A holiday treat! Returning to Holter Auditorium with their crowd-pleasing Christmas program is one of America’s favorite brass ensembles. Burning River Brass serves up a touch of tradition, a dash of jazz and a healthy measure of festive cheer with time-honored carols and their very own big band “Nutcracker.” Phrases such as “power and virtuosity” and “harmonious blend” have been used to describe the sparkling sound of these Cleveland-based performers, but “entertaining” is really the one best descriptor.
The final concert of the season, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, on Sat., May 19th, is a free bonus concert for new members joining the 2012-13 season. Watch for details in the next issue of E-Notes!
If your address has changed in the past year, please notify the Civic Music office by e-mail at bccivicmusic@gmail.com or calling 920-338-1801. Brochures for next season’s concert series will be mailed in late April. They will not be forwarded.
Jitro “The Daybreak” Girls Choir from the Czech Republic
JITRO, meaning “Daybreak” in Czech, is more than just a concert choir from Hradec Kralove, a town in the Czech Republic. It is an organization of 500 children in seven preparatory ensembles, of which only the best 25 or 30 qualify to tour. For 35 years they have been admired all over the world for their tonal brilliance, superb intonation, distinctive rich blend of sound and energetic vitality. Jitro is today seen as one of the best children’s choirs anywhere in the world. Many golden awards have been bestowed on the choir by international juries. The list can begin with the prestigious European contests in Llangollen (1988), Nantes (1989), Lecco (1990) and Neerpelt (1996) and finish with the recent World competitions in Olomouc (2003) and Xiamen (2006).
America’s love of Jitro was re-born when the choir was invited to sing at the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association in San Antonio, Texas in 1993. Standing ovations were given by thousands of professional American conductors in the auditorium. An official response from Dr. J. B. Haberlen, ACDA President, “Our ACDA members will long remember your concerts, as they were a major highlight of the 1993 convention.” The excitement in this select audience of choral conductors and their sustained applause attest to this fact. Professor Doreen Rao of Toronto University commented, “Are you aware that you have just changed forever the character and style of all American choral singing?”
Jitro Choir makes over 100 appearances annually and has sung with other renowned choruses, including the American Boys’ Choir. Jitro has performed with the Bavarian Symphonic Orchestra, the Milano Symphonic Orchestra and Pardubice Philharmonic. They have performed in prestigious concert halls in Prague, Barcelona, Hale, Bern, Basle, Dortmund, Avignon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Austin, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Baltimore, Atlanta, Nashville, Indianapolis, Madison, Chicago, Penn State University, New York City, Huston, San Antonio, Dallas, Corpus Christi, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Xiamen, and many more.
The Jitro Choir’s classical discography includes 20 solo Jitro discs. They have recorded with various companies like BMA, Classico, and Amabile. The recent discography of the choir contains a special edition of CDs devoted to famous composers associated somehow with the choir, Bohuslav Martinu, Otmar Macha, Petr Eben, Ilja Hurník.
In the year 2003 Jitro achieved the absolute victory, competing with one hundred seventy-one choruses from all over the world, at the international Songs Festival in Olomouc, Czech Republic. Jitro participated in six categories and was granted six golden medals (scoring one hundred points twice). The international commitment of the choir during that year included tours to USA, Switzerland (two tours), Germany (four tours), France (four tours), Poland and Austria. A very similar scenario has been repeated each year up to now. Since 1984 the choir Jitro always only won at international competitions, total 17 times (!!!), what attests to the continuing excellence by Jitro.
The choir took part in the Fourth World Choir Games 2006 in Xiamen, China in July 2006 and competed with four hundred choirs from all over the world. They received three gold medals and one silver medal, which attests to the continuing excellence by Jitro.
Jitro choir permanently verifies its distinction by competing with other choirs. In July 2009 the choir achieved absolute victory in the BM competition in Pardubice, Czech Republic, having won in all categories they applied to and in the finale the choir was awarded the Grand Prix by unanimous verdict of all jury members.
