| Just the Facts |
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The seventh World Choir Games will take place July 4-14, 2012, in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the first time the event, known as the Olympics of choral music, will be held in the United States. It has previously taken place in Austria, Germany, China and Korea.
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| You Asked |
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How can I volunteer for the 2012 World Choir Games?
Sometime in 2011 the Cincinnati Organizing Committee will announce a campaign to recruit volunteers for a variety of roles. If you or your organization is interested, please send an email to info@2012worldchoirgames.com. Names and contact information are already being collected and stored. Groups and individuals interested will be contacted during 2011.
To ask a question for a future issue of PRELUDE, email us at info@2012worldchoirgames.com
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| Fun Fact |
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The Indiana State Senate on Jan. 6 honored Voices of Unity, from Fort Wayne, Ind., with a resolution congratulating the choir, which won two gold medals and was named Champion of the World Choir Games in the Gospel & Spiritual category at the 6th World Choir Games in Shaoxing, China, this past July. Voices of Unity, directed by Marshall White, sang the national anthem before the Senate proceedings. |
| Calling All U.S. Choirs |
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Choirs from the United States
and Canada interested in the
2012 Games should contact
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| By the Numbers |
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20,000 participants
70+ countries
400+ choirs
23 musical categories
$73.5 million economic impact for Cincinnati USA
The World Choir Games is the largest choral competition in the world. It will be the biggest convention and largest global event in Cincinnati USA history. |
| Our Sponsors |
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If you or your company is interested in sponsorship opportunities for the
2012 World Choir Games, please contact Dani Landolt, director of sponsorships, at dlandolt@2012worldchoirgames.com.
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Mailing List
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| Key Dates |
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Upcoming Interkultur events:
2011
March 16-20
Vietnam International Choir Festival & Competition
Hoi An Vietnam
April 17-21
International Choir Competition & Festival
Budapest, Hungary
April 27-May 1
International Choir Competition & Festival
Venezia, Italy
May 4-8
American International Choral Festival
Reno, Nevada, USA
June 1-5
Anton Bruckner Choir Competition and Festival
Linz, Austria
July 2-6
Musica Sacra a Roma
Rome, Italy
July 6-10
Johannes Brahms Choir Festival and Competition
Wernigerode, Germany
July 10-17
Grand Prix of Choral Music
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World Choir Championships for Youth and Young Adults
Graz, Austria
October 13-17
"In...Canto sul Garda" International Choir Competition & Festival
Riva del Garda, Italy
November 3-7
International Choir Competition and Festival Malta
Malta
2012
July 4-14
World Choir Games
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | |
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INSEARCHOFAMASCOT
WCG 2012 contest launches for designers
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| Hehe was the mascot of the 2010 World Choir Games in Shaoxing, China. |
The search is on.
The Cincinnati Organizing Committee of the 2012
World Choir Games has launched a contest to find a
mascot for the 7th World Choir Games. Contestants can enter at: www.2012worldchoirgames.com/mascotcontest, by email at info@2012worldchoirgames.com or by sending a CD or DVD to 2012 World Choir Games Mascot Design Contest, 700 Walnut St., Suite 450, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
The website has the rules, criteria and information about the World Choir Games, which will be the largest international arts event in the history of Cincinnati USA.
Entries will be accepted through Feb. 20, 2011. A selection panel, chosen by the Cincinnati Organizing Committee for the 2012 World Choir Games, will determine up to 10 finalists, whose work will be voted on by the public online from Feb. 27, 2011-March 13, 2011. Participants must be 13 years or older and U.S. citizens.
"There are so many talented designers in Greater Cincinnati and throughout the country," said Dan Lincoln, director of the Cincinnati Organizing Committee for the 2012 World Choir Games and president & CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau. "This should be a lot of fun. Having the public vote on the finalists is an exciting way to find out what people think will be a representative mascot for a massive and transformational event for our region that is now only 18 months away."
The mascot will become an integral part of promotion for the 2012 World Choir Games.
The contest is open to all individuals, including those engaged in design, imaging, brand development and cartoon design.
