Youth Committee

The Youth Committee consists of 7 members throughout Europe plus one young representative of the next EUROPA CANTAT who are in love with choral music.

The Youth Committee supports the Board, giving the organisation a youth perspective whilst also providing a platform to learn.

Throughout the year 2021, the Youth Committee have been conducting several surveys concerning the involvement of young people in the work of the choral sector and gathering success stories to inspire organisations all over the world to increase the opportunities for young people in all of their organisational structures. See the questionnaires below:

Youth Involvement in cultural organisations

Supporting new generations of decision-makers

As a result of several questionnaires launched, as well as hosting a Zoom Café together with the members of the European Choral Association and beyond, the Youth Committee wished to investigate the ways in which young people were or are involved as decision-makers in the choral community, and in which ways young people are involved in an organisation.

Together with the experience and the knowledge collected by the youth committee, all the contributions received were bundled into a handbook on youth involvement, which explains in detail, as well as provide tools for convincing young people to get involved in decision-making and giving young people such an opportunity. With this handbook, we wish for increased ease of associations and any other organisations to easily involve young people in their processes in the future.

Youth Committee Blog

In this new blog you can expect to find information about the members of the Youth Committee, their tasks and activities as well as ideas and advice for (young) cultural leaders and organizations.

Check this out here and stay tuned for more!

MEET THE YOUTH COMMITTEE 2022 – 2024

  • Alba Roorda Martinez (NL/ES) | Chair
  • Anna Bobrikova (FI/RU)
  • Ben Jacob (IE)
  • Augustas Kvedaravičius (LT)
  • Joana Costa (PT)
  • Kertu Süld  (EE)
  • Neris Özen (TR)

You can contact them at youthcommittee@EuropeanChoralAssociation.org

Alba Roorda Martinez
“Choral music has always been my biggest passion, so after attending various ECA-events, I’m very excited to now be part of the ECA-family. I’m glad to be able to contribute to a united Europe in the best way I know: by bringing people together in music.”

Ben Jacob
“I believe a sense of community is one of the most important things to maintain in our modern world, and I know choral music has the power to bring people together. I cannot wait to begin my work with the other committee members over the next three years.”

Anna Bobrikova
Postgrad student at the University of Turku (FI), MSc in physics, in contact with Inter-regional Conductors Association of Children and Youth Choirs of North-West of Russia. Roganova Youth Capella Harmony alumna.

Joana Costa
“Hello! My name is Joana, I love to sing, travel, meet people from different cultures, and work in a team. I love cats and staring at the moon.”

Kertu Süld 
“Greetings from Estonia! Having been involved in the choral world one way or another for as long as I can remember, I have found a lot of inspiration, friends and joy thanks to our choral movement. Although my background varies from economics, coding and tour guiding to cultural management, marketing and journalism, today I am an active singer, concert producer, manager of national girls’ choir and secretary of chamber choirs’ society.”

Neris Özen 
““Hi! Greetings from Turkey, I sing proudly with Jazzberry Tunes, I very much like traveling, and I am totally cheerful when some cats are around!?”

Augustas Kvedaravičius

“I have lived most of my life surrounded by music and I have seen how little it takes to ignite the biggest flames of passion in a person’s heart. Thus, I believe music is one of the greatest art forms that unites us all in a sense that’s beyond comprehension. Being a member of the new Youth committee draws me closer to my desire to help people around the globe in finding the spark that once ignited me.”

Youth Committee of the European Choral Association 2019 - 2021

 

  • Silvija Pročkytė (LT)
  • Ruben Timmer  (NL)
  • Zeynep Eren Kovankaya (TR)
  • Mathilde Sanchez (FR)
  • Anna Bobrikova (RU)
  • Alberto Palacín Fernandez (ES)
  • Zala Horvatič (SI)

 

Youth Committee of the European Choral Association 2015 - 2018
  • Sophie Cottet (FR)
  • Klara Maljuga (SI)
  • Silvija Pročkytė (LT)
  • Flannery Ryan (DE)
  • Ruben Smits (NL)
  • Sascha Sopper (AT)
  • Kristiina Veerde (EE)

 

Youth Committee of the European Choral Association 2012 - 2015
  • Catherine Al-Ghabra (UK)
  • Jesse Boere (NL)
  • Burak Onur Erdem (TR)
  • Emanuela Farago (HU)
  • Iva Radulovic (RS)
  • Flannery Ryan (DE)

 

Youth Committee of Europa Cantat - European Federation of Young Choirs 2009 - 2012

 

  • Maja Backlund (SE)
  • Jenny Grant (IE)
  • Victoria Liedbergius (SE)
  • Melanie Müller (DE)
  • Jan Schumacher (DE)
  • Marko Skorin (AT)
  • Eva Svarcova (CZ)
  • Riccardo Bianchi(IT)

 

Youth Committee of Europa Cantat - European Federation of Young Choirs 2007 - 2009
  • Maja Backlund (SE)
  • Alessandro Cadario (IT)
  • Daniel Kunz (DE)
  • Victoria Liedbergius (SE)
  • Linda Marie Magnussen (NO)
  • Veselin Pavlov (BG)
  • Jan Schumacher (DE)
  • Daphne Wassink (NL)

 

First Youth Committee of Europa Cantat - European Federation of Young Choirs 2004 - 2006
  • Vittoria Assettati (IT)
  • Julien Dubois (FR)
  • Daniel Kunz (DE)
  • Cecilia Martin-Löf (SE)
  • Donka Miteva (BG)
  • Margaret O’Sullivan (IE)
  • Martine Syverinsen (NO)

 

Representation of Europa Cantat in Working Group Youth of the European Music Council 2000 - 2003
  • Julien Dubois (FR)
  • Rosalie Verburg (NL)
European Parliament of Young Musicians 1999 - 2003
  • Ambroz Bajec-Lapajne (Sl)
  • Carolyn Davies (UK)
  • Rosalie Verburg (NL)
  • Julien Dubois (FR)
European Parliament of Young Musicians 1996 - 1999
  • Kozlikova Salomaa (FI)
  • Ambroz Bajec-Lapajne (SI)
  • Jana Kozlikova (CZ)
  • John van Leeuwen (NL)
  • Brigitte Riskowski (DE)