From its beginning in 1956, it is directed by its current director Prof. Roberto Saccente. In 1966 it carries out its first European tour. In the course of the years it has performed in such Theaters as; "Colon" and "Argentino de La Plata", Buenos Aires, Argentina, "Segura", Peru, "Solis", Montevideo, "Palacio de Bellas Artes" (Palace of the Fine Arts), Mexico, "Salas de Las Americas" (Americas Halls), Washington, "Teatro Municipal de Chile" (Municipal Theatre of Chile), "Teresa Carreño", Caracas, Venezuela, Catedral de Asuncion (Cathedral of Asuncion), Paraguay, and on stages in Portugal, Spain, Italy, England, Austria, Holland, Germany, France, Denmark and South Africa. In Italy it sang to Paul VI in 1966 and to John Paul II in 1992.

It obtained 24 International Prizes, competing in Argentina, in Arezzo and Gorizia, Italy, in Neuchatel, Switzerland, in Tolosa, Spain, and in Athens, Greece, where it was granted the GREAT PRIX OF ATHENS.

It took part in Symphonic-choral works with several musical organisms, among them the National Symphonic Orchestra. Recently it has been distinguished with the GREAT PRIZE OF HONOR, granted by the INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COUNCIL of the UNESCO and the PRIZE TO THE BEST CHAMBER CHOIR in 1999, 2001, and 2002.

It has recorded three CD's, as well as music for movies filmed in their country.

Cantoria Alberto Grau Sing of the Fundación Schola Cantorum of Caracas, Venezuela, was created in December 1976 as a grouping of mixed voices. In 1981 it becomes a group of feminine voices with the purpose of scattering a new and not very well-known repertoire in the Venezuelan choral circle. Since its foundation it has been directed by Maria Guinand.

So far, the grouping has interpreted numerous universal works from the XII century until our days, including the premieres in Venezuela of the complete version of Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols", Olivier Messiaen's "Les Trois Petites Liturgies", Heitor Villa-lobos' "Misa Sao SeLastiao", Johannes Brahms' "Zwolf Lieder und Romanzen Op. 44", Claude Debussy's "La Demoiselle Elue", and Vic Nees' "Memoria Justi", among others.

Cantoria Alberto Grau usually participates in symphonic assemblies next to important Venezuelan orchestras and it is frequently invited to concerts and festivals. The grouping has carried out eight recordings showing its extensive repertoire.

María Guinand.
Maria Guinand Conductor, university teacher and promoter of numerous choral projects within the national and international environment, has developed a extense musical carreer.

Nowadays conducts three prestigious choral groups in Venezuela,: La Cantoria Alberto Grau; el Orfeon Universitario Simon Bolivar and la Schola Cantorum de Caracas. With these she has realized, several records and international tours.

In the area of projects promotion, she is 1st. Vece-President for the Internacional Federation of Choral Music and Chairman of the International Music Counsel (UNESCO).

In the international professional activities, she is constantly invited as professor, member of the juries and conductor in U.S.A.Europe, Asia and Latin-America.

In its short history the choir has had the privilege of working with such celebrated conductors as the late Elmer Iseler (Canada), Jesper Jorgensen (Denmark), the late Jan Szyrocki (Poland) and Fred Sjoberg (Sweden). The choir has toured in Venezuela, the Czech Republic, Canada, Spain and Sweden.

The Academy Chamber Choir specializes in a cappella music from the Middle Ages to the 20th century and regularly commissions new works by Canadian composers. The choir frequently collaborates with soloists, orchestras and other choirs in the performance of major choral works such as Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, Francis Poulenc's Gloria and Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah.

Created in 1994, the São Paulo State Symphonic Orchestra (Osesp) Choir aims at presenting works from the choral-symphonic repertoire and from the a cappella literature.

Under the regency of Naomi Munakata since May, 1995, the group has sung countless concerts along with many famous conductors and orchestras, perfoming works like Brahms' A German Requiem; Verdi's and Mozart's requiems; Carl Orff's Carmina Burana and Catulli Carmina; Bach's Christmas Oratorio and St. Matthew Passion; Choros # 10, by Villa-Lobos; Mignone's Maracatu do Chico Rei; and Chichester Psalms, by Leonard Bernstein, in addition to the cycle of Carlos Gomes' Italian operas, celebrating the composer's death centennial.

