OUR MISSION IS tO pROMOte aRtIStIc excelleNce, glObal UNdeRStaNdINg, fRIeNdShIp aNd gOOdwIll thROUgh chORal MUSIc

OCTOBER 2007OFFICERS

Terry ConradPresident

Beth MastPast President

Tom TriggVice President

Janet PalmerSecretary

Peter HeylerTreasurer

David HeidelArtistic Director

STAFF

Melissa BluntExecutive Director

Anne Marie BrinkmanOffice Manager

DIRECTORS

Renie GibsonBob Hermes

Saxon HolbrookLee Kirkegaard

Doug KleinNancy Labbe

Doug LawrenceDean PetersonAlex SubrayanDann SwallowKatie Van DornAngela Wilkes

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTES

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” That pretty much sums up what I find most extraordinary about Missoula’s International Choral Festival. The determi-nation of the selected choirs to come all this way amidst political and economic troubles in their country and in the absence of financial resources; the sheer will-power of the Festival Board of Directors and volunteers, and the enthusiasm and support of the Missoula community all combine to overcome what logistically should be nearly impossible!

Yet, in a few weeks, over 700 singers of all ages from around the world will gather in Missoula to celebrate peace,

friendship, cultural diversity and national pride through the universal language of music. Brings a lump to my throat just writing about it!

We haven’t met them yet, but after thousands of e-mails back and forth about visas, funding challenges, and how to get here, it is clear the choirs have overcome many obstacles to build their dream of attending Missoula’s Festival into reality, and are eager to share the unique bond and joy which lie at the heart of each International Choral Festival. On the following pages we will introduce you to these special people who will put a song in our hearts.

There is still much to be done before the first plane touches down or bus load of singers arrive. We still need volunteers to help at concerts and events, and host families for international singers - please read about how you can help inside. And be sure to check out Artistic Director David Heidel’s report on exciting new features of our 9th Festival, including our new mobile GUIDEBOOK which, along with our website, will be your source for up-to-date concert schedules, venue maps, etc.

Finally, my hat goes off to all of you who have supported the Festival with your time, talents, and pocket books. It has been truly humbling to witness the passion and vision surrounding this beloved event. See you at the concerts!

“The International Choral Festival is a marvelous contribution to civilized society”

2009 Audience Member, Philadelphia

MAY 2013

July 17-20, 2013

Melissa BluntExecutive Director

2 MAY 2013

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Missoula is a special place to live. Festivals and events abound all year long from Jazzoula/UM-Buddy DeFranco Jazz to New Zealand Days, Beer Fest, Roots Fest, Ger-man Fest, Celtic Fest (and many others) culminating with First Night Missoula. And every three or four years we add one more: Mis-soula’s International Choral Festi-val bringing in hundreds of singers from all over the globe.

2013 is the year of Missoula’s 9th Festival, and July 17-20 is fast approaching. Why do these singers work hard to save enough money to travel so far for four or five days? They tell us they come because it’s Missoula: beautiful surroundings and friendly, welcoming people. There is no competition, no prizes to be won...just the joy of singing and sharing.

This year the variety of singers has never been greater. They come from every continent bringing their music, culture and joy of living. We, in turn, show them some of the best America has to offer. So, now is the time to mark your calendar. Reserve the week of July 15-21 for your stay-at-home “world tour” vacation.

Be a host, be a volunteer, and be part of a great experience: the 2013 International Choral Festival. ♪

Terry ConradPresident

If you have never attended an International Choral Festival in Missoula, then you are in for a treat of a lifetime. If you are a veteran of previous Festivals, then you will notice some big changes, along with some very traditional parts of our Festival.

Here are some highlights:

FREE preview concerts on Wednesday, July 17 at Caras Park, Southgate Mall and Bonner Park. Each choir presents a very short performance at one of these locations, so if you want to hear all the choirs, it can indeed be accomplished this day.

Thursday and Friday formal concerts will be held in the afternoon and evening, at five different venues. Each concert will feature a new and fantastic audio/video presentation of each choir’s country and/or hometown so audience members can learn more about where each choir comes from.

