Beaming winners at the successful 19th Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition

The last notes of the 19th Marktoberdorf International Chamber Choir Competition have faded away. The choirs from all over the world have already returned home, as have the international guests and enthusiastic spectators. What remains are wonderful, diverse moments, impressions and encounters with singing people. Choral music that was so inspiring that this “Whitsun Festival” will remain in everyone's memory in a very impressive way.

The beaming winners of the chamber choir competition were celebrated with long-lasting cheers at the eagerly awaited award ceremony. First and foremost was the magnificent “University of North Texas A Cappella Choir” from the USA, which won first prize in the “International Outstanding” category under the direction of Allen Hightower. They were closely followed by the young “VICA Ensemble” under the direction of Richard Stier, most of whom are former Windsbach Boys' Choir singers who have settled in Dresden. With the “East Carolina University Chamber Singers” under the direction of James Franklin, the third-placed choir also comes from the United States.

In the “International very good” category for choirs of equal voices, the third in the group of American choirs, the “Delaware Choral Scholars equal” under the direction of Paul D. Head, won ahead of the women's choir “The Female Voices of Lund University” with the charismatic director Cecilia Martin-Löf from Sweden.

However, it was not only the presentation of the regular choir prizes that met with a great response, the special prizes were also received with frenetic cheers. The Noël Minet Prize, endowed with 1,200 euros for the best interpretation of a romantic choral work, went to the German “VICA Ensemble”. The additional special prize of the Walter & Charlotte Hamel Foundation for a particularly outstanding, characteristic vocal performance was endowed with 1,000 euros and went to the American winning choir “University of North Texas A Cappella Choir”. The prize of the ideal sponsor of the MODfestials, the Bundesmusikverband Chor & Orchester e.V., endowed with 1,000 euros for the best interpretation of a world premiere work (composed by John Frederick Hudson), also went to an American choir, the “Delaware Choral Scholars equal”. The Dolf Rabus Prize, donated by the Bürgerstiftung Ostallgäu and also endowed with 1,000 euros, went to “The Female Voices of Lund University” from Sweden for the best interpretation of the competition program.

One of the most popular and exciting prizes for the audience is the “Oberdorf Audience Award”, endowed with 1,200 euros and donated by Kulturwelt Marktoberdorf e.V., Allgäu Druck & Medien, Café Hotel Greinwald and Orthopädie- und Schuhtechnik Gruber. The winner by far was the Georgian choir Mdzlevari, which entered the competition out of competition. It goes without saying that such a high-ranking cultural highlight also needs to be financed. The financial support of the main sponsor, Sparkasse Allgäu, is not a matter of course, but very generous. Ms. Birgit Pfeifer, member of the board of Sparkasse Allgäu, presented the festival with a cheque for 10,000 euros.