The Choir presents itself during the OSESP's concert season, under symphonic or chamber formation, a cappella or accompanied by the orchestra, with which it has given the Brazilian premières of works like Belshazzar's Feast, by William Walton, Bernstein's Missa Brevis, and other works.

The Choir was awarded the Carlos Gomes Best Choir Prize in 1999 and 2001.

Naomi Munakata.
Began to sing when she was seven, in the choir conducted by her father, and took piano lessons since she was four. She also studied violin and harp, which lead her to be a member, during seven years, of the Young Municipal Orchestra, under Samuel Kerr.

Her vocation to conduct started in 1973, when she begun to attend the International Festivals of Paraná and the Winter Festival of Campos do Jordão, with maestros such as Eleazar de Carvalho, Hugh Ross, Sérgio Magnani asnd John Neschling. Years later, that choice gave her the award of Best Choir Director, granted by the Association of Art Critics of the State of São Paulo (APCA).
She also studied direction, analysis and counterpoint with maestro Hans Joachim Koellreutter.
Naomi Munakata graduated in composingn and directing in 1978, at the Music College of the Musical Institute of São Paulo, in Roberto Schnorrenberg's class. She made her debut with the Requiem of Fauré, directing the Young Municipal Orchestra.

She sang and was the assistant director of groups such as the Chamber Choir Group, the Pro-Sacra Music Choir and the Madrigal of Youth. In 1986, the Japanese government granted her a scholarship for an advanced course on directing at the University of Tokyo. She took part in international courses with renowned maestros, such as John Poole (England), Caes Rottvell (Holland) and Eric Ericson (Sweden, with a scholarship from the Vitae Foundation).

She was the assistant director of the Choir of the City of São Paulo and, for seven years, taught at the Santa Marcelina College. At present, she accumulates the jobs of professor at the Artes Alcântara Machado College and at the Municipal School of Music (where she also directs the choir), director of the Vocal Group Farrambamba and director of the Choir of the Symphonic Orchestra of the State of São Paulo.

Founded in 1993 by Alina Orraca, Schola Cantorum Coralina celebrates this year its tenth Anniversary, to which it arrives with an intense trajectory that includes the recording of six albums and countless concerts, as well as presentations inside and outside Cuba.

The basilica in St. Francis of Assisi Convent, in Old Havana, was the scenario for the most recent concert of this choral grouping to celebrate this anniversary and, at the same time, to commemorate eighty years of life of its special guest, Luis Carbonell. Such a presentation was carried out on May 16 in the context of the seventh edition of "Cubadisco 2003".

From the CD "Cánteme" (Sing to me), recorded by this choir in 2001 in the Abdala Studios, with vocal arrangements to Silvio Rodríguez' songs, the video-clip "Venga la esperanza" (Let hope come) was presented -award of Cubadisco in this category- produced by Alfredo Ureta and Margarita Moreno. Afterwards, in the last part of the program, Schola Cantorum Coralina performed, among some others, two pieces from this CD; "Quién fuera" (Who would be) and "La gota de rocío" (The dew drop).

Alina de los Milagros Orraca Llama
(La Habana, December 2nd, 1957).
· In 1975, obtains her degree on Choral Conducting at the Arts National School.
· In 1981, her License from the Arts Superior Institute.
· In 1979, she is the founder of the Chamber Choir of the ENA
· In 1993, she founded the Schola Cantorum Coralina.
· As from 1997, she conducts the Habana Archdiocese Choir.
· From 1975 to 1998, her pedagogic experience was developed at the ENA, there she was also a professor on conducting during 20 years.
· In 1991, she obtained the medal for the Cuban Education, and the medal for the Cuban Culture, she has been recognized at Choral Meetings in Austria and Spain.
· Has imparted courses on Choral conducting in Sweden, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentine, Spain and Mexico; and has performed concerts in Russia, Siberia, Austria, Italy and Venezuela.
· Has recorded 6 CD's with her choir "CORALINA", and has the edition of two books on Cuban Choral Music compilation.
· In 1998, she directs the musical project for the Mass that the Pope SS Juan Pablo II officiated in La Habana.
Her aiming to promote the love for choral music, in children and the generations formation of conductors and singers, makes of her an important support of the Cuban Choral environment.

