Kinderchor «Severáček», Czechia
SEVERÁČEK, the children’s choir of Art School in Liberec, Czech Republic, has presented beautiful children’s voices of high artistic quality and a smile and the joy of singing to audiences at home and abroad for more than sixty-five years.
Founded in 1958 by Jiřina and Milan Uherek, Severáček has been a large “choir family”. In four preparatory departments and a concert choir, there are two hundred and thirty girls and boys aged from four to eighteen years.
During sixty-five years Severáček has proven its extraordinary attributes winning many competitions at home and abroad namely four times in Cantonigros, Span, in Pärnu, Estonia, four times in Preveza, three times in Riva del Garda or Arezzo, Italy, one in Rhodes, Greece, two times in the British island of Jersey, five times in Neerpelt, Belgium, in Nantes or Tours, France, in Celju, Slovenia, in Winterthur, Switzerland, three times in Bratislava, Slovakia, and many others (it has been awarded with over thirty-five First Prizes and Grand Prix in total to date). Other international successes include three first prizes, category wins, and the award for best dramaturgy at the Slovakia Cantat International Competition in Bratislava in April 2019, and two wins and the Peter Eben Grand Prize at the International Festival of Advent and Christmas Music in Prague in November 2019. 2022 the choir won two first prizes Cum laude at the international choir competition in Neerpelt, Belgium. Significant is its association with leading Czech orchestras, opera houses, and conductors—recent participation in the main subscription series of Czech Philharmonic with Jakub Hrůša in December 2018 lead. Severáček has been a traditional partner for opera and concert productions of its hometown Theatre of F. X. Šalda.
The repertoire includes compositions from all stylistic periods, from medieval chants to choral compositions of the 21st century, with a focus on Czech choral works of the second half of the 20th century. The repertoire also includes folk songs and popular melodies.
The choirmaster and artistic director of Severáček is Silvie Langrová—a graduate of the Pardubice Conservatory and the University of Hradec Králové. In addition to her role as the choirmaster of Severáček, she is a sought-after member of Czech and International competition juries (including Llangollen, Cantonigros, etc.). She also organizes choral workshops and seminars. She was awarded the prestigious Award of František Lýsek from the Union of the Czech Choirs for her choirmaster activities in 2016.