Cambodia & Culture : Phnom Penh ready to welcome the 1st international choir competition

The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism and the Municipality of Phnom Penh, in collaboration with All Dreams Cambodia Ltd., are pleased to announce the launch of the Phnom Penh first international choir competition, proposed by INTERKULTUR, a world-renowned organiser of international choral competitions and festivals.

The prestigious event is scheduled to take place from 29 May to 1 June 2024 and is expected to establish Cambodia’s capital city as a prominent global hub for choral music.

The event will provide a forum for local and international choirs to display their abilities, while also facilitating cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

For over three decades, INTERKULTUR has been engaged in the establishment of connections and the construction of bridges between continents, with the objective of bringing together more than 11,000 choirs and approximately 460,000 singers from diverse geographical locations.

INTERKULTUR’s heritage is rooted in the promotion of harmony through music, and it has become synonymous with excellence in choral performance and cultural dialogue.

Over the course of four days, approximately 200 participants from seven choirs will engage in an international-level competition, which will be evaluated by a distinguished jury of professionals according to the renowned Musica Mundi evaluation system.

In addition to the competitive aspect, the event will provide the opportunity for the participants to engage in advanced workshops and to perform in public, thus delighting the people of Phnom Penh.

The Phnom Penh First International Choir Competition represents a commitment to fostering cultural exchange and celebrating diversity through music.

For further information, please contact: Please direct all inquiries to Meng Somnea via email at somnea@alldreamscambodia.com or by telephone at +855 (0) 12 51 65 65.

Event Schedule

• Wednesday 29 may: Opening ceremony from 6 to 9 p.m. at Chaktomuk Theatre

• Thursday 30 may: Workshop Peder Karlsson from 10:30 to 12 p.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) plus Friendship concert 7 to 8:00 p.m. at Aeon Mall 1

• Friday 31 may: Open Doors competition from 11 to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 4:00 p.m. at Institue of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) plus Friendship concert 7 to 8:00 p.m. at Aeon Mall 1

• Saturday 1st June: Open Doors grand Prize from 10:30 to 12:00 p.m. at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) and Award closing ceremony from 4 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Institue of Technology of Cambodia (ITC)

Competitors

There will be seven choirs which represent around 200 participants:

• CAMBODIA CIA First International School and Phnom Penh Singers

• INDONESIA Kupang City Chorale and Gita Suara Choir ISBI Bandung

• MALAYSIA The Young KL Singers and BAVE Concert Choir

• THAILAND Thammasat University Chorus

Workshops

Peder Karlsson offers a workshop on the principles of choral music, which he has developed with his colleagues. The workshop is suitable for conductors, singers and choirs of every level, from beginners to experienced musicians.

In a cappella music, all the sounds are made by singers. Without the voice sounds of singers, there is no music to be heard.

The primary objective of this workshop is to provide choir leaders and choir singers with an overview of the techniques required to practise collectively and individually in order to develop both individual and collective skills for singing together.

Participants will have the opportunity to engage in exercises designed to enhance their understanding of rhythm, intonation and blending, developed over many years by Peder Karlsson himself. Additionally, Peder will present an overview of singer-centred methodology, with a focus on questions such as:

The workshop will address the following questions:

• How can choir leaders inspire a playful approach to rehearsals?

• How can singers find the right note pitch and rhythm?

• How can singers develop their abilities to make sounds relevant to the musical styles performed by their choir?

A dedicated event

The event will also contribute to the global effort to combat climate change.

The event organisers will identify, calculate and offset the key carbon emissions of the event in collaboration with EcoSol France. Gold Standard carbon credits will be purchased through Everland to support the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, a project endorsed by the Cambodian Ministry of the Environment.

▪ Combating Plastic Pollution:

Certified plastic credits will be purchased from TONTOTON, an organisation that is working with vulnerable communities in Cambodia to collect plastic in coastal areas and process it in its centres. This will have the indirect effect of reducing poverty and empowering vulnerable communities.

▪ Improving Access to Water and Education:

A donation of US$2 per participant in the competition will be made to the ‘Water in Schools’ social programme, implemented by Teuk Saat 1001, with the objective of providing drinking water to hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren in several villages.

A further donation of US$3 per participant in the competition will be made to the SIPAR ‘Mobile Library’ programme. This programme facilitates the delivery of books to disadvantaged communities across Cambodia, thereby promoting reading, enhancing access to education, and combating illiteracy.

About INTERKULTUR

INTERKULTUR is the world’s leading organiser of international choral competitions and festivals, dedicated to the promotion of choral music and cultural exchange. Since its inception in 1988, INTERKULTUR has brought together choirs and singers from diverse backgrounds, creating opportunities for artistic development, friendship and mutual understanding. With a series of successful events around the world, from Austria to Vietnam, INTERKULTUR has helped to inspire cities to embrace the transformative power of music. A number of other organisations have subsequently established regular choral festivals and are keen to host other unifying celebrations.

For further information, please visit: https://www.interkultur.com