Choir Festival

Heading the list of choirs scheduled to perform at the 9^th Vaasa Choir Festival on 23-27 May 2001 are the King's Singers from the UK and the Helsinki University Chorus from Finland. The Festival will also be spreading over into other parts of the Vaasa region and more than 3,000 visitors are expected.

The King's Singers from England, one of the world's most popular a cappella choirs, have partnered such illustrious soloists as Placido Domingo, Kirite Kanawa, Barbara Hendricks and "Beatle" Sir Paul McCartney.

Representing the Byzantine-Russian vocal tradition will be the fine Lege Artis choir from St. Petersburg which is a winner of four international competitions.

The Turku Church Choir, the Psalloo Choir from Helsinki and the Tampere Church Choir will be taking part in a survey of Orthodox Church music spanning a thousand years right up to the present day. One of the works to be performed by the Tampere Church Choir is a liturgy composed by its conductor, Pasi Torhamo. The other main performer, the Helsinki University Chorus, is the oldest Finnishspeaking choir and has always been an advocate of Finnish culture. Conducted by Matti Hyökki, it has won international recognition on its extensive foreign tours and numerous recordings.

One of the items on the Festival programme will be a performance of Sibelius's Kullervo Symphony by the Jussit, a male choir from South Ostrobothnia, on its 50^th anniversary.

The Kosti Könni memorial concert will be devoted to compositions and arrangements for choir and wind band. This concert will be hosted by the Sirpaleet Mixed Choir founded and formerly conducted by Kosti Könni.

Introducing a modern folk element will be the Stemma choir. Also attending the Vaasa Choir Festival will be the Oulainen Youth Choir, the Seinäjoki Girls Choir and Rolnicka from Prague.