October, 2025
Read the latest Choral TIES newsletter about the upcoming webinars here

July, 2025
YOUNG 2025 at the 45th International Congress of Pueri Cantores
The third edition of the IFCM YOUNG program was successfully held in Munich from 14 to 21 July 2025, as part of the Pueri Cantores International Festival. This year’s program gathered eight emerging choral managers from Europe and around the world, offering them a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in organizing a large-scale international choral event. At the beginning of the program, participants took part in focused workshops introducing the structure, goals, and key components of international festival planning. These sessions laid the groundwork for the rest of the week, during which the YOUNGs were fully integrated into the Pueri Cantores organizing team. Working alongside professionals who hosted over 4,000 young singers from across the globe, they gained direct insight into event logistics, coordination, and the realities of large-scale cultural management. The experience allowed the YOUNG participants to expand their skills, deepen their understanding of international collaboration, and build valuable professional networks. Their energy, dedication, and contribution throughout the week were recognized and appreciated by the entire team, making this edition of YOUNG a meaningful step in their development as future leaders in the choral world. This activity was part of the ChoralTies project co-funded by the EU and organised in cooperation with IFCM in the frame of the 45th International Congress of Pueri Cantores.

• Check out here the complete report.

July, 2025
Choral TIES Project Meeting 3 in Tallinn
The partners of the Choral TIES project met together on 10 July 2025 following the intense programme of Leading Voices! Representatives of each of the partner organisations were present: Sonja Greiner (European Choral Association), Ester Petri (Carus Verlag), Kaie Tanner and Aiki Koolmeister (Estonian Choral Association) and Petar Hendija (Croatian Cultural Association), as well as the Choral TIES project manager Sophie Dowden. With the project well underway, this was a chance to evaluate the project activities to date, especially those of Leading Voices, and to look forward into the final phase of the project that comes to a close in May 2026.

July, 2025
YEMP (Young Event Management Programme) at Leading Voices
YEMP is a programme designed for providing young and talented choral organisers with a unique training-on-the-job opportunity. This year´s edition was organised within Leading Voices in the frame of the Choral TIES project. Thanks to this programme, ten young managers learned about diverse topics including how to adapt your event to different types of participants, how to take care of your mental health and that of your team, how to raise funds and build a budget or how to introduce environmental sustainability measures at your events, and they were introduced to the Estonian Song Celebration and to the the preparations of Leading Voices. They were then immersed into the different departments of Leading Voices for training on the job, with feedback from their mentors. The YEMPers at Leading Voices became an essential part of the team, they made friends for life and they built a rich international network.

May, 2025
Read the latest on ChoralTIES on the dedicated newsletter here

December, 2024
Choral TIES enters its second year! Read the press release here

December, 2024
Meeting of European & International Youth Committees
The Youth Committees of the European Choral Association and the International Federation for Choral Music met together in Istanbul on 23–24 November 2024.
Aiming to create international connections and exchange at youth level in the collective singing field, Choral TIES provided the opportunity for the two youth committees to engage in fruitful discussions on topics such as gender equity, diversity, inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Read more here!

June, 2024
Choral TIES second project meeting in Zagreb here

December, 2023
Choral TIES first project meeting in Frankfurt here

YEMP 6 (Young Event Management Programme) at Leading Voices – Application open until 5 February 2025

Are you young? Do you want to experience next year’s Leading Voices event as a member of the organisational team? Do you want to get international experience in the field of event organisation?

YEMP = Young Event Management Programme is designed to provide young and talented choral organisers with a unique training-on-the-job opportunity. It unites an intense course and work-based learning, all within Leading Voices 2025. Learn from the best and become one of the lucky enthusiasts who will join the colourful international team. The young YEMPers, fully included in the organising team, will be testing themselves with roles in the various offices of the event, under the guidance of two mentors. Financial conditions are simple: The selected young managers do not need to pay a participation fee, and food and accommodation in Tallinn will be covered. The travel expenses cannot be refunded and have to be covered individually.

Deadline for applications: 15 January 2025 (postponed to 5 February 2025)
Contact Email: info@leadingvoices.ee

Call for the third YOUNG programme – Application open until 31 January 2025

Are you between 18 and 35 years old?
Do you want to be part of the organizing team of the 45th International Congress of Pueri Cantores in Munich, Germany (16-20 July 2025)?

After the great success of the two previous YOUNG programs (at the 2022 World Choral EXPO in Lisbon and at the 2023 World Symposium on Choral Music in İstanbul), we are pleased to announce the call for the third YOUNG program! In the frame of the EU-funded project Choral TIES and in collaboration with the International Federation for Choral Music IFCM, we are launching a call for young international cultural managers to be part of the Pueri Cantores 2025 team and to broaden their experience and skills while working closely with the organizing team. Watch this video to know more!

