Final Report
Introduction - Aims of festival
Events - Participants & beneficiaries
Choir conductor training programme
Promoting tourism in Palestine - Economic impact on Bethlehem area
Results – Participants’ testimonies
Thanks & participants
Introduction Between 22 August and 1 September 2013, 23 Palestinian choirs and 5 international choirs joined together across Palestine to celebrate the world in song. Singing is the easiest way of making music with other people, and one of the best ways of expressing emotion through sound. Palestine has always been a home for music, and throughout the festival audiences enjoyed watching the many different singers participating in the Palestine Choral Festival. More than that, we hope that it has inspired our audiences to sing as well - to join a choir, and to join us in singing at the next Palestine Choral Festival.
Aims of festival The number of choirs in Palestine has grown rapidly in the last ten years; a survey conducted by the Choir of London in early 2013 identified some 45 choirs operating in the cities, villages and refugee camps of Palestine. However, these choirs mostly exist and operate separately from each other, and thus the potential to share ideas and expertise and to give concerts together is largely passed over. The Palestine Choral Festival aimed to bring these choirs together and encourage links between their leaders through joint concerts, workshops and seminars, as well as giving each choir the support it needed to improve its own performance. The principal aims of the Festival were: 1. build a network of choirs across Palestine, linking disparate communities through musicmaking and common interest; 2. promote choral singing in Palestine and encourage more people to attend concerts or to join choirs; 3. provide professional development for Palestinian choir leaders to develop links for themselves and their choirs outside of Palestine and improve their directing skills; 4. develop a sense of community amongst Palestinian choirs and their directors, to be able to exchange skills, ideas and repertoire with each other; 5. introduce Palestinian choirs – especially children’s choirs – to their counterparts from around the world, building links and networks with musicians outside of Palestine and creating friendships and musical partnerships for the future; 6. in general, raise the profile and standard of choral singing in Palestine.
Events The ten days of the festival featured a total of 32 concerts across Palestine with audiences totalling over 5000 people. Three ‘gala concerts’ each featured over ten choirs performing together in a major venue, and a touring opera production was presented in theatres in Ramallah and Bethlehem before touring to Jordan. Other concerts in villages and refugee camps addressed the aim of bringing the events of the festival to a wider audience. With a core objective of the festival being to raise the standard of choral singing and to offer professional development for Palestinian choir conductors, the concerts of the festival were supported by a wide-reaching programme of workshops for those involved in the festival: • Singing workshops for children led by Jessica Maryon-Davies (UK), Graham Ross (UK) and Eric Deltour (France), working with a total of 208 children aged 7 - 17 • Joint choral workshops for choirs with Ishirini (UK), Choeur Régional du Nord-Pas-deCalais (France), Choir of London (UK), Northern Spirit (Germany) and The Australian Voices (Australia) • Side-by-side orchestral workshops for advanced music students with the Palestine Festival Orchestra, led by Benjamin Payen (France) and Paul Kildea (Australia) • A conference for 7 choral conductors based in Palestine, chaired by Michael Stevens (cofounder, Choir of London) and Joe Walters (director, Songbound) • A training session in workshop-leading with Mardi Lumsden (Australia) An outreach programme, aimed at populations that might not normally be able to attend a concert, provided transport for 100 children from villages around Ni’lin to attend a children’s choirs concert there and brought two international performing groups to a refugee camp to give a concert to 75 people.