On Thursday morning, the public is invited to a new “non-concert” seminar entitled “Choral Insights from Around the World” when Festival conductors will share topics that will be intriguing to choral direc-tors, choral musicians and anyone who enjoys choral music, including a presentation on yodeling!

Following the seminar, the public is also invited to “Meet the Choirs” face-to-face during our no-host informal lunch at Caras Park (food vendors on site).

Saturday night in the Adams Center (with a new ventilation system) is the big Finale Concert, fea-turing the Parade of Choirs complete with bagpipes, the Missoula Mendelssohn Club, individual Festival choir performances, and the Canadian choirs combining for a joint performance. The concert concludes with all choirs combining as the Festival Massed Chorus, guest conducted by Dr. David Edmonds, Director of Choral Activities at the University of Montana, and myself.

All of these concerts are included in your one-timepurchase of an admission button (see back panel).

For more details, go to our website, and also down-load our new Guidebook mobile application.

Let the 9th Festival begin!

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S REPORT

David HeidelArtistic Director

We are delighted to welcome back Anne Marie Brinkman to the ICF family! Anne Marie started work in the ICF office on May 1st, and already is an invaluable asset. And, her positive attitude and quick humor are much appreciated as things heat up in the office. She is a veteran of Missoula’s Festival, having worked as Office Manager for the 2009 Festival, and as a volunteer for festivals before that. She graduated from the University of Montana with a Bachelor’s of Music in 1992, and has taught piano and performed in Missoula for over 25 years. She is happily married to Rich Brinkman and has two beautiful daughters. Welcome back Anne Marie!

OUR NEW OFFICE MANAGER

WWW.CHORALFESTIVAL.ORG

3MAY 2013

FESTIVAL HOSTS NEEDED

The choirs are coming! We currently have approximately 500 international guests on the housing roster for the 2013 International Choral Festival. That’s a lot of beds! We continue to search for more hosts and once again we are asking you to open your hearts and your homes to help us welcome these singers to Missoula this July.

We invite you to submit a housing application online from the Festival website at choralfestival.org. Simply select the host button for details on hosting and follow the link to the application.

Thanks to a grant from the Montana Office of Tourism, you can now find everything you need to know about Missoula’s 9th Festival on your mobile phones and tablets using our new mobile GUIDEBOOK! Available for iOS, Android, Blackberry and web-enabled devices, completely free!

WE’VE GONE MOBILE!

See concert schedules, choir photos and bios, venue maps, and purchase *admission buttons right on your mobile device. Here is how to get it:

• Download ‘Guidebook’ from the Apple App Store or the Android Marketplace, or visit http://guidebook.com/getit from your phone’s browser.

• Once you have downloaded the app, tap “download guides” and look for International Choral Festival.

• Or, if you already have a barcode reader on your device, you can scan our custom QR code below which will take you directly to our guide. Easy!

*With Guidebook, you can purchase your admission buttons right on your phone or tablet. Just select “admission button” from within our Guide and pay with your credit card. You may then redeem your printed purchase receipt (which you will receive via e-mail) for the actual button at any concert venue before the performance.

Janet PalmerHousing Chair

Or, fill out the enclosed application form and return it to the Festival office in the envelope provided.

This is a unique opportunity to discover another culture and enjoy a week packed full of beautiful music, social activities and a superb time sharing your world with your international guests. We will have children from Australia and Canada; high school and university students from Estonia, Poland, Finland, and Switzerland as well as adult choirs from Costa Rica, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, Russia, Congo, and Zimbabwe who will all need housing. Hosting requires time and energy, but it is totally worth it!

Feel free to contact me at host@choralfestival.org if you have questions. A million thanks to our new and returning hosts, we couldn’t do this without you!

