We had an Online talk, Monday Jan 29, 2024

TOPICS of the Talk

• Where is choral music heading today?
• What are some artistic methods/inspiration/tools to create new vocal art?
• Concrete examples of the process of programming concerts
• Commission works and collaborations with composers, collaborations within ensemble – examples and experience

The Panel

Lone Larsen – moderator / Sweden, VoNo

Michael Zaugg /Canada, Pro Coro

Martina Batič / Slovenia, DR Vokalensemblet

Donald Nally/ US, The Crossing

Danish born Lone Larsen is one of Sweden’s most creative choir conductors as well as a professor in choir conducting at the Marie Cederschiöld Högskola. Innovation, integrity and collective improvisation are at the centre of the work and methods Lone Larsen has developed with her vocal ensemble VoNo for the past twenty years. As a guest conductor she has worked internationally with many fine ensembles and frequently been the artistic director and chorus master for projects at Folkoperan, a Swedish opera company. After receiving her diploma in Choir conducting from Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, she continued her studies in New York at the Juilliard School of Music. Humanity and sustainability are keywords in many of the performances she creates, not only with her ensemble VoNo, but also as a teacher at the Conducting 21C, an international course started by the Eric Ericson Choral Centre that gives choir leaders tools to work in varied social contexts.

Swiss-native Michael Zaugg is the Artistic and Managing Director of the professional ensemble Pro Coro Canada in Edmonton, Canada. Michael previously led other notable Canadian choirs including, the St. Lawrence Choir (2008-2013), voces boreales (2006-2015), and the Cantata Singers Ottawa (2005-2014). Michael has worked with groups including the Vancouver Chamber Choir, National Youth Choir of Canada, the BBC Singers, and as Chorus Master of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (2006- 2011). Michael Zaugg is strongly committed to his work with emerging artists, as Program Director of ‘Choral Art’ at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and with the Emerging Artist program of Pro Coro Canada. Michael holds degrees in voice, conducting and music education from the University in Basel and in choral conducting from Royal Academy of Music, Stockholm. In 2018 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music (Hon DMus) by Scotland’s King’s College, University of Aberdeen.

Martina Batič is one of the leading choir directors of her generation. As the winner of the renowned Eric Ericson Competition 2006, she is celebrated for her particular versatility in conducting a broad choral repertoire from chamber music to symphony. She has been Principal Conductor of the Chœur de Radio France from 2018-2022. Before that, she held the position of Artistic Director of the Slovenian Philharmonic Choir. From 2004-2009, Martina Batič was Artistic Director of the Choir of the Slovenian National Opera in Ljubljana. As a sought-after guest conductor Martina has been on podium of the RIAS Chamber Choir, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, MDR Rundfunkchor, SWR Vokalensemble, Chorwerk Ruhr, as well as the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Swedish Radio Choir, Danish National Vocal Ensemble, The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, Suomen Laulu Choir & Finnish Baroque Orchestra, Nederlands Kamerkoor, Netherlands Radio Choir, Flemish Radio Choir, Gulbenkian Choir and others.

Donald Nally collaborates with creative artists, leading orchestras, and art museums to make new works for choir that address social and environmental issues. He has commissioned about 200 works and, with his ensemble ensemble The Crossing, has produced thirty-one recordings, winning three Grammy Awards for Best Choral Performance, while nominated nine times. Apart from having been closely associated with many distinguished groups and artists, his sixty-chapter series Rising w/ The Crossing, a response to the 2020 pandemic, has been archived by The Library of Congress as a cultural artifact – “an important part of the historical record.” Recent projects include the Swedish Radio Choir, Klockriketeatern at the Finnish National Opera, the Baltic Sea Festival in Stockholm, the Big Ears Festival, Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s MusicNOW, the Haarlem KoorBiënnale, and various projects at Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

EIC Progress is a seminar series with professional choral music at the center.

The online seminar is the second step in this project.

Apart from enabling conversations around the artistic process, EIC progress intends to collect knowledge from all different parts of musical life that can lead to maintaining the choral music on an advanced and professional level.

The first seminar took place on October 3, 2023 and had its focus on Swedish choral life. Swedish singers, conductors, composers, choral teachers and politicians were invited to take part. Four members of the choral community in Stockholm sat on a panel to discuss:

• the eco system of choral life
• the significance of choir singing for individuals and society
• professional choirs
• the cultural policy situation

The members of the panel were Lone Larsen, professor of choral conducting and artistic director of the vocal ensemble VoNo, Helene Stureborg, choral conductor, former teacher and now planning director of the Swedish Radio Choir, Michael Axelsson, full time singer at the Royal Opera of Stockholm, Sweden and Olof Akre, singer in Eric Ericson Chamber Choir

EIC vision:

To, in memory and in the spirit of Eric Ericson develop and promote choral art internationally and nationally.

To, in memory and in the spirit of Eric Ericson develop and promote choral art internationally and nationally.