The Singning Children from Mendoza, a choir dependent of the Under-secretariat of Culture of the Government of the County of Mendoza was created in 1960 by Prof. Victor Volpe.

Since 1986 its conductor is Prof. Juana Mauro de Fernandez.
It has been in tour trough Europe (1968 - 1977 - 1993 - 1998) and South America (1971 - 1995 - 1997 - 1998), arriving to Japan (1971).

DISTINCTIONS:
First prize and gold trophy in the XVII Children Choirs Contest (Tolosa, SPAIN 1993).
America Cantat II as Pilot Choir in the Mastery Classes for Children Choirs by Prof. Erkki Pohjola (1996) first prize and gold medal in the category of children choirs, and First prize in folklore in the first International Festival "Music of Rhodes" (Greece, 1998).

First prize in music of the XX century, first prize of the audience, second prize in imposed piece, second prize in folklore and second prize in the great award of the state of Bad Ischl (Austria, 1998) ; Los Andes award to excellence (2000).

In 2001 it participated in the "V International Biennial of Singing Children of Viña del Mar", standing out again for its international level. It was selected by the VI World Symposium for Choral Music, held in Minneapolis, Minn. USA in August 2002, as the only Argentinean or Latin American choir.

Juana Mauro
· Having completed her studies at the Universidad de Cuyo, in 1966 initiates her Teaching.
· In 1986 became the conductor of the Choir Niños Cantores de Mendoza (Children of Mendoza Choir).
· In 1993, the Niños Cantores de Mendoza, obtained the 1st. Prize at the XVII Children Meeting of Choral Masses, in Spain.
· In 1995, at the Des Moines Choral Festival, USA, obtained the 1st. Prize on the category of Contemporary Music and the 2nd. Prize for Vocal Soloist (13 to 15 years).
· In 1996, participates in the AMERICA CANTAT II, Argentine, preparing the repertoire Maestro Erkki Pohjola presented on his "Magisterial Lessons for Children Choirs".
· On her conducting the choir obtained the 1st. Prize and Gold Medal, in the category of Children's choir.
· The 1st. Prize in Folklore at the 1st. Festival, International Music of Rhodes, Greece.
· Afterwards inj 1998 continued the tour in Bad Ischl, Austria, and in there obtained the following prizes:1st. Prize in XX Century Music; 1st. Prize from the audience; 2nd. Prize on Imposed Play; 2nd. Prize in Folklore and 2nd. On the Great Prize from the State of Austria, culminating the performance in Florence and Rome, Italy.
· Participated as conferee, giving in parallel a course on Choral Conducting at the 3rd.National Choral Symposium, taken to effect in Mexico City on July 2000.
As from 1991, is creator and director of the Educational Project of the "Escuela de Niños Cantores y Bachillerato Artístico Musical de Mendoza (Singing Children School and Musical Artistic College of Mendoza) which for its characteristics is unique in its country.

Has obtained awards for performance in Argentina and international.
Prize for the interpretation of an avant-gard play at the 1st. International concourse for Chamber Choirs in Marktoberdorf, in Germany1989.
In 1990, 1st. Prize Coca Cola on Arts & Science, specialty a capella choral singing..
In 1998, the GCC group and his cunductor, received a recognition from the Honorable Diputies Chamber of Argentina, for their respectives professional musical development through time.
Recently, received the prize for the best Chamber Choral Group in 1999 which is awarded by the Argentina Music Critics Association and has been nominated for the same prize, for its performing during 2001.