4 MAY 2013

CANADABach Children’s Chorus

AUSTRALIAYoung Voices of Melbourne

CANADACoastal Sound Youth Choir

CANADAKokopelli Youth Choir

Founded in 1990 by Mark O’Leary, Young Voices of Melbourne is regarded as one of Australia’s finest choirs. The choir has toured all states and territories of Australia, as well as Europe (1996, 2004, 2010); South Africa (1998); Canada/USA; Singapore/Thailand (2007); and Samoa (2011). YVM participated at International Society for Music Education World Conferences in Pretoria (1998) and Teneriffe (2004); Festival 500 in Newfoundland (2001); and the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, where it was awarded second place in the Senior Children’s Choirs section of the 2004 and 2010 competitions.

The Bach Children’s Chorus consists of 190 auditioned singers in four choirs --three treble choirs and an SATB choir. Each choir rehearses weekly and participates in festivals, workshops, and concerts with choirs and world-renowned clinicians. Past tours have included the Atlanta International Music Festival, Festival 500 in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and the Suas E! Festival in Cape Breton. Choir III performed at the Eastern Division convention of the ACDA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and at Podium, the national convention of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors.

The Coastal Sound Youth Choir is made up of 69 young people, ranging in age from 14-21, who come from the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Extremely enthusiastic and energetic, this close-knit group of singers is quickly becoming known for their innovative programming and imaginative performances. In the past few years they have enjoyed collaborative performances with, among others; musica intima, the Vancouver Cantata Singers, Kokopelli Youth Choir, and The Nylons. The Youth Choir has been chosen to represent Canada at the Chorus America Conference in 2013.

Founded in 1996, Kokopelli is known for their unique style of presentation, and their high-quality musical delivery and creative staging. Kokopelli members range in age from 14-23 and come from across Canada. The choir sings music ranging from canonical classical repertoire to experimental and avant-garde contemporary works. Their focus is to share music across boundaries, using song as a tool of communication and community. Kokopelli has been featured at the regional conference of the American Choral Directors Association and the International Society of Music Educators conference.

5MAY 2013

COSTA RICAEl Café Chorale

DEM. REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Choeur La Grace

FINLANDPedavoces

ESTONIAE Stuudio Girl’s Choir

Founded in 1994, El Café Chorale is one of the most important choral groups in Costa Rica. It consists of a group of students and professionals who are united by their love of choral singing. The Chorale was created for the purpose of investigating and disseminating a broad international repertoire of choral literature, ranging from Renaissance to contemporary. Its main focus and intent is to bring Latin American folk music and rhythms to the international stage, using authentic traditional instruments and more importantly, reacquainting local audiences with their own musical traditions.

Choeur la Grâce, the highly-regarded Congolese choir from Kinshasa, was founded in 1985 with the purpose of promoting choral music from the Central African region. After experimenting with various choral repertoire, the choir decided in the early 1990s to showcase typical Congolese repertoire in the Negro folk style, featuring the popular traditional songs of various ethnic groups in the DR Congo. Members of Choeur La Grâce meet several times weekly to rehearse a wide ranging a cappella repertoire that also includes folk songs from around the world.

E Stuudio Girls’ Choir was founded by conductor Külli Lokko in 2006. The choir’s repertoire is supplemented by a cappella choral music of classical works and sacred pieces by contemporary Estonian composers. Estonian choral music has an important place in E Stuudio Girls’ Choir repertoire. A memorable experience for the girls was participating in a concert project‚ Youth and the Classics, together with the Vanemuine Theatre Orchestra, where they performed Mozart’s vocal pieces. The Choir has performed throughout Estonia, and also in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Austria.

The Academic Student Choir Pedavoces is a mixed voice student choir based in Vaasa, Finland. “Pedavoces,” spoken with the Italian pronunciation, is a mix of Greek and Latin and freely translates to “teacher voices.” The choir was founded in 1974 by Per-Håkan Jansson within the Faculty of Education at Åbo Akademi University. To this date, Pedavoces is the only Swedish-speaking mixed academic student choir in Finland. While still associated with Åbo Akademi University, Pedavoces is no longer a choir strictly for teacher students. It now attracts students from different universities in Vaasa.

