Sing along!
Singing together plays an important role during the festival. Our Sing mit! events in the Foyer Public of the Basel Theatre always combine performances by Swiss choirs with audience singing. The workshops at the Basel Music Academy and ‘The Big Sing’ on Münsterplatz offer the opportunity to be whisked away into new musical worlds by outstanding personalities from the international choral scene. All Sing mit! events are aimed at singing enthusiasts of all ages, with or without musical experience. First and foremost, they are designed to be fun and provide new experiences.
Theater Basel / Foyer Public
THURSDAY, 29 MAY 2025
OPEN SINGING WITH patrick barrett
Duration: 15.00 – 16.00
Admission: Collections
Enjoy a highly entertaining and stimulating hour of music with the legendary director of Open Singing Patrick Barrett from London and the ‘Grade 2-5 Children’s Choir’ of the International School Basel. Together we will sing our way through English-language literature that will put young and old in a good mood from the very first moment.
Patrick Barrett directs the RSNO Youth Choirs, the Royal Opera House Youth Opera Company, the Irish Youth Training Choir and the award-winning Farnham Youth Choirs. He specialises in choral music and opera and currently devotes much of his time to developing young people in these areas.
The Grade 2-5 Children’s Choir of the International School Basel is coached and directed by William Norris, Jackie Feliciano Ackermann and Charles Hunter.
OPEN SINGING WITH SINGPLAUSCH® «BOOMERANG»
Duration: 17.00 – 18.00
Admission: Collections
Open singing for 120 teens and the audience. Like a boomerang, the rhythms and melodies fly back and forth between the singers from German-, Romansh- and French-speaking Switzerland and the audience. Catching, passing on, turning corners – moving sound fills the air and connects young and old.
Catherine Fender (Director Singplausch ‘Boomerang’) Catherine Fender is a French choir director and teacher. She has taught choral singing and choral conducting at the conservatories of Strasbourg and Colmar and at the University of Strasbourg. She currently conducts the choirs of the Lausanne Conservatory of Music. She regularly gives lectures in advanced training courses focussing on the connection between gesture and sound, interpretation, pedagogy and the spatial and moving staging of choirs.
Flavia Walder (director of Open Singing) and Vreni Winzeler (piano in both Sing mit! events) are, among many other things, trained primary and rhythmics teachers and extremely experienced children’s choir directors. They are among the most influential personalities on the Swiss choral scene.
Singplausch is a programme organised by the SKJF association. Children’s and youth choirs from all over Switzerland prepare age-appropriate literature at home. On the Singplausch day, they sing the prepared songs together with other choirs and learn new things together. The day always ends with a performance in front of an audience. This year’s Singplausch Teens are taking part:
- Voices Junior Musikschule Münchenstein, conductor: Regina Tondi
- Chœur en scène du Conservatoire Genève, conductor: Cécile Polin-Rogg
- Chor d’affons Sumvitg, conductor: Flavia Walder
- Jugendchor der Musikschule Arlesheim, conductor: Katharina Baeschlin
- Les Enchanteurs de Ste Thérèse, conductor: Jocelyne Crausaz
The Singplausch® is a co-operation project between the EJCF and the Swiss Children’s and Youth Choir Promotion SKJF.
Musikakademie, grosser saal
thursday, 29 May 2025
As part of the Swiss Choir Conductors’ Meeting, selected workshops are open to all singing enthusiasts. The programme is aimed at choir singers of all kinds, but is open to all interested parties. No prior knowledge is necessary.
WORKSHOP «POP-CHOR» with VERA ZWEINIGER
Duration: 10.30 – 12.00
Admission: CHF 20/15 (reduced for students, J+M leaders)
Pop choir – how does it work? Vera knows exactly. She is a choir director and has a wealth of experience in pop and classical music. She will show you what makes a pop choir and what a good arrangement is, she will make you groove and try out different popular singing sounds with you. No previous knowledge needed.
WORKSHOP «INSTANT MUSIC» WITH ANDERS EDENROTH
Duration: 13.00 – 14.30
Admission: CHF 20/15 (reduced for students, J+M leaders)
«Just singing» is the motto of this workshop. Anders is not only a former singer with The Real Group, but also a composer. He writes loops that enable you to sing ad hoc polyphonically, he trains your ear and strengthens your joy of singing. No previous knowledge is necessary.
WORKSHOP «ECHO VOM EIERSTOCK» WITH SIMONE FELBER
Duration: 15.00 – 16.30
Admission: CHF 20/15 (reduced for students, J+M leaders)
‘Echo vom Eierstock’ is the name of the first and most famous feminist yodelling choir from Central Switzerland. Its director Simone, winner of the Swiss Music Prize 2024, sings traditional yodelling songs (women’s choir literature) with all those who enjoy singing, without ‘real men’ and ‘dear mothers’ in the lyrics. Laughter is allowed. The workshop is open to all interested parties (including men!).
In collaboration wtih Musik-Akademie Basel
SCHWIZER BÜNI, MÜNSTERPLATZ
Saturday, 31 MAy 2025
Duration: 12.05 – 12.40
«THE BIG SING» MIT ANDERS EDENROTH
Anders Edenroth and the choirs from the ‘Instant Music’ studio create music spontaneously on the spot together with the audience. Everyone can sing along to the short, catchy loops that groove and put you in a good mood.
The choirs from the ‘Instant Music’ atelier will ensure that everything goes well. They are:
JuMP! Jugendchor der Musikschule Pfannenstil, conductor: Ernst Buscagne
MKZ Glattal Voices, conductor: Dorien Wijn