The St John’s College Choir to sing in Taipei

The Taipei Philharmonic Foundation has extended an invitation to the St John’s College choir to attend the Foundation’s annual festival in Taipei from 26 July to 3 August 2008.   The touring choir will comprise 36 Prep boys; ten trebles and the balance College pupils.

The choir has been invited on the strength of their church music repertoire and African music programme.  St John’s College choir is the first choir from Africa to be invited to the Festival!

Details of the Taipei Philharmonic Foundation can be found at www.tpf.org.tw

» Blog — Choir Tour to Taipei

A brief history of the TPF follows:

1996 The 1st Taipei International Choral Festival, 8/17-21

• The Budapest Academic Choral Society and Gabor Hollerung, Hungary
• Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers and Albert McNeil, USA
• Kammerchor Stuttgart and Frieder Bernius, Germany
• Cantoria Alberto Grau and Maria Guinand, Venezuela
• Total 4 foreign guest choirs and 2 local choirs, 7 concerts in 5 days
• A suite of Taiwanese aboriginal folk songs “ Maiden Malan” and movement IV of Beethoven’s 9th were performed at the festival final concert conducted by Gabor Hollerung

1998 The 2nd Taipei International Choral Festival, 8/5-9

• The World Youth Choir and Andre Thomas
• Kampin Laulu Chamber Choir and Timo Lehtovaara, Finland
• Seoul Ladies Singers and Hak Won Yoon, Korea
• The Camerata Singers and Timothy Mount, USA
• Total 4 foreign guest choirs and 5 local choirs, 10 concerts in 5 days
• Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass was performed at the Festival Final Concert conducted by Andre Thomas

2000 The 3rd Taipei International Choral Festival, 7/30-8/5

• Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers and Albert McNeil, USA
• The Tallis Scholars and Peter Phillips, UK
• The Veräjäpelto Choir and Johan Perälahti, Finland
• Itami Mixed Choir and Mitsukazu Suwaki/Yusaku Shimizu, Japan
• Philippine Chamber Choir and Jonathan Velasco, The Philippines via-nova choir and Kurt Suttner, Germany
• Total 6 foreign guest choirs and 15 local choirs, 18 concerts in 7 days
• David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus was premiered in Asia at the Festival Final Concert conducted by Gabor Hollerung and the composer himself controlled the sound mix.

2002 The 4th Taipei International Choral Festival, 7/21-27

• Vancouver Chamber Choir and Jon Washburn, Canada
• Gustaf Sjökvists Chamber Choir and Gustaf Sjökvist, Sweden
• Kammerchor Stuttgart and Frieder Bernius, Germany
• The National Chorus of Korea and Chin-Seup Yom, Korea
• San Miguel Master Chorale and Jonathan Velasco, The Philippines
• Black Voices, UK
• Total 6 foreign guest choirs and 13 local choirs, 22 concerts in 9 days
• Nan-Chang Chien’s Buddhist Requiem was performed at the Opening Concert conducted by Artistic Director Dirk DuHei.
• And John Rutter’s Gloria was performed at the Final Concert, conducted by Alan Harler from USA.

2004 The 5th Taipei International Choral Festival, 7/24-31

• Batavia Madrigal Singers and Avip Priatna, Indonesia
• The Australian Voices and Stephen Leek, Australia
• Luventus Cantans and Vlastislav Novák, Czech Republic
• Aequalis Aurea and Ana Maria Raga, Venezuela
• Nordic Voices, Norway
• Incheon City Chorale and Hak-Woon Yoon, South Korea
• Total 6 foreign guest choirs and 17 local choirs; one opening film and 19 concerts in 9 days.
• Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms was performed at the final concert conducted by Jonathan Velasco from The Phillipines.

2005 The 6th Taipei International Choral Festival, 7/17-24

• Rajaton, Finland
• Parahyangan Catholic University Choir and Avip Priatna, Indonesia
• Vocal Line and Jens Johansen, Denmark
• The Winnipeg Singers and Yuri Klaz, Canada
• Total 4 foreign quest choirs and 22 local choirs; 17 concerts in 10 days.
• Roland Szentpáli’s Magnificat was performed at the final concert conducted by Gabor Hollerung from Hungary.

2006 The 7th Taipei International Choral Festival, 7/29-8/5

• Coco’s Lunch, Australia
• Chamber Choir Ivan Filipovic and Goran Jerkovic, Croatia
• Ensemble Pleiade and Ko Matsushita, Japan
• Cantus and Tove Ramlo, Norway
• Gustaf Sjökvists Chamber Choir and Gustaf Sjökvist, Sweden
• Total 5 foreign guest choirs and 16 local choirs, 18 concerts in 8 days.
• Mozart’s Requiem was performed at the festival final concert conducted by Gabor Hollerung from Hungary.