6 MAY 2013

POLANDFeliks Nowowiejski Academy Chamber Choir

RUSSIASverdlovsky Russian Singers

SOUTH KOREAEwha Chamber Choir

GERMANYJunges Vokalensemble Hannover

Junges Vokalensemble Hannover was founded in 1981 by Klaus-Jürgen Etzold. Many of the 45 singers are current or former students of Hannover University of Music and Drama. Members have varied professions, but are united in their extensive choral experience and their joy in singing challenging works. In addition to sacred and secular a cappella music, the choir sings cantatas, oratorios, and Passions. Junges Vokalensemble Hannover has recorded ten CDs and performed several world premières. In 2010 the choir received the prestigious ECHO KLASSIK award for their CD, Glaubenslieder.

The tradition of the Chamber Choir dates back to 1986 and Janusz Stanecki’s Initiative, when it was composed of students who were training in all music fields. The choir works with philharmonic orchestras of Bydgoszcz, Gdansk, Bialystok and Heidelberg to perform vocal-instrumental and a capella choral compositions. The choir features Polish and other European music from the Middle Ages to the present in their repertoire. The choir has toured extensively and has frequently been awarded prizes in competitions.

Founded in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 1999, the Russian Singers ensemble is primarily comprised of graduates from the Yekaterinburg Male Choir College, following the ancient traditions of Russian singing. The group is conducted by its founder and Artistic Director, Sergey Pimenov, renowned as an “Honored Artist of Russia.” Each choir member is either a soloist or an arranger. The choir performs a variety of musical literature including sacred, folk, and contemporary Soviet compositions of the 1970s and 1980s. The choir is especially known for their creative arrangements of Russian folk music.

Ewha Chamber Choir is an amateur women’s choir in which the music students and the graduates of Ewha Womans University sing for God’s glory. The word “Ewha” means “pear blossoms”. When Ewha became a university in 1946, the Ewha President added an “s” to “woman” to emphasize that the students were not viewed as a group of women, but that each individual woman is valued. Renowned for its exquisite voice, the choir is frequently invited to sing at the Korean Choral Festival. In 2003 the choir participated at the 6th International Choral Festival in Missoula, where they were enthusiastically received.

7MAY 2013

SWITZERLANDBündner Jugendchor

USA - CALIFORNIAWomenSing

TAIWANFormosa Singers

USA - KANSASLawrence Children’s Choir

All the singers of the Bündner Jugendchor grew up in Graubünden, Switzerland. Each August the young people from ages 16-28 come together for a week to learn new songs. These are sung at various events, starting with 3-4 concerts in August and September. Although the choir was founded in 2004, there have been many interesting exchange opportunities with other choirs at international festivals and competitions, including the 2011 International Choir Competition in Bad Ischl, Austria, where the choir won first place in the youth choir category, and a golden diploma singing folk songs.

Since 1965 WomenSing has delighted audiences with their beautifully blended sound that includes the traditional and the unexpected, and features landmarks of the treble repertoire, seldom-performed works, and new music. WomenSing has performed throughout North and South America, Asia, and Europe. WomenSing’s most exciting outreach is its Youth Inspiring Youth (YIY) partnership with River of Words. Young composers, mentored by composer Libby Larsen, create new works using the words of award-winning young poets.

The Formosa Singers has established itself as one of the premier choral ensembles of Taiwan. Founded in 1994 by Artistic Director and Conductor, Julian Ching-Chun Su, the Formosa Singers is dedicated to the promotion of choral music of pristine quality and to the refinement of the art of choral music in Taiwan. Over the last fifteen years, the Formosa Singers has created a level of music excellence that has been recognized throughout Taiwan and abroad. The Formosa Singers’ dedication in preserving the spirit of Taiwanese folk songs has created a new sound and life for this rich treasury of vocal music.

The Lawrence Children’s Choir is a non-profit arts organization that brings musical excellence to young singers through vocal training and music fellowship to children from preschool through 9th grade. The choir was founded in 1991 by Janeal Crabb Krehbiel and her sister Marilyn Crabb Epp. Since the choir became a non-profit organization, it has refined its repertoire and attracted national attention, now serving more than 150 children. The organization is divided into levels that best match each student’s abilities. Each choir strives for musical excellence through performing challenging works by master composers.

