Conductors Without Borders (CWB) is a mutual assistance program whose goal is to give conductors in developing countries, mainly in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, the opportunity to work with experienced teachers in choral conducting.
In August 2006, at the conclusion of the World Assembly of Choral Conductor’s Associations (WACCA) in Buenos Aires, the need for a mutual assistance program for training choral conductors was clearly identified. The name "Conductors Without Borders" was born.
In January 2007, a first announcement was published in the ICB, with a call for interest in the CWB program. The multiple responses received testified to the great interest shown by conductors from all over the world.
In November 2007, a first meeting was held in Caracas with delegates who were already involved in similar projects. During three intense meeting days, the delegates agreed on the necessity of a sustainable program which would not only create insightful choral leadership all over the world but which would also be committed to the fundamental social values and goals of choral singing which include the establishment and conveying of solidarity, respect, tolerance, loyalty, community-building, and inter-human communication.
Prof. María Guinand and Alberto Grau, founders of the Schola Cantorum de Venezuela, initiated the Andean Youth Choral Project in 2003, a program which is sponsored by the Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF), the Andean Development Bank. The main goals of this program are human development, social action, and integration of children and young people from poor backgrounds in society by means of choral music. Today, choral conductors and leaders are being trained to work with the more than 4000 children from Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador participating in this program. Thierry Thiébaut, director of A Cœur Joie International, led several training sessions for choral conductors in Congo and Togo. Prof. Thomas Caplin, associate professor at Hedmark University College, developed a special mentoring program for choral conductors in Norway. Prof. Andre de Quadros, director of the School of Music at Boston University, has organized various training activities for choral conductors in South-East Asia, and other places such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. He is currently involved in the organization of choral projects in the Middle East. Prof. Daniel Garavano, president of the International Choral Competition of Trelew, organized the World Assembly of Choral Conductor’s Associations (WACCA) in Buenos Aires in 2006. Vance George, director emeritus of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, has presented conducting workshops throughout the U.S.
Download here the guidelines for organizers
Questionnaire For Organising a Mentoring Program CWB
Download here the application form to become on of the session leaders
Contact: Iva Radulović, Operations Manager, at manager@ifcm.net
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.
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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