apertura: SPETTACOLO CORALE FULMINANTE
Global choral music. 1,300 children and young people fill the arena of the St. Jakobshalle in their colourful costumes and traditional dress. They sing and move through and with each other, showcasing their extraordinary skills in individual performances and large-scale choreographies. The musical spectrum ranges from Appenzell to European countries and Cameroon, from classical to folk music and pop to gospel and musical songs. Electronic musician James Varghese concludes the programme with a newly composed improvisation piece for a thousand-part choir and electronics.
WEDNESDAY, 28 MAY 2025 / ST. JAKOBSHALLE BASEL
Duration: 19.30 h – approx. 22.00 h with interval
Door opening foyer: 18.00 h, hall opening: 19.00 h
Nineteen highly qualified children’s and youth choirs from Switzerland, twelve European countries and Cameroon will open the 14th European Youth Choir Festival Basel together with the folk music ensemble ‘Echo vom Gerstgarten’ from Appenzell Innerrhoden.
The almost 900 singers from the festival choirs are given a musical welcome by 400 singers from the youth choirs of the Bäumlihof, Laufental, Liestal, Kirschgarten, Münchenstein, Münsterplatz, Muttenz and Oberwil grammar schools. Even the first encounter covers 7,000 kilometres of music. It begins with the rustic Ländler ‘Läbä, Läbä’ and culminates in the jointly sung call and response song ‘Bisò ya’ (in German ‘wir sind da’) from Cameroon.
The presentation of the festival choirs takes up the largest part of the opening. All invited choirs introduce themselves to the audience with a piece that fits in with their self-image. The chosen works usually represent the choirs’ origins, but can also place special stylistic or dance skills at the centre of their performance. The performances are accompanied by images from the choirs’ regions of origin.
With the jointly performed and choreographed choral work ‘Dona nobis pacem’, the festival choirs set another impressive highlight. The effective choreography by Daniel Raaflaub creates unforgettable images of cross-border togetherness.
The new composition for 1,000-part choir and electronics by James Varghese opens up new paths in choral music. The technique of improvisation ensures a balance between individual expression and formal stringency, while the combination of 1,000 voices with electronic sounds creates new musical worlds.
The words of welcome from Federal Councillor Beat Jans and the President of the EJCF Association, National Councillor Maya Graf, provide a fitting backdrop to this major international event.
Greetings
Federal Councillor Beat Jans
Councillor of States Maya Graf, president of the association EYCF
Moderation
Lionel Mattmüller
Participants
Folk music ensemble “Echo vom Gerstgarten” from Appenzell Innerrhoden
The youth choirs of the high schools Bäumlihof, Laufental, Liestal, Kirschgarten, Münchenstein, Münsterplatz, Muttenz and Oberwil
Children’s and youth choirs from France, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain-Andalusia, Spain-Basque country, Turkey, Hungary and Cameroon.
Piece for 1,000-voice choir and electronics
Music: James Varghese, electronic musician
‘Dona nobis pacem’ for mixed choir a cappella
Music: Susanna Lindmark
Publisher: Wessmans Musikförlag, www.wessmans.com
Choreography: Daniel Raaflaub