The group has made 6 records: Choral Music from Centuries XVII & XX, Argentinian Choral Music"Chiquitos", dedicated to the jesuistic missions in Chiquitos (CAMU Prize - Argentina Music Counsel - 1996); Night is Inviting dedicated to the Latin-American Cathedrals Music (1998 CAMU Prize); the Johannes Brahms "German Requiem " (London version), with the participation of Fernando Perez and Silvia Lester (piano), baritonoVictor Torres and soprano Monica Capra; Argentina popular choral music.

Internationally acclaimed as one of the world's finest children's choirs, Gondwana Voices allows the most talented young singers from across Australia an opportunity to develop their musical potential and perform choral music at the highest level.

Each year in January, Gondwana choristers gather from across Australia for a two week intensive rehearsal season. They meet again during the year for special performances and tours. In 2002 the choir performed from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge which was broadcast on New Year's Day 2003 by ABC America and the European Television Networks and in April 2003 Gondwana Voices toured to the United States where it received standing ovations at all performances.

Since its formation Gondwana Voices has performed with Australia's leading music ensembles and orchestras such as the Sydney Symphony, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. In 1999, Gondwana Voices was selected to perform in the first Songbridge 2000 at the prestigious 5th World Symposium of Choral Music in Rotterdam.

Gondwana Voices has recorded 2 CD's: Voices of Gondwana (1998) and New Light New Hope (2002).

Vivace Singers were created in February 1998 from students of the Welsh College of Music and Drama to perform a wide variety of accompanied and a cappella choral music from the sixteenth century to the present day. Generally comprising an octet the true ensemble feel is created through there being no musical director of the group. Their membership encompasses some of the most promising female singers from across Wales - a number of the group are choral scholars with BBC National Chorus of Wales and others are on the professional ad-hoc list for the Chorus.

They perform frequently in Wales both in concert and for corporate events and have appeared at venues including St David's Hall, Cardiff Castle, City Hall, Caerphilly Castle, and The Coal Exchange.

The singers have also performed on a number of BBC radio and television broadcasts, appearing on Songs of Praise for St David's Day in both 2001 and 2003. They also recorded incidental music by John Hardy for the Welsh television channel (S4C) series Fondue, Rhyw a Deinosors (Fondue, Sex and Dinosaurs) broadcast in October 2003.

Their début CD entitled Blue Moon was released in June 2002. Traditional folksongs, breezy jazz and even well-known pop-songs from the eighties are given a dynamic new choral twist.

was founded by Werner Pfaff in 1980 and consists of approximately 32 professionally trained male and female singers. After some years already the choir won some of the most important international choir competitions, such as Gorizia (Overall Winner 1987), Tolosa (First Prize 1988), and Marktoberdorf (First Prize 1989). Since then, the ensemble have gone on to continually develop their artistic abilities. In 2003, Studio Vocale Karlsruhe won a First as well as a Second Prize at the International Choir Competition "Habaneras y Polifonia" in Torrevieja/Spain.

It is due to these successes that STUDIO VOCALE KARLSRUHE have acquired an excellent international reputation not only in Europe and are regularly invited to give concerts and to participate in festivals around the world; they appeared for instance at St. Petersburg, Seoul, Riga, San Sebastian, Buenos Aires, Legnano, Valencia and Manila.
The choir's main focus is on presenting unusual and ambitious a cappella music ranging from renaissance to contemporary works, but quite often they also interpret oratorios. When putting together the programme, the conductor, Werner Pfaff, places special emphasis on selecting high-class works of music and takes care to include works which are fairly unknown or else seldom performed, and on having the music fit into a larger context.
The achievement of STUDIO VOCALE KARLSRUHE is documented by their frequent appearances on TV as well as on radio; they have also produced quite a number of compact discs. A co-operation between the choir, the SWR (German radio company) and the Renner Ensemble Regensburg resulted in a recording on CD of the complete choral works of Robert Schumann.

WERNER PFAFF
studied piano and composition in Trossingen, conducting and singing in Karlsruhe and musical science, German philology and philosophy in Freiburg. As a teacher, most important for him was Hans Michael Beuerle with whom he studied choir conducting. He also made many valuable artistic experiences when working together with personalities such as Solti, Sinopoli, Chailly, Inbal, Harnoncourt, Gielen, Marriner, Rostropowitsch, Penderecki and Ericson.

