The conductors from the nine competing countries in Eurovision Choir of the Year 2017 have been announced, as the contest draws ever closer.
Alongside the nine choirs who will be taking part in the first edition of Eurovision Choir of the Year, later this month in Riga, will be the conductors of each nation. While the conductor may not have been seen at the Eurovision Song Contest since 1998, Eurovision Choir of the Year will bring them to center stage.
The conductors and the countries that they are representing are as follows;
- Austria – Alexander Koller
- Belgium – Philippe Favette
- Denmark – Ole Faurschou
- Estonia – Aarne Saluveer
- Germany – Bertrand Gröger
- Hungary – Lakner Tamás
- Latvia – Līga Celma-Kursiete
- Slovenia – Primož Kerštanj
- Wales – Islwyn Evans
Eurovision Choir of the Year will be held for the first time on July 22 in Riga, Latvia as part of the European Choir Games. The European Broadcasting Union has partnered with Interkultur to create this latest Eurovision family event, and both hope to see the format develop into a yearly event.
Competing in the contest are:
- Austria (ORF) – Hardchor Linz
- Belgium (RTBF) – Les Pastoureaux
- Denmark (DR) – Academic Choir of Aarhus
- Estonia (ERR) – Estonian TV Girls’ Choir
- Germany (WDR) – Jazzchor Freiburg
- Latvia (LTV) – Spīgo
- Slovenia (RTVSLO) – Carmen Manet
- Hungary (MTVA) – Bela Bartok Male Choir
- Wales (S4C) – Côr Merched Sir Gâr
The Choirs competing in the contest will perform once for up to 6 minutes. The performance can include one or several works, of any genre, and “should in part reflect national or regional character in some way”. The winner will be decided by a three member jury, on the jury are; Elīna Garanča (Latvia – Mezzo-Soprano), John Rutter (United Kingdom – Composer) and Nicolas Fink (Switzerland – Conductor).
Source: LSM
