Asian Choir Games in South Korea 2009 Already the Focus

Interkultur and the province of Gyeongnam are preparing an outstanding event in the international choral calendar featuring a broad spectrum of competitions and concerts.

Some 250 days before the grand opening ceremony on 7 July 2009, interest in the second
Asian Choir Games in the province of Gyeongnam in South Korea is growing, both in Asia and around the world.

"We know from correspondence with numerous choirs and people interested in music in recent weeks", said Günter Titsch, president of Interkultur, on 13 October in Frankfurt, "that this outstanding event in next year's international choral calendar is already electrifying many people".

The second Asian Choir Games after 2007 in Jakarta, Indonesia, are being jointly organized by the German-based Interkultur Foundation and the South Korean province of Gyeongnam.

They are taking place as part of the first World Choir Championships in a number of cities in the southern province. According to Titsch, both sides "are working with great energy and in an extraordinarily co-operative spirit" to set the scene for an event "that will have the international choral community in raptures".

He went on to say that the two partners were confident that they would be able to outshine the success and fascination of the first Asian Choir Games.

Choirs and others interested in music can look forward to a diverse and broad spectrum of choral and musical events from 7 – 17 July. The choirs which prove to be among the best in the various categories of the Asian Choir Games and the Korean International Open Competition will receive the opportunity to qualify for the Grand Prix of Choral Music.
With this competition, Interkultur is establishing a platform for the top ensembles from all over the world. Choirs are invited to put their abilities to the test in competitions of the highest standards with other ensembles. The Grand Prix of Choral Music is designed to trigger a hitherto unprecedented enthusiasm in the international choral scene, and, in doing so, also attracts the attention of the media.

Interkultur organizes important international and regional choir competitions. The fifth World Choir Games, dedicated to the Olympic idea, took place in July 2008 in Graz, Austria, with 450 choirs from 93 countries. The South Korean city of Busan hosted the second WCG in 2002. Interkultur is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of its foundation in 2008.

For more details visit www.korea2009.com