USA: The grand choir nation affirms its excellent reputation

Autore: Ralf Siepmann

Flags and banners along the streets, a huge interest for the choir community, exaltation and cordiality among the official representatives – INTERKULTUR`s delegation came across an extraordinary feedback and open mindedness during their USA visit in Reno, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Oklahoma. In Reno, state of Nevada governor Jim Gibbons even proclaimed the 22nd of November the “World Choir Games Day of Nevada”. “The Americans have once again proven their reputation of being one of the world´s grand choir nations and a great host”, said Günter Titsch, president of INTERKULTUR and the World Choir Games (WCG).

Reno and Cincinnati / state of Ohio are among others candidates for hosting the 7th World Choir Games in 2012. St. Louis / state of Missouri is a potential candidate for hosting the first American Choir Games or a large international choir competition.

Reno´s mayor, Robert A. Cashell Sr., emphasised that it would be a personal concern to him “to hold the WCG 2012 in our city“. Several senators of the state Nevada as well as members of the Congress of the United States wrote official statements supporting the candidature. Ted Strickland, governor of the state Ohio, highlighted on the occasion of the official nomination of the city as a candidate for the WCG 2012 during a reception in Cincinnati, state and city stood out due to their great tradition and history in the field of culture and especially choir music. The May Festival with its oratorio choir for example would be well known in the USA since 1873. Mark Mallory, mayor of Cincinnati, promoted the candidateship personally. There was also encouragement by senators and Ohio´s congressmen. The choir „Jitro“ from the Czech Republic gave a foretaste of a possible major choir event in St. Louis. The gold medallists of the 4th World Choir Games in Xiamen/China 2006 gave a concert in the city´s basilica which was received with great interest.

Titsch was impressed by the infrastructure, the concert halls and the logistic and organisational resources of all candidate cities: “The conditions are ideal.“ In Oklahoma City / state of Oklahoma INTERKULTUR´s delegation, including Hugh Ballou, INTERKULTUR´s USA representative, met the head of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). Together with secretary general Tim Sharp and the future president Jerry McCoy the guests from Germany discussed INTERKULTUR´s prospects in the USA as well as approaches and projects of an intensive future cooperation.

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