The prize for the winning design is $500 cash. Other prizes: Second place, $250 cash; Third place, $100 cash; Spirit Award (captures essence of Cincinnati USA or the United States), $100 retail value in World Choir Games merchandise; Creativity Award, $75 retail value in World Choir Games merchandise; Judges Award, $50 retail value in World Choir Games merchandise.
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Lions, leopards and elephants ... Oh, my!
 We are all connected by our love of music and have the unique opportunity to learn from one another's cultures, interests and ways of life. Each month PRELUDE will highlight a music enthusiast from around the world.
Meet Marzanne KriekOccupation: Student
Tell us about South Africa.
"South Africa is probably one of the most diverse countries in the world, not only in terms of ethnicity, but also other aspects, such as geography and wildlife. We have a desert (the Kalahari Desert), woods (in Knysna), mountains and fields. We are also the home of the Big Five (a term referring to Africa's five greatest wild animals: lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhinos).
There are so many ethnic groups in South Africa. Because of our history of slavery and the influx of Europeans, our races are so entwined. We have people from all over the world who call South Africa their home: from the Far East to Europe to Middle Africa. Name an ethnic group and you will most probably find it here.
South Africa just hosted the 2010 World Cup. How important are sports in your country?
We participate in a variety of sports such as rugby, soccer, cricket, netball, tennis, swimming, athletics and hockey. Sports are very much a part of our lives and cultures. People will come together for a "braai" (a barbecue) before the Springbucks play a rugby match. And of course, we'll watch the games on the TV. Sports have united South Africa like nothing else. The 1995 and 2007 Rugby World Cup and the recent 2010 Soccer World Cup proved this.
How many official languages does your country have?
We have 11 official languages: Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Northern Sotho, English, Tswana, Southern Sotho, Tsonga, Swazi, Venda and Ndebele.
What is your favorite traditional food?
Biltong. It is dried meat seasoned with spices. You can get different types of biltong, like kudu, beef, springbuck and ostrich. Everyone who visits South Africa should try it.
What is the biggest misconception of your country?
I can promise you there are no wild animals walking in our streets. We use cars, not elephants, to get to work.
Also, people tend to think that we are a violent country. I won't disagree that we do have a crime problem, but so does any other country. It is sad that only the bad things about South Africa are reported to the rest of the world. There is so much good happening here. We have so much to offer the rest of the world, but people are afraid of the unknown.
What is the most beautiful part of living in your country?
Each person will tell you something different. I love the majestic mountains and green vineyards nestling against them, but then the stretched out land of the Karoo where nothing breaks the horizon also holds its own beauty.
Also, the people of this country make it unique: they are friendly and helpful and they appreciate the good things in life: love, family and friendship.
What type of music do you like?
I like blues, light jazz, classical music, golden oldies and basically anything that isn't heavy metal or rap.
People travel from all over the world to see Nelson Mandela's former cell. Have you seen it?
I must (shamefully) admit that I have not seen it yet. Truth be told, I think very few young South Africans have seen it, because it is a big tourist attraction and the price to get there is obviously aimed at the international market. But I really wish I could go to his cell. He did so much for this country and acted so humble. I feel honored to be able to call myself a South African along with him. But people forget that he is just a human being, and we should not make him into some god. He showed us the grace of God and now it is our job to do the same to others.
If you're interested in being highlighted in an upcoming Prelude, contact Kelsey Clark at kclark@2012worldchoirgames.com. | |
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South African choir grabs hold of two gold medals
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| Stellenbosch University Choir celebrates after bringing home two golds at the World Choir Games in Shaoxing. |
We liked this photo from the 2010 World Choir Games because it captured the genuine excitement of the Stellenbosch University Choir after learning they were gold medalists and category champions in both Musica Contemporanea and Mixed Choirs categories.
Stellenbosch tours extensively overseas and continues to win critical acclaim for its performances, including gold medal wins in previous World Choir Games in 2004 and 2008.
To see more World Choir Games photos, go to our Flickr page. If you have a photo you'd like to see here in future issues of PRELUDE, please send it to info@2012worldchoirgames.com. | |
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Take Me out to the Ballgame: A classic American song
In the seventh-inning stretch during an American baseball game, fans stand up and sing this classic American song.
Experience it for yourself in Cincinnati USA. Learn more about the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.
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