Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra

The final complete symphony of Beethoven, it is one of the best known works of the Western classical repertoire and is considered one of Beethoven’s greatest pieces. Having the final movement with four vocal soloists and a chorus, the symphony was the first example of a composer using voices in a symphony. The words were taken from the “Ode to Joy”, a poem written by Friedrich Schiller.

Concerts:

• December 4th 2009 / 7.00 p.m. / MACM
• December 5th 2009 / 4.00 p.m. / MACM

Conductor:

Gudni A. Emilsson

Chorus Master:

Henri Pompidor

Choir:

• Mahidol University Choir
• Thailand Philharmonic Choir
• Guest choir “Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno”

Program:

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, op.125 “Choral”

Mahidol University Choir

The Mahidol University Choir was reorganized in 2004 under the guidance of Dr. Henri Pompidor (PhD), to become one of the most accomplished university choir in Thailand, in the opera, chamber and symphony fields. The College of music curriculum insists on choral singing to fulfill a complete musical education for everyone who studies music in other forms, as well as to develop and pass on a singing tradition. The Faculty of Music develops choirs to promote an interest in voice and choral pieces of all styles and to give to any eager students the opportunity to learn, to conduct and to perform choral music in eclectic ways.

The Mahidol University Choirs has now four distinct choirs, including a symphonic choir (Mahidol University Symphonic Choir or MUSC) to perform major classical and modern symphonic-choral compositions, such as Orff’s Carmina Burana. It also has one girls’ choir and one male’s choir in order to achieve an equal voice repertory. It includes a small choir (Mahidol University Chamber Choir or MUCC) which works on music mainly dedicated to small ensemble (20 to 25 singers) with work varying from Renaissance and Baroque to present-day composers.

The readiness and the ability to perform pieces from a range of historical periods, with different styles and in their original languages, make the Chorus abilities particularly flexible. These few last years, the MUSC and MUCC has taken part in a series of concerts including Mozart’s Missa brevis, Bach’s Cantatas, Opera’s choruses by Bizet or Verdi as well as operettas’ choruses. It has joined some opera performances, such as Monteverdi’s Orfeo (May 2007), Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel (February 2008), performed Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (September 2008), Puccini’s Messa di Gloria (December 2008) and more recently Brahms German Requiem (September 2009). The Chamber Choir was also heard in Brahms Liebeslieder and Liebeslieder Waltzer (February 2009).

The Mahidol University Choir is now both conducted by Dr. Henri Pompidor and Dr. Randal A. Buikema.

TPO Choir (Thailand Philharmonic Choir)

The TPO Choir (Thailand Philharmonic Choir) has been created in 2007 to develop high standard choral singing in Thailand.

Under the baton of Dr. Henri Pompidor, it performs both master choral pieces with orchestra and “a capella” traditional choral repertoires. Composed from 25 to 35 singers, professional and advance voice students from Mahidol University College of music, it became the official choir for all Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra choral performances.

These few last years, the TPO Choir has taken part in a series of operas and concerts including Monteverdi’s Orfeo (May 2007) and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and Mahidol University Choir (September 2008). The Beethoven Ninth Symphony will be his third apparition in the Thailand choral scene.

THE CZECH PHILHARMONIC CHOIR BRNO

Petr Fiala – Choirmaster and Conductor

The Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno was founded in 1990. Despite its short history it has already been ranged among the best and most sought-after professional ensembles in Europe. The choir specializes in oratorios, cantatas and recently also in opera repertoire of all periods. Its rising artistic quality is reflected in the intensive concert activity both in the Czech Republic and abroad (represented by more than 70 concerts every year).

The choir has been performing with major local and foreign orchestras and conductors (e.g. Petr Altrichter, Jiří Bělohlávek, Leoš Svárovský, Sir Charles Mackerras, Leopold Hager, Marcello Viotti, Sir Roger Norrington, Enoch zu Guttenberg, Mario Venzago, Hugh Wolff, Marc Soustrot, Jean-Claude Casadesus, Aldo Ceccato, Georg Schmöhe, Bertrand de Billy, Gerd Albrecht, Lawrence Foster, Zubin Mehta, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Kurt Masur, Isaac Karabschevsky and others).

It appears regularly at international festivals and concerts in Vienna, Linz, Munich, Luzern, Basel, Frankfurt, London – BBC Proms, Wiesbaden-Eberbach, Lübeck, Passau, Milan, Roma, Vatican, Paris, Rennes, Nantes, Angers, Nürnberg, Dresden, Oviedo, Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Olomouc, Litomyšl, České Budějovice, Český Krumlov etc.

The choir has recorded CDs for Panton, Supraphon, Farao, KOCH International, Sony Classical, Ultraphon, Arco Diva, Chesky-Records New York, Pronto, Antiphona, PAN Classics, Musikproduktion Dabringhaus, Discantica and others.

The founder, artistic director and conductor of the choir is Petr Fiala, a graduate of the Brno Conservatory and the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts. Besides his activities as a teacher (at the Brno Conservatory) and composer (author of more than 180 compositions) he has been active also as a conductor for 30 years. The assistant of the choirmaster Petr Fiala is Jan Ocetek.

The activities of the Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno are made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Southern Moravia Region, Statutory City of Brno, and Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.

The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno is starring among the top international artists at the prestigious German annual award ECHO KLASSIK 2007. From 3000 competed recordings the Choir has been awarded in two categories in the same time. Firstly “Ensemble of the year 2007″ for the recording of Motets by Anton Bruckner and secondly “Recording of the year 2007″ for the recording of oratorio Christus by Franz Liszt in cooperation with Beethoven Orchester Bonn. ECHO Klassik prize is awarded since 1992 by a Cultural council of German Gramophone Company “Deutsche Phono-Akademie”. The jury consists of important people acting in the field of culture and media, ZDF music editors and members of Phono-Akademie. This year prizes were awarded in 21 categories to such distinguished artists of the music world such as Mariss Jansons, Anna Netrebko or Berliner Philharmoniker. The Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno is very proud and honoured to rank to these glamorous stars. In 2009 was the choir awarded a Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik for CD Requiem for a Young Poet by Bernd Alois Zimmermann.