The recent overseas tours were Japan 2007, USA 2008 (US tours already No. 10 and 11 in the row, the last one having been accepted really very well – see critics attached). The last overseas tour took place in Japan 2010, where the choir celebrated also the new CD “The Eternal Rainbow” recorded in Tokyo and finalized in Czech Republic. Jitro performed there 10 big concerts in large concert halls where the audience was several times over 1000 people. The choir was accepted in Japan very warmly. Mr. Ando, professor of music at Yokohama University said after the concert:
“Three years ago I considered that Jitro was the best choir all over the world, but you have technically even improved since that time. Some songs, e.g. Hillbillies (Jan Vicar) would not be mastered by any other choir worldwide.”
Artistic director and conductor Professor Jiri Skopal, Ph.D. is associated with the Czech Girls’ Choir (Jitro) since 1977. In 1982, he also formed a boys’ choir. Professor Skopal has been a teacher, professor and the head of the Department of Music at University of Hradec Kralove. He has also published essays and choir education textbooks. Professor Skopal is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. He was the very first person to be awarded the prestigious prize “Primus Inter Pares” by the City of Hradec Kralove for his outstanding contributions to the regional culture. Professor Skopal works with accompanist Michael Chrobak on many artistic activities for the choir, including the development of their repertoire.
Meaning “Daybreak” in Czech, Jitro is more than just a girls’ choir from Hradec Kralove, a town in the Czech Republic. It is an organization of 500 children in seven preparatory ensembles, of which only the best 25 to 30 qualify to tour. For 35 years they have been admired around the world for their tonal brilliance, superb intonation, distinctive rich blend of sound and energetic vitality. Considered one of the best children’s choirs in the world, Jitro will perform as part of the Brown County Civic Music series. During their stay in Green Bay, the Czech girls, ages 14-19, will be guests of members of the Green Bay Girl Choir and their families.
Jitro “The Daybreak” Girls Choir from the Czech Republic
Since 1984 the choir has won 17 international competitions. In 2003 Jitro achieved the absolute victory, competing with 171 choruses from all over the world, at the international Songs Festival in Olomouc, Czech Republic. Jitro participated in six categories and won six gold medals.
The most recent USA tour, in 2008, included the Overture Center in Madison, WI. Their last overseas tour took place in Japan 2010, where the choir celebrated their new CD, “The Eternal Rainbow”, recorded in Tokyo and finalized in Czech Republic. Jitro CDs will be sold at the Civic Music concert.
Artistic director and conductor Professor Jiri Skopal, Ph.D. has been associated with the Czech Girls’ Choir since 1977. In 1982, he also formed a boys’ choir. A teacher, professor and the head of the Department of Music at University of Hradec Kralove, Prof. Skopal has published essays and choir education textbooks and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. Professor Skopal works with accompanist Michael Chrobak.
Jitro, meaning “daybreak” in Czech, is one of the world’s premiere youth choirs. Based in Hradec Kralove, a town in the Czech Republic, Jitro is an organization of 500 girls in seven preparatory ensembles, of which only the most talented 25 to 50 qualify to tour. For 35 years they have been admired the world over for their tone, intonation, and rich blend of sound and energetic vitality. A favorite in Europe, they broke through with United States audiences with a much-heralded appearance at the national conference of the American Choral Directors Association.
It was a grand night for singing! Indeed, it was a night of pure, clear, disciplined, musical perfection! Jitro, the Czech Girl Choir that performed Saturday night, lived up to its reputation as the premier youth choir in the world. The audience expressed enormous pleasure and appreciation with extended applause and cheers. Jitro responded with three encores. Accolades poured out in abundance as Civic Music members and guests filed out of the auditorium. We welcome your comments!
Found:
A cell phone was found in the auditorium Saturday night. If you are the sad owner, please call the Civic Music office at 920-338-1801.
When I read the program for Jitro, I thought that I might not be too thrilled with the concert. This looked like “a bunch of little girls singing songs in foreign languages”. SURPRISE!!! A great concert, sung with grace, vigor, and great skill. Add to that a cowboy song and great arrangements of two American songs. Four Stars out of four!!!!!!
This choir could not have been more wonderful than they were. They did not even need an orchestra as their voices sounded like many instruments combined.
Absolute perfection!!! (On the Jitro – Czech Girls Choir March 3 concert )
