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Angelus Domini (the angel of the Lord) Choir was established in 1998 with the aim to continue the tradition of church music based on the liturgy of the Catholic church. This children’s choir belongs to Church Music Institute of the Catholic Diocese of Cheongju which makes great contribution to the social and cultural development of the region with cultural missionary work and community service with performances at social facilities as well as invitational performances in and out of Korea and a number of concert tours in Europe, becoming more popular in Korea and Europe. The choir won the grand prize of the ‘2005 Korea Youth Choir Competition,’ the gran prize of the ‘2014 Bohol International Choral Festival and Competition,’ a silver prize and special prize at the ‘2015 BCFC’, the grand prize of the ‘2016 Torrevieja International Habaneras and Polyphony Competition’, a gold prize at the ‘2019 BCFC’ and many more and it is becoming one of the representative choirs in Korea. Currently it has 31 members from elementary school to middle school.

Seon-Ha Jeon

Conductor Cheon has been well-received in international choral competitions with in-depth interpretation and detailed expression of music. After finishing Sejong University majoring in vocal music, she earned her master’s degrees in the Gregorian chant and semiotics at the graduate school of Catholic University and choral conducting at the graduate school of Gwangju University. She has conducted the Angelus Domini Choir under Church Music Institute of the Catholic Diocese of Cheongju since 1999 and has been recognized with her excellent ability by receiving various awards in Korea and abroad including the gold prize of the 2019 BCFC. Currently, she is working hard to further develop the field of children’s choir as the conductor of the Angelus Domini Choir and for more mature interpretation of music and conducting by continuously studying to establish more systematic academic theory.

Internationally renowned for their warm and engaging stage presence, impeccable musicianship and new perspective on ensemble singing, musica intima has earned a reputation as Canada’s most exciting vocal ensemble. What makes the ensemble truly unique is that the singers rehearse using a shared leadership model, exchanging ideas freely while exploring their own musical creativity. In performance, the ensemble engages with the audience directly and spontaneously. Founded in 1992, musica intima has become an integral part of Canada’s cultural fabric. The ensemble regularly commissions and premieres works by Canadian composers (seventeen to date). The ensemble has graced the stages of Canada’s best known festivals, and has championed contemporary Canadian vocal repertoire in concert halls all over the world. Musica intima is frequently heard on national and international radio broadcasts, and has released ten commercial recordings. Recent highlights include recording “thirst” (2015) which was released on the composer-and artist-run Redshift label, a tour to Korea (2016), the independent release of the seasonal EP ‘Songs for a Winter’s Night’ (2018), and the Chan Centre-presented collaboration with vocalist and improviser Bobby McFerrin (2019).

Was born as Schola Cantorum de Caracas in 1967, founded and conducted since the beginning by Alberto Grau. During its 53 years of life, the choir has won the Guido D’Arezzo Competition, recorded more than 20 albums and has performed under important conductors around the world such as Claudio Abbado, Helmuth Rilling, Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, Krzystof Penderecki amongst many others. The Schola Cantorum created a Foundation in 1974 to promote choral singing and musical training for choral conductors in Venezuela and Latin America. This is why its ‘motto’ today is ‘We are more than a choir. We are a school of choral singing’. Since the beginning in 1975 of the Venezuelan Program of Music for Social Action known as ‘El Sistema’, the SCV was fully involved with this multi-award program, becoming its pioneer choir and performing in almost every choral symphonic work presented by El Sistema, including touring with some of its orchestras to many countries in Europe and America. Actually, the choir is under the direction of Maestra María Guinand and Luimar Arismendi as Associate Director.