8 MAY 2013

USA - NEW JERSEYChildrenSong

ZIMBABWEChitungwiza Harmony Singers

ChildrenSong of New Jersey, directed by Polly Murray, is a choral music education and performance program based in Haddonfield, New Jersey. Established in 2000, the program serves 100 children from across New Jersey in three choirs, from ages 8 to 17. The organization’s mission is to provide quality vocal music instruction with the goal of attaining the highest level of artistic excellence in choral music performance. Recent performances include Carnegie Hall, Washington National Cathedral, Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, South Jersey Performing Arts Center, and Canterbury Cathedral.

The Chitungwiza Harmony Singers was founded by Israel Dzangare in August 1993, and is currently conducted by his son, Arnold Dzangare. The choir draws its membership from people of various church denominations. Chitungwiza Harmony Singers knows no racial or tribal boundaries as it pursues its objectives of uniting people from all walks of life through music. The vision behind the group’s formation was to allow the hidden musical talent in the community to flourish; to encourage young people to take up music as a profession; and to advance the promotion of choral music in the region.

2013 POSTER AND MERCHANDISE NOW ON SALE

Thanks to Joe Boddy, official 2013 Festival poster artist, for our gorgeous poster! A resident of Missoula, Joe is a multi-talented artist, having worked as an illustrator, sculptor, and painter for 40 years. His creative blending of musical elements with local iconic scenes and colorful songbirds perched on a musical staff are the perfect combination for Missoula’s 9th Festival.

Unframed posters will be available for sale at all Festival concerts, and on our website (see “gift shop”). The poster easily fits a standard 18 X 24’ frame available at most craft and department stores.

They are very affordable at $10 each (plus a small shipping fee if purchased online). We will also have vintage Festival posters available to add to your collection!

In addition, we will have new T-shirts for sale in a variety of fun colors and sizes, including a new tank-style Tee for the ladies, and a muscle-cut style for the men!

And for those of us who love our baseball caps, we are bringing those back too this year, and we expect them to sell out again quickly so plan to get yours early.

9MAY 2013

FESTIVAL WEEK AT-A-GLANCE

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17: FREE PREVIEW CONCERTS11:00 am -2:00 pm: Out-to-Lunch at Caras Park2:30 pm - 4:00 pm: Choral Showcase at Southgate Mall7:00 pm - 9:00 pm: Youth Choirs Concert at Bonner Park

•THURSDAY & FRIDAY, JULY 8 & 19: WORLD VOICES CONCERTS

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm at the following venues:Dennison Theater, University of MontanaMusic Recital Hall, University of Montana Music BuildingHellgate High School AuditoriumSt. Anthony’s ParishSt. Paul Lutheran Church

•THURSDAY, JULY 18: CHORAL INSIGHTS FROM AROUND THE WOLD

9:00 am - 11:30 am Music Recital Hall, University of Montana Music Building

•THURSDAY, JULY 18: “MEET THE CHOIRS” NO HOST LUNCH

11:30 am - 1:00 pmCaras Park Pavilion

•SATURDAY, JULY 20: FESTIVAL FINALE CONCERT

7:00 pm - 9:30 pmAdams Center, University of Montana (with new and improved ventilation)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! FESTIVAL OUTREACH CONCERTS

Many people think that Missoula is the only place where Festival choirs perform. Since its beginning, however, the Festival has featured opportunities for choirs to perform either before or after the Festival in Montana communities, where concerts and home stays are organized for the singers. Outreach concerts are being planned for the Swiss Bündner Jugendchor and the Russian Singers at the High School gymnasium in Dillon, Montana before the Festival on July 15, and El Café Chorale from Costa Rica will perform at the Orpheum Theater in Conrad, Montana after the Festival on July 22. Thank you to the community concert organizers for planning the concerts and home stays, and to the Montana Arts Council, for providing funds to cover outreach expenses through the Cultural Trust Grant.