Werner Pfaff founded the chamber choir STUDIO VOCALE KARLSRUHE in 1980 and with this ensemble went on to win several prizes in international competitions. Soon they were invited to participate in festivals in Europe, South America and Asia. Numerous TV and radio appearances followed and they produced several compact discs.
In 2003, Werner Pfaff was awarded the Special Prize as Best Conductor at the International Choir Competition "Habaneras y Polifonia" in Torrevieja/Spain.

From 1989 to 1996, Werner Pfaff was a lecturer for conducting at the College of Music (Musikhochschule) in Frankfurt am Main and from 1992 to 1995 also at the College of Music "Franz Liszt" in Weimar. He regularly works together with orchestras from Germany, France, Poland, the Czech Republic and with international Baroque orchestras.
Werner Pfaff is often invited as a guest conductor to work together with professional choirs in Germany (e.g. Stuttgart, Köln, Leipzig) as well as abroad. He is much sought after as a leader of international choir workshops and he regularly holds master classes and courses in conducting all over the world.
Together with Jan Szyrocki, since 1981 Werner Pfaff is one of the permanent conductors of the German-Polish Choir Academy "In terra pax".
As a member of the jury at international choir competitions, Werner Pfaff has been to many countries, for instance to France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Israel, Poland, Belgium and Slovenia.

Carmen Cruz
Spain

Ever since the beginning, the choir has performed repertories from all poliphonic music history, with incidence in the contemporary production and realizing monographic programs on : The Early Baroque Poliphony in Spain, XX Century Spanish Choral Music, The XVI Century Spanish Singings, and Songs of drinking.

The choir has participated in recordings with the Tenerife Symphic Orchestra, being the most recent job The 10th. Symphony "Amerindia" composed by Heitor Villalobos, on the text of the founder of Sao Paulo. P. Jose de Anchieta, from La Laguna, Tenerife.

In 1995, Has offered concerts at several spanish cities in the Festival de Organo y Musica de Camara (Festival for Organ & Chamber Music) at Kamien Pomorski, Poland;
In 1997, Torrevieja, Alicante Meeting,
In 1999, Festival Millenium Sacrum, Valencia,
In 2001, Festival Millenium Pacem, Valencia,
In 2002, 27 Frankische Musiktage, Germany.

The Bloemfontein Children's Choir consists of about 60 members between the ages of 8 and 17. The choir has been conducted by Huibrie Verster since its inception in 1987. It was the first multiracial children's choir in South Africa. In 1997 the choir was chosen to participate in the International Children's Choir Festival for Friendship in Sweden, along with other choirs from war-torn countries. The choir has toured abroad 10 times and has won many prestigious international awards. The choir's latest award was a first prize at the 50th Europees Muziekfestival voor de Jeugd in Neerpelt, Belgium (May 2002). They were also the overall winners at the Universal Children's Choir Festival in Fort Worth, Texas (July 2002). The choir performed with Helmut Lotti in 1999 during his concert tour of South Africa and recorded a song with him on his CD "Out of Africa". They appeared on stage with Dana Winner during 2001 and recorded a song with Belgian singer, Will Tura, in 2002. They also recorded various songs with the legendary South African artist, Nataniël. The choir considers itself honoured to have performed before three of South Africa's lastest presidents, pres. De Klerk, Mandela and Mbeki.

Mrs Huibrie Verster
Conductor
Huibrie Verster is the founder of the Bloemfontein Children's Choir. She acts as a speaker and adjudicator at various workshops and choir events. In order to remain abreast of the latest choir trends she has attended most of the World Simposia of the International Federation for Choral Music, including those held in Austria, Sweden, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands. Huibrie has also represented the South African Choral Society as both member and former president at various occasions in foreign countries. In 2002 she delivered a lecture at the International Federation for Choral Music's first international symposium for children's choirs, in Vancouver, Canada. In February 2003 she attended the national symposium of the American Choral Director's Association held in New York, USA. She constantly strives to create opportunities for the development of new knowledge by means of interaction with national and international choir leaders, arrangers and composers.