María Guinand

Choral and orchestral conductor, university professor, pedagogue and leader of choral projects, is currently Artistic Director of the Schola Cantorum Foundation of Venezuela and the Choir of the Polar Foundation. In her long career, she has been the Associate Professor of the Simón Bolívar University (1976-2018, Venezuela) in the General Studies and the Master in Music; Coordinator of Choral Symphonic projects of El Sistema (1980-2012) and Director of the Simón Bolívar Conservatory of Music (1993-1996); Artistic Director (2003-2017) of the Música para Crecer program. She has also been President, Vice President and Advisor for Latin America of the International Federation for Choral Music (1996-2008). She won the awards: 'Kulturpreis' (1998), 'Robert Edler Preisfür Chormusik' (2000), the 2009 Helmuth Rilling Award, the Life Achievement Award of the International Federation for Choral Music (2019) and the Honorary Doctorate of the Metropolitan University, Caracas, Venezuela (2020). With the Cantoría Alberto Grau, she won 6 Prizes in the Choral Competitions of Neuchatel and Arezzo (1989) and with the Orfeón Universitario Simón Bolívar, three gold medals in the Choral Olympics, Linz 2000. She is frequently invited as Director and Teacher to conduct choral programs and master classes all over the world and also to be part of international juries.

Has serenaded audiences as members of the University of the East Chorale from 1999 to 2016. As alumni of the university, they aim to continue the long standing musical tradition of the University of the East even after graduating. Under the tutelage of Piquero, the former University of the East choral group members garnered several awards and accolades from chorale festivals and competitions around the world, earning them the distinction as one of the finest choral groups in Asia. One of their biggest accomplishments was winning the Gold Medal and Grand Prix at the BCFC in 2006 and 2007. As members of the now Eastern Chamber Singers still led by Piquero, they were invited to perform at the Cultural Center of the Philippines 34th Concert Season to sing Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in 2016. The original plan of the group this 2020 was to hold a reunion concert celebrating its 20th anniversary under Piquero’s tutelage. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the group will instead gather its members from all over the world to perform virtually. True to its vision as ambassadors of goodwill, they vows to continue their mission of spreading peace and love through singing global pandemic or not, the music goes on.

Anna Tabita Abeleda Piquero

An international choral clinician, jury, and conductor. She is fondly described by her colleagues as the woman with the Midas Touch, transforming the choirs she handles into beautiful, angelic, award winning choirs. From ordinary university choirs, she transformed the University of the East Chorale and the University of the Visayas Chorale into award winning choirs within 7 months of rebuilding. In a few years, these choirs reaped top awards in Asia and Europe making them two of the best University choirs in the Philippines. Koro Ilustrado, her all male church choir became nationally awarded within 7 months and internationally awarded within 6 years. Under her, these choirs won top prizes at the BCFC, UE Chorale who was the grand prix winner 2 years in a row 2006 and 2007, UV Chorale who won silver and bronze, and Koro Ilustrado who won gold and silver. She founded two national choral workshops and festivals, namely MUSIKAALAM in 2009, Manila based and MUSIKAALAM in 2018, Cebu based. She was a member and assistant conductor of the U.P Singing Ambassadors, afterwards, as a member of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, eventually pursuing her Conducting degree at the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music and at the University of the Philippines College of Music. Currently, she conducts the University of Asia and the Pacific Chorale.

Busan Teacher’s Choir was established in 1995 by the teachers who majored in music. In the 24 regular concerts and various invitational performances, it has delivered the world of quality choral music to audiences. The main program is composed of various fun choral music ranging from polyphony a cappella, classical choral music, choral music created in Korea and songs from musicals and movies. In particular at every regular concert, the choristers sing songs with their pupils, giving such a touching moment to the audiences. This is a unique performance of this team that is not seen anywhere else. The choir also had concert tour to 4 cities in Germany and one in Shanghai, China with Busan Metropolitan Choir, to help the world know their music.

