The 12th European Forum on Music will take place at the Toplocentrala Centre for Contemporary Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria, 5 - 7 June 2024, in cooperation with the Bulgarian Music Association and under the patronage of the Mayor of Sofia Mr. Vasil Terziev. The overarching topic of the forum is 'Equity in Music'.
Keynote Speaker
We are very happy to announce that Golnar Shahyar will deliver the opening keynote speech, centering on equity in music.
Golnar Shahyar is an Iranian/Canadian vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, widely known as one of the most accomplished vocal artists in European contemporary and improvised music. She is also recognised as a composer, producer of her own music, and collaborator in dance, theatre projects, and opera productions. In 2008, she settled in Vienna and began studying voice and guitar at the University of Music and Performing Arts. Her debut album, “Tear Drop”, released in November 2022, was nominated for the German Jazzpreis for the best debut album of the year (international).
In 2020 she co-founded WE:Shape, a platform aiming to advocate and promote EDI (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) and fair pay in the music industry and education focusing on German-speaking countries. Since then, Golnar Shahyar has been active as curator, commentator, concept & strategy developer in various festivals and podium discussions to advocate and integrate EDI and fair pay in the music scene.
There is no meaningful division between her music and the social themes it addresses, she came of age in a culture where women, for decades, have fought for a public voice. Add to that the status of an outsider in Western Europe, representing a culture often viewed with mistrust and misunderstanding, and music-making itself becomes a political act.
Join us for this insightful keynote, as we discuss the important connection between music, equity, and social change.
Official magazine of the International Federation for Choral Music, the International Choral Magazine is published quarterly in the four official languages of IFCM: English, French, German and Spanish. It is distributed in more than 80 countries on the five continents and is the official voice of choral music around the world. Publication temporarily suspended.
Read moreOur focus at the moment is to unite the choral calendars of international choral organisations. Meanwhile please consult the calendar of choral events published by the European Choral Association - Europa Cantat here.
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