Deadline for applications 31 January 2025
All info here

Conductors Beyond Borders Peer-to-Peer Exchange Programme
Financial support to facilitate the internationalisation of careers

The “Conductors Beyond Borders Peer-to-Peer exchange programme” provides limited financial support in the form of a grant to cover the international travel expenses. The programme, part of the Choral TIES project coordinated by the European Choral Association and co-funded by the EU, will be organised in cooperation with the International Federation for Choral Music.

The programme foresees three possible options:

• A European conductor may be invited by a choir from a different continent to work on a specific programme for a specific period.
• A conductor from the European Union may be invited by a choir outside the European Union to work on a specific programme for a specific period.
• A conductor from the European Union may invite a conductor from outside the European Union (in Europe or from another continent) to work on a specific programme for a specific period.

This programme is designed to facilitate the internationalisation of careers.

Read the guidelines here
Apply through this form: https://bit.ly/Peer-to-Peer_CBB_Programme_Apply

PAST EVENTS

Seminar for Choral Conductors in Croatia |  Zagreb, Croatia – 20-21/09/2025 | Link to the invitation

Study Tour to Lebanon | Lebanon – 12-18/09/2025 | Link to the website

Hybrid sessions at Leading Voices 2025 | Tallin, Estonia – 6-10/07/2025 | Link to the recordings 

Study Tour to Georgia and/or Armenia | Tbilisi, Georgia & Yerevan, Armenia – 14-26/09/2024 | Link to the website

Seminar for Choral Conductors | Rijeka, Croatia – September 6-8, 2024 | Link to the website

Summer Course for Choral Conductors | Haapsalu, Estonia – August 12-15, 2024 | Link to the website

UPCOMING WEBINARS

Webinar “Conductor’s Coach: The world’s very first choral conducting app” | 14 November 2025, 1.30 PM CET | Register here

Choral conducting expert Jan Schumacher and Carus representative Kathrin Schweizer present the Conductor’s Coach.

How can you work at home effectively on a solid conducting technique? With the Conductor’s Coach, Carus presents the world’s very first application that allows choral conductors to practise, refine and professionalize their technique independently. This innovative tool is perfect for complementing conducting lessons, allowing users to review and improve their movements in detail through a specially programmed video player. Join us on Zoom as we guide you through the various features and functions of the Conductor’s Coach. We will also ask participants about their specific challenges in conducting so that Jan Schumacher can address these areas as effectively as possible. Developed as part of the European Choral Association’s Choral TIES project, the app offers conductors a unique opportunity to enhance their skills at their own pace. It is the ideal companion for any conductor looking to optimize their technique. The app was designed by Jan Schumacher, developed by Carus, and financially supported by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and the European Union.

Webinar “Designing International Choral Events: From Preparation to Evaluation“ | 18 November 2025, 15.00-16.30 CET | Register here

How do you bring an international choral event to life, from the first idea to the final evaluation? This webinar explores the full journey of designing, preparing, organising and assessing successful choral gatherings, with insights from three experienced organisers representing a diversity of approaches and contexts. Tamara Adamov Petijevic (Serbia), Silvija Prockyte (Lithuania) and Côme Ferrand-Cooper (France) will share their perspectives from both established and emerging festivals across different European regions. The discussion will be moderated by Sonja Greiner, Secretary General of the European Choral Association.

PAST WEBINARS

You can find all webinars on the dedicated playlist on Youtube here!

Webinar “Building an International Community of Choral Conductors Through Repertoire“ | 4 October 2025, 10.00 AM CEST | Watch it on YouTube!

Led by conductor Antoaneta Radočaj-Jerković, moderated by Valentina Dačnik and Petar Hendija

The seminar is open to participants of various backgrounds and experiences, including those who have not yet had the opportunity to lead a choir and those who wish to improve their literature knowledge. Current and former singers, music teachers, and all music amateurs and vocal music enthusiasts can apply for the webinar.
SEMINAR TOPICS: Historical Context and Tradition; Vocal and Choral Identities in the Region and the Influence of Vocal Traditions on Identity Creation; Repertoire as a Connective Element; Composers and Their Choral Works by Country.

For any questions and information, feel free to write to glazba@hrsk.hr or phone at 095/4621737 (associate for music culture at Croatian Cultural Association, Petar Hendija).

Webinar “Conducting Youth and Children’s Choirs” in cooperation with IFCM  | 22 May 2025, 2 PM CEST | Watch it on YouTube!