Dana Chorale is the premier choral ensemble of Youngstown State University. Led by Dr. Hae-Jong Lee, the ensemble performs regularly on campus and throughout the region, including numerous regional conference performances. The Dana Chorale periodically reaches out to connect with school programs across North-East Ohio and North-West Pennsylvania, consistent with its mission to share the love of music with others and to inspire others through choral singing. The Chorale delights in a reputation of performing diverse choral canon of all eras and genres consistently at the highest level, with the repertoire ranging from intimate a cappella settings to grandiose score with an orchestra and from the Renaissance madrigal and motet to delightful contemporary compositions. The Chorale regularly serves as musical ambassadors beyond the region, traveling domestically and internationally. The Dana Chorale had a successful concert tour to South Korea in May 2017, collaborating with multiple academic, artistic, and religious institutions of South Korea.

Hae-Jong Lee

Dr. Hae-Jong Lee earned his degrees from Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ, and the University of Illinois, Champaign, IL. Lee joined the Dana School of Music, Youngstown State University as Director of Choral Activities in 2002. He remains active as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for various choral events in North America and Korea. Other recent activities include lecture appearances in the Ohio Music Educators Association conferences, IFCM’s 10th World Symposium on Choral Music, and the Podium of Choral Canada. Lee has been a juror for the Busan Choral Festival and Competition, Korea. He has also conducted the BCFC Festival Youth Chorale during the event. Lee is a guest conductor of the Carnegie Hall Concert Series (under the auspices of the MidAmerica Productions Inc.) to conduct a festival chorus and the New England Symphonic Ensemble on May 29, 2021. Lee is an overseas advisor for the Seoul Motet Music Foundation (Seoul, Korea) and Korea Choral Institute (Busan, Korea). He is also an Honorary Conductor for the Noel Choir of Busan, Korea.

In 1995, Sofia Vokalensemble was founded in Stockholm, Sweden by Bengt Ollén, who continues to be their committed artistic director. Performances are characterized by a warm, lyrical Swedish choral sound and a stage presence that has taken the ensemble far in international competitions, tours and concerts Music by Bach, Poulenc, Pärt and Schnittke are frequently featured. The choir has also premiered original work by Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, Fredrik Sixten, Jacob Mühlrad, Sven-David Sandström, Matthew Peterson and Karin Rehnqvist, to name a few. They have received Grand Prix for Choral Singing (International Choir Competition, Maribor, Slovenia, 2011), Grand Prix (Grieg International Choir competition, Bergen, Norway, 2009), First prize in two categories, second prize in Grand Prix final (47th International Choral Competition “C.A. Seghizzi”, Gorizia, Italy, 2008), three Olympic Gold Medals (Choir Olympics, Bremen, Germany, 2004), etc..

Bengt Ollén

Bengt Ollén is Sofia Vokalensemble’s founder and constant conductor since 1995. Bengt has studied under Gösta Ohlin and Gunnar Eriksson at the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg and in 1981 he formed the Vocal Ensemble Amanda. Studies in orchestra-conducting under Lennart Hedvall, Jorma Panula, Robert Reynolds and Everett Lee. Bengt is also the founder and the conductor of Södra Dalarnas Chamber Orchestra and artist and conductor in residence for Oratorie choir VOX since 2003. Yearly this orchestra and choir take part in the festival Musik vid Siljan. Bengt is frequently engaged as adjudicator in competitions, guest teacher, teacher in conducting and as conductor at festivals, workshops and concerts, nationally and internationally. From 1994 to 2018, he was working as a teacher of choir singing at the international well known Stockholms Musikgymnasium. With these choirs he has achieved great success in choir competitions around the world. The performances of Sofia Vocal Ensembles under Bengt Olléns conducting are characterized by a Swedish excellent choir-sound, presence and a joy of singing which have proved successful in international competitions and concerts all over the world.

It is an art group consisted of teenagers in Busan working hard for the future of Korea through discovering and training hidden talent. They have been actively working to introduce the excellence of Korean culture through a synthetic arts such as K-pop, musical, Korean dance, chorus and Taekwondo.

Janggo Dance is one of the time-honoured folk dances of Korea. Janggo, a kind of hourglass drum which is the main property played in the dance, originated from yogo, a musical instrument of Koguryo, and it has been a favourite percussion instrument of the Korean people for a long time.