Thursday, July 12, 2012

The State of Choral Music in America 2: World Choir Games


The World Choir Games are happening right now in Cincinnati!


And although this festival isn’t connected with the Chorus Impact Study produced by Chorus America that I wrote about last week, it does tie in on a different level with the intent of the study.  After all, this is top-level music making, choral singing of the finest quality, and it is happening right here in the United States.

The World Choir Games sprang from the Olympics ideal of bringing people together in a fair competition, but this festival is not a sports festival, it is a singing festival, a two-week span devoted to nothing but choral music.  Such heaven!  Choirs of all ages, style categories and ability can sing competitively, go for the gold as it were, or on a non-competitive track, but the most important thing is the gathering together, and the singing.

And such singing!  You can catch it on Choir TV!


Choir TV?!  Imagine, a World Choir Games website devoted to choral music videos from the Games.  There are fabulous performances to watch and enjoy, such as this three-minute one by the Stellenbosch University Choir in South Africa.  Watch the passionate involvement in their faces, watch how their bodies respond to the rhythm—so musical!


But the video I found most touching was one of a prison choir that couldn’t make it to the Games, for obvious reasons.  So the judges came to them, and brought along a camera to record the prison performance as well as some interviews.  The judges themselves were obviously deeply moved, the singers' joy was palpable, and one of the prisoners gave some very perceptive comments on the transformative power of music in his life.  It is truly inspiring.



This is why so many people sing together in choirs!

Dr. Linda Gingrich
Artistic director, Master Chorus Eastside




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