The first edition of Eurovision Choir of the Year takes place tonight in Riga, Latvia from 20:00 CET, as nine countries compete for 10,000 Euros.
Tonight, Eurovision Choir of the Year 2017 takes place in the Latvian Capital of Riga. Nine choirs from across Europe have traveled to Latvia competing for the title of Eurovision Choir of the Year and a prize of 10,000 Euros. The contest brings together the best amateur choirs who have been selected by internal selections and the public via national selections. Hosting the contest tonight is Grammy award winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre and well-known Latvian presenter Eva Johansone.
The running order is as follows:
- Estonia – Estonian TV Girls’ Choir – “Absolute Tormis”
- Denmark – Academic Choir of Aarhus – “I Seraillets Have” / “Wiigen-Lied”
- Belgium – Les Pastoureaux – “Dans la troupe” / “Ensemble”
- Germany – Jazzchor Freiburg – “African Call” / “Palettes”
- Slovenia – Carmen Manet – “Ta na Solbici” / “Adrca”
- Hungary – Bela Bartok Male Choir – “Karádi nóták”
- Wales – Côr Merched Sir Gâr – “O, Mountain, O” / “Traditional Welsh Lullaby” / “Wade in the Water”
- Austria – Hardchor Linz – “Ave Maria” / “I tua wos i wü” / “Rah”
- Latvia – Spīgo – “Grezna saule debesīs” / “Es čigāna meita biju”
Each performance will be introduced by a forty-second postcard showcasing the choir and the country they are representing. Each choir will then perform for six minutes. The performance can include one or several works, of any genre, and “should in part reflect national or regional character in some way”. Of the competing choirs only Estonia and Hungary have opted to perform one piece, while Wales and Austria’s performances will contain three different works.
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
The winner of tonight’s winner will be decided by a professional jury made up of well-known musical figures. The three jurors for Eurovision Choir of the Year 2017 are:
- Elīna Garanča – Mezzo-soprano (Latvia)
- John Rutter – Composer (United Kingdom)
- Nicolas Fink – Conductor (Switzerland)
The contest is being broadcast live via YouTube but also on the following broadcasters across Europe:
- Belgium – La Trois
- France – ARTE Concert
- Germany – ARTE Concert
- Denmark – DR K
- Estonia – ETV 2
- Hungary – M5
- Latvia – LTV 1
- Serbia – RTS 2
- Slovenia – RTV 1
- Wales – S4C
While viewers in Austria and Albania are able to watch the contest on delay on Saturday night, for more details click here.
