European GP for choral Singing 2012

Vox Gaudiosa, Japan

conductor Ko Matsushita
winner of Concorso Polifónico Guido d’Arezzo – Arezzo 2011, Italy)

The chamber choir Vox Gaudiosa from Tokyo, Japan, was formed in 1996, and started their activity in 1997. Conducted by Ko Matsushita, they have a large repertoire from Renaissance to modern music, and mainly perform a capella music of both the East and the West. In 2004, Vox Gaudiosa entered the 21st Bela Bartok International Choir Competition in Debrecen, Hungary, where it won the prize for the best chamber choir, followed in 2007 by 1st prize for Polyphony and 2nd prize for Folklore in Tolosa, Basque Country, Spain. They won the Grand Prix of Arezzo in 2011. The choir has performed at choral festivals at home, in Italy and France, toured Estonia and Taiwan, and released their first CD in 2004, featuring their conductor's arrangements of Japanese folk songs.

Ko Matsushita graduated from Composition at the Kunitachi College of Music and finished his Chorus Conductor master course at the Kodály Institute in Hungary. He is a resident conductor and artistic director of 10 choirs, performing in Japan and abroad, guest conductor of Beijing University Student choir since 2010, as well as guest lecturer and jury member at different associations and competitions at home and abroad. Matsushita, who takes a multifaceted approach to choral music by conducting, composing, and teaching, was awarded a number of awards and received the 2005 Robert Edzler Prize for Choral Music.

Programme:
Stephen Leek (1959): KNOWEE – A SUN SPIRIT OF THE GREAT SOUTH LAND (Stephen Leek)
www.stephenleek.com

Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa (1566–1613): DOLCISSIMA MIA VITA
Ed. Peters

Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967): SZÉKELY KESERVES (Transylvanian folk song)
Editio Musica Budapest

Ko Matsushita (1962): O LUX BEATA TRINITAS (Hymn for Trinity Sunday)
Carus Verlag

Ko Matsushita (1962): HYUGA KOBIKI UTA (Japanese folksong)
Kawai Edition

Eric Whitacre (1970): CLOUDBURST (Octavio Paz)
Walton Music