voncina for conducting. National choral competition, Postojna, gold prize and special prize for slovenian folk song. 2017 – Canta en Primavera, gold prize in category chamber choirs.
