Koor van het Jaar
(in NL)

• some photos of the finals
• Some background information

The contest

The Flemish competition Koor van het Jaar takes place every two (occasionally: three) years. It is organised by Koor en Stem, with Koorfederatie Vlaanderen, de Vlaamse Federatie van Jonge Koren, Het Madrigaal, Europalia Bulgarije, Koorlink and television network Canvas (VRT, Belgium).

A complete television show will be shown on Canvas-tv, on 30 November 2002 (in Plankenkoorts at 13.30). Previous winners of the contest were, in 1997, the vocal ensemble Cantando (dir.: Luc Anthonis), and in 1999 the youth choir Scala (dir. Stijn Kolacny). The choir is really very happy with this victory. It is the result of hard work, under the guidance of its director Johan Duijck who shaped the choir.

We also thank the result to Mieke Anseeuw, who helped the choir with a voice training programme.
	The jury judged in the first place, but not only, the musical qualities of the choir. It also took into consideration the visual attractiveness of the choir's performance (see the photos, below). This choreography was largely due to the creative input of Roberto Olivan, who is a professional dancer (a.o. with Rosas). The choir came into contact with Roberto thanks to the production SS (with actor Josse De Pauw), where Roberto was in charge of the choreography. ¡Muchas gracias, Roberto!

This is the programme, sung by the choir in the final rounds:

first day:

Hubert Parry, My soul, there is a country (from: Songs of Farewell)
Johannes Brahms, Unsere Väter (from: Fest- und Gedenksprüche)
Johan Duijck, Rust (from: Het zachte leven)
Julio Domínguez, La canción del Cola-Cao

second day:

Zoltán Kodály, Balassi Balint elfelejtett éneke
Vic Nees, Four Japanese folk-songs

We'll be on television!

The photos