The Cork International Choral Festival is proud to present the first edition of the International Choral Conducting Course as part of the 2022 festival.
Join us for a four-day intensive, hands-on course where you will develop your conducting skills under the leadership of our expert international guest tutors, Professor Roland Börger (Head of Choral Conducting, Leipzig Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Germany) and Dr Amy Bebbington (Director of Training for the Association of British Choral Directors, UK).
The course is designed for anyone with experience in leading choirs of all kinds and is interested in taking their skills to a new level while networking with other conductors.
Amy is a passionate advocate for choral singing and choral conductor training, and sought-after for her engaging teaching style and wealth of pedagogical experience. She holds a Doctorate in Choral Conducting from Texas Tech University, and is the Director of Training for the Association of British Choral Directors. Amy is a co-founder of the London International Choral Conducting Competition, Wavelength, an organisation celebrating women in choral leadership, and a founder member of the newly formed International Choral Conductor’s Federation. Amy has adjudicated for festivals in the UK and Ireland, is a published composer, and in great demand as a choral clinician, animateur, adjudicator and teacher. Amy is the Musical Director of Corra Sound, Harlequin Chamber Choir, Holmbury Choral Society, Sir William Perkins’s School Chamber Choir and Nota Bene.
Roland Börger – Head of Choral Conducting at Hochschle fuer Musik und Theater Felix-Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Leipzig
Roland Börger was born in Santiago de Chile. He studied church music and choral and orchestral conducting at the University of Music in Freiburg, Germany. From 1982 until 1993 he taught conducting at the same University. From 1989 until 1993 he was Organist and Director of Music at the Christuskirche in Freiburg and Director of the Choir “Studentenkantorei” Freiburg. From 1989 until 2000 he led the Ensemble for Early Music “musica viva Freiburg” and since 1997 he conducts the vocal ensemble “cappella vocale würzburg”.
In 1993 Roland Börger was appointed Professor of Choral Conducting at the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bortholdy” Leipzig. Since 2001 he is also visiting professor and since 2011 Honorary Associate at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Since 2010 Roland Börger teaches organ at the Evangelische Hochschule für Kirchenmusik in Halle (Saale).
The numerous concerts he performed as conductor and organist, his work as member of the jury in competitions and as teacher have led him all over Europe and to South America. He also collaborated in various CD productions and in recordings of different broadcasting stations.
Roland Börger was a leading force in the restoration of the Richter Organ from 1671 at the Wehrkirche Church in Pomßen (Saxony). He has accompanied the restoration in collaboration with organ builder Kristian Wegscheider (Dresden) for over 10 years.
Roland Börger specializes in early organ music from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Garnering a strong reputation for its unique approach to creative commissioning, recording and programming, Chamber Choir Ireland is the country’s flagship choral ensemble and national chamber choir under the Artistic Direction of the multi-award-winning conductor, Paul Hillier. The Choir’s programmes span from early renaissance to the present day, incorporating established choral classics with cutting edge commissions, and a style of performance that incorporates versatility, dynamism and often vocal pyrotechnics.
Chamber Choir Ireland performances have been described as having a tone which is ‘liquid in its power and purity’ with a ‘strong vocal flexibility of style’ (Belfast Telegraph). The Choir has a strong commitment to touring in Ireland and continues to develop its touring network in order to present high-quality choral concerts to audiences around the country. International touring has included the USA, UK, Belgium, Russia, Germany and South America.
Clayton Hotel
Clayton Hotel Cork City, Lapp's Quay
Millennium Hall, Cork City Hall
Anglesea St, Cork
Ensemble Workshop with Chamber Choir Ireland (public event)
The following repertoire has been selected by the tutors as a guide to the course content. If you have other repertoire which you would like to work on, please send a copy to the Choral Festival Office for approval by Monday 21st March 2022. You will be asked to bring to the course multiple legal copies of any repertoire which has been approved in this way.
All delegates should prepare at least one, but preferably two pieces in advance of arriving and be prepared to work on them with the tutors.
The three categories into which the repertoire has been split are intended as a guide only, and delegates can freely choose which music they would prefer to conduct.
Johannes Brahms – Waldesnacht op. 62 no. 3
Maurice Duruflé – Ubi caritas
Camille Saint-Saëns – Les fleurs et les arbres op. 68 no. 2
Benjamin Britten – The Evening Primrose op. 47 no. 4
Gustav Holst – I love my love
Johannes Brahms – Verlorene Jugend op. 104 no. 4
Knut Nystedt – Gloria (from Missa brevis op. 102)
Cecilia McDowall – O no, John! (no. 4 from A Fancy of Folksongs) accompanied
Jake Runestad – I will lift mine eyes
Max Reger – Nachtlied op. 138 no. 3
Francis Poulenc – Timor et tremor (from Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence)
Suzzie Vango – Gaudete SSATB version
Arvo Pärt – Bogoróditse Djévo
18th February 2022
The registration fee must be paid by bank transfer to the Cork International Choral Festival’s account by the registration closing date.
Bank details
Recipient: Cork International Choral Festival
Bank: Allied Irish Banks plc, Patrick’s Street, Cork, Ireland
IBAN: IE85 AIBK 9341 5105 1954 48
BIC: AIBKIE2D
Account Number: 05195448
Sort Code: 93 41 51
NOTE: Please ensure that your name of choir is noted on bank transfer.
Participants booking tickets for our Gala Concerts can avail of a reduction of 15% on all 2022 Gala concerts. A discount code will be sent to all participants after the registration.
Cork International Airport operates flights to and from a wide range of international destinations.
Shannon International Airport (approximately 120km from Cork) and Dublin Airport (approximately 220km) cater for a wider range of destinations, with internal flights also in operation between Dublin and Cork.
Irish Rail / Iarnród Éireann provide regular mainline Intercity services to Kent Station, Cork from Belfast Central, Dublin Heuston and Connolly Station, Limerick.
Bus Éireann offer a nationwide service to and from Cork, with Expressway/Intercity services. They also offer regional services if you plan to see some of the county and a Cork City service to get around town while here.
Each year the Festival compiles an Accommodation Guide with specially negotiated accommodation rates for attendees and visiting choirs.
In addition, we team up with the city’s best restaurants, bars, tourist sights and transport providers so that choirs are offered the best deals in town. View the Food & Drink Trail.
It is a condition of participation that participants agree that:
The process and cost of Visas are the sole responsibility of the participant. The Festival will support a participant through a letter of support on request.