Excitement: Tolosa contest just two days away
From the Tolosa International Choral Festival brochure:
”...One of the main features of this year’s event, in addition to all the participating choirs, is the fact that, for the first time ever, a splendid choir from Australia will be coming to Tolosa to compete. We have been waiting many years for the opportunity to hear them here in our town, and we are certain that they will more than live up to expectations. ...”
Eleven days ago, Sydney Chamber Choir with Musical Director and Conductor, Paul Stanhope, arrived in the Basque region of Northern Spain to compete in the Tolosa International Choral Festival.
Since then we have rehearsed, given five concerts across the Basque region, rehearsed, enjoyed many of the highlights of the area including Pamplona, Bilbao and San Sebastian, and rehearsed.
But the reason we are here is the Tolosa International Choral Festival.
In two days time we will be performing in this high calibre competitive choral tournament being compared with choirs from all parts of the globe including Italy, Norway, France, Germany, Slovenia, Latvia, Japan, USA and China.
The tournament is held in a large auditorium, perhaps deliberately chosen for its challenging, very dry and unforgiving acoustic, totally different from the large churches in which we have sung so far on tour.
On a brightly lit stage in the darkened auditorium we will sing to 6 judges (armed with musical scores, stop watches… we MUST perform within a strict timetable… and tuning forks).... and, of course, all the other competing choirs.
Over four consecutive evenings a number choirs in various choral categories are judged; we are the very last choir to perform on the very last evening, this coming Saturday. Paul Stanhope has chosen repertoire (including some compulsory Renaissance and Basque elements) which gives us every opportunity to display our range of musical skills and stylistic versatility:
Polyphony:
- Guerrero: Ave Virgo Sanctissima
- Victoria: O Magnum Mysterium
- Butterley: Exultate Domino
- Edwards: Mountain Chant
Folk Song:
- Trad. arr. Busto: Itsasoa laño dago
- Trad. arr. Mocoroa: Txantxibirin
- Trad. arr. Gyger: Waltzing Matilda
- Toto arr. Walker: Africa
We will finish singing at around 9pm on Saturday, with the results announced at a function on the dot of midnight!
Last night we heard the choirs from Latvia and China. Both displayed a marvellous blend, both were extremely polished, and both showed a willingness to take a musically interpretative stance designed to make the judges sit up and listen.
As I said in the last bulletin, we are looking forward to the exciting challenge of the competition, which is of a very high calibre … and regardless of the outcome, we are gaining a great deal from the experience and feel we are singing at a new level.
Ed Suttle
President, Sydney Chamber Choir
Spain, 29 October 2009