“The choirs that we hosted brought breathtaking musical performances and a cultural experience our

host families will never forget.”Kim Lorengo-Anaconda Outreach Coordinator, 2009

The International Choral Festival runs on volunteers-literally 100’s of them. We are looking for people to usher at concerts, sell merchandise, work in the office, serve food, run errands, move risers, transport equipment, and more. There are hundreds of volunteer slots to fill, so if you can donate a few hours of your time to help make the 9th Festival a success, please visit the Choral Festival website, and select the “Volunteer” button for job descriptions and follow the link to the online application.

Or, you can e-mail me at volunteer@choralfestival.org, or simply call the Festival office at 721-7985. Thank you in advance for your help!

Saxon HolbrookStaffing Chair

New!

New!

10 MAY 2013

Save the Dates

FUNDRAISING UPDATE

Doug LawrenceFundraising Chair

Eat, Drink, and be Merry!BIERS FOR BENEFIT ~ BAYERN BREWERY

1507 Montana St.Tuesday, June 25 • 4:00-8:00pm

Great beer, delicious food, and of course music! (a portion of beer proceeds benefits the ICF. The food and music are free)

After three years of fundraising for the 9th Festival, and with only a few weeks before the choirs arrive, I am delighted to report that Missoulians and supporters afar have been as generous as ever, and we are close to our fundraising targets. We extend our most sincere thanks to all of you who have donated these past couple of years, and to our major sponsors who are gratefully recognized on the opposite page. Simply put, without all of your support, there would be no Festival.

The operative word above however, is “close”. Our 3-year budget for this Festival is $260,000, of which 70% must be raised from the local community. We are still a bit short of that magic number, so if you haven’t donated yet to the upcoming Festival, we hope you will consider helping us out by sending a donation in the envelope provided or donating online from our website.

And be sure to mark your calendars for our annual MESSIAH benefit concert over Thanksgiving weekend this November, and for our fundraising “pint night” below. Thank-you one and all!

Join the ChorusHANDEL’S MESSIAH BENEFIT CONCERT

Sunday, December 1, 2013 • 7:30pmDennison Theater, University of Montana

Chorus registration and concert information will be available on our website in September 2013

11MAY 2013

the INteRNatIONal chORal feStIval OffeRS SpecIal RecOgNItION tO the fOllOwINg pReSeNtINg SpONSORS:

ICF SPONSORS

pROject gRaNtS fINal cONceRt SpONSORS cONceRt aSSOcIate SpONSORS MajOR IN-KINd SpONSORS

cONceRt SpONSORS

“This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully,

more devotedly than ever before”—Leonard Bernstein

jOhN aNd SUe talbOt

dOUg aNd caRyl KleIN

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMISSOULA, MT

59801PERMIT NO. 569

P.O. Box 8203Missoula, MT 59807

USA

“Bringing the World a little Closer, Through Music”

Albertsons – Eastgate (Missoula)Albertsons – Northgate (Missoula)

Albertsons – South Russell (Missoula)Albertsons – Trempers (Missoula)

Fact & Fiction (Downtown Missoula)Good Food Store (Missoula)

Orange Street Food Farm (Missoula)Rockin Rudy’s (Missoula)

Rosauers (Missoula)Safeway – West Broadway (Missoula)Safeway – South Reserve (Missoula)

Southgate Mall – Guest Services (Missoula)Worden’s Market (Downtown Missoula)

Chapter One Book Store (Hamilton)Harvest Foods (Lolo)

Buttons go on sale starting Monday, June 10. Buttons may be purchased:• On our website at choralfestival.org• At participating button outlets listed below (through July 16 only)• On your mobile device using the ICF GUIDEBOOK mobile application• At all concert venues

$10 per person advance purchase before July 17$15 per person from July 17-20

• Children 12 years & under are free, if accompanied by adult• July 17 Preview Concerts are free of charge• Admission buttons are not refundable

2013 CONCERT ADMISSION BUTTONSOne concert admission button is your pass to all concerts during the Festival!

Button Outlets ~ Monday, June 10 through Tuesday, July 16