Conducting children’s and youth choirs can be challenging. It requires creativity, enthusiasm, joy, and excellence. The three invited conductors, each with different, personal, and successful works, will present their ideas, strategies, and philosophies on how to choose repertoire, work on rehearsal techniques, and prepare concerts and projects for this type of ensemble: Basilio Astulez (Basque Country, Spain), Zimfira Poloz (Canada), Ken Wakia (Kenya).

Webinar “Conductor’s Coach: The world’s very first choral conducting app” | 15 May 2025, 7 PM CEST
Choral conducting expert Jan Schumacher and Carus representative Kathrin Schweizer present the Conductor’s Coach.

How can you work at home effectively on a solid conducting technique? With the Conductor’s Coach, Carus presents the world’s very first application that allows choral conductors to practise, refine and professionalize their technique independently. This innovative tool is perfect for complementing conducting lessons, allowing users to review and improve their movements in detail through a specially programmed video player. Join us on Zoom as we guide you through the various features and functions of the Conductor’s Coach. Developed as part of the European Choral Association’s Choral TIES project, the app offers conductors a unique opportunity to enhance their skills at their own pace. It is the ideal companion for any conductor looking to optimize their technique. The app was designed by Jan Schumacher, developed by Carus, and financially supported by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and the European Union.

Webinar “Creating Choral Music: Talking about the Requirements of Choral Repertoire” | 24 November 2024 | Watch it on YouTube!

The Webinar “Creating Choral Music: Talking about the Requirements of Choral Repertoire” will focus on the art of choral composition. Three well-known composers will share their ideas on how to create choral music for ensembles today, using their own compositions as illustrations. This Webinar is organised in cooperation with IFCM in the framework of the Choral TIES project co-funded by the EU. To develop this theme, IFCM invited composers from different regions of the world:
• Marie Herrington (USA), Ukrainian-American soprano, composer, and conductor
• Jaakko Mäntyjärvi (Finland), professional freelance translator and composer as well as an amateur/semi-professional choral singer and conductor
• Eva Ugalde (Basque Country, Spain), composer

Webinar “Choose your repertoire wisely” | April 16, 2024 | Watch it on YouTube!

Are you looking for new repertoire ideas, struggling with building the perfect programme for all occasions, or singing with migrants? Discover Musica International choral repertoire database and the Sing Me In repertoire booklet, and get inspired by our speakers. At first, Burak Onur Erdem (TR), principal conductor and artistic director of the Turkish State Choir, guides us through the essential aspects of effective programming, developing, and building the choral repertoire and choosing appropriate program for competitions. In the second part we learn about the online library of one of the world’s richest database of choral repertoire – Musica International – with Pierre-Luc Pfrimmer (FR). To conclude, Alba Roorda Martinez (NL/ES) and Joana Costa (PT), members of the European Choral Association Youth Committee, introduces us to the revised songbook of “Sing me in”, an inspiring project aiming to support the integration of young migrants into the community through collective singing. The project concluded successfully in 2018. However, since then, the world has seen shifts in immigration patterns. To adapt to these changes, the Youth Committee has decided to revisit the project and update the Repertoire Guide with the songs from the countries of immigrants’ origin.

Seminar “Choirs after covid – recover, rebuild, renew” at the Haapsalu Summer Course | August 13, 2024 | Watch it on YouTube!

On August 13th, 2024, our board member Daphne Wassink from the Netherlands presented a lecture titled “Choirs after COVID – Recover, Rebuild, Renew” during the Choral Conductors’ Summer Course in Haapsalu, Estonia. The lecture was available both in person and online, allowing participants to engage in discussions and ask questions. This session was a key moment in the course, focusing on the challenges and opportunities for choirs in the post-pandemic era. This activity is hosted by Estonian Choral Association, as part of the ChoralTIES project co-funded by the EU.

WORLD´S FIRST CONDUCTING APP AND NEW CHORAL CONDUCTING BOOK BY CARUS VERLAG 

A clear conducting technique, the ability to lead lively rehearsals and a sound knowledge of vocal training are all essential attributes for any successful choral conductor.

Carus – one of the Choral ties’ project partner – developed the ideal toolkit for all aspiring choral conductors. This new practice aids for choir conducting include a handbook together with a practical manual written by conductors Anne Kohler, Jan Schumacher and Klaus Brecht, plus the world’s very first conducting app Conductor’s Coach.

The practice aids enable students of choral conducting – in fact, any conductors, music teachers or interested amateur choral conductors – to develop their conducting techniques and working methods, resulting in confident performances in front of every choir! (App and handbook available in German; English versions in preparation).

Check it out here

GUIDELINES FOR ORGANISING INTERNATIONAL STUDY TOUR

• This document outlines the guidelines for organizing International Study Tours to different countries or to choral events.
  Download it here