Participants and beneficiaries: • 200 visiting musicians • 340 Palestinian choir members • 5000 audience members • 20 young orchestral musicians • 10 conductors involved in the Choir Conductor Training Programme • 175 audience members brought to concerts from isolated villages and refugee camps through the Festival’s outreach programme
Choir conductor training programme The development of choral singing in Palestine is in the hands of a small number of dedicated and enthusiastic conductors who are actively seeking opportunities for their choirs to perform and develop, and ways to engage more Palestinians in the activities of their choirs. The focus in the preparation for the Palestine Choral Festival was on these conductors, and a programme designed to support, encourage and assist them took place in the six months leading up to the Festival. Initial meetings with the conductors involved in the festival identified two ways in which the festival could help to strengthen the Palestinian choral network: • in the short-term, helping conductors as they prepared their choirs for their participation in the Palestine Choral Festival; and, • in the long-term, encouraging the creation of a network of choral leaders with improved resources and stronger professional connections both inside and outside of Palestine. In the six months leading up to the festival, 15 workshops led by British choir conductors Robin Burlton and Graham Ross covered technical aspects of choral direction and rehearsal techniques. Repertoire for the festival was distributed and other useful materials were donated to Palestinian choirs. During the festival itself, all locally-based conductors had a chance to observe and work closely with experienced conductors from overseas, an aspect which many cite as the most positive experience offered to them by the festival. All conductors involved have also reported that, through the festival, they got to know choirs and conductors based in Palestine who were previously unknown to them. The Choral Conductor Training Programme concluded with a conference for choral conductors based in Palestine, chaired by Michael Stevens (co-director of the Choir of London) and Joe Walters (director of Songbound), at the Ramallah Cultural Palace. The conference explored the value of events such as the Palestine Choral Festival, and opened discussions about the possibility of a future edition of the festival being led by locally-based conductors.
Promoting tourism in Palestine The Palestine Choral Festival brought 200 musicians from all over the world to Palestine, the vast majority for their first visit. Tour schedules were designed with this in mind, incorporating visits to important landmarks such as the Dead Sea and Sebastia’s Roman amphitheatre as well as giving visitors an idea of the political reality of the country and those who live there. Concerts in villages such as Ni’lin, Aboud, Deir Ghassaneh, Taybeh and Zebabdeh gave the visitors a chance to explore these lesser-known areas of Palestine as well as bringing custom to local businesses in more isolated populations. Well-attended public “bar night” concerts brought further custom to Hosh Jasmin, Beit Jeddi and La Vie restaurants.
Economic impact on Bethlehem area Every tour of this kind facilitates positive economic impact on the region, but one of the goals of the Palestine Choral Festival was to stimulate and measure economic impact in a specific, designated “home” city. Bethlehem naturally presented itself as a centre point for the Festival, given the large concentration of choirs in the area and the existence of strong tourist substructure (hotels, bus companies and restaurants) although these resources are rarely used to their full potential, with pilgrims and tourists tending to return to their Jerusalem hotels after day trips to Bethlehem. Four of the five visiting choirs – some 170 musicians – stayed in Bethlehem throughout their time in Palestine (an average of 8 nights), bringing custom to three Bethlehem hotels. In addition a number of local transportation companies were utilised and restaurants and other local facilities used for official Festival functions and associated business. The estimated “official” impact of the Festival on the local Bethlehem economy – that is, financial outlay recorded in the Festival’s accounts – is estimated at US$63,500. The associated economic impact connected to the discretionary spend of Festival participants and visitors is estimated at US$64,600. In short, each funded dollar contributed to the Bethlehem economy released another discretionary dollar into the same economy, making the Palestine Choral Festival a significant, short-term contributor to a tourist-reliant infrastructure. From the perspective of external funders, the funding equation of the Festival relied two-thirds on the contributions and fundraising of participating international choirs, and one-third on the contribution of external funders. Thus the impact of each dollar provided by an external funder was tripled by the contribution and fundraising of participating international choirs in its impact on the Palestinian economy. Hence external funders were not simply involved in sponsoring concerts and educational events, they were providing significant leveraging potential to maximise the impact of money flowing into the local economy through the agency of the Palestine Choral Festival.
Results During the ten days of the Festival: • Palestinian choirs experienced an unprecedented level of concert and workshop activity • Local audiences were offered an inspiring range of concerts of a high artistic level • Five international choirs undertook tailor-made tours of Palestine, working closely with local musicians • Locally-based conductors were offered a rare opportunity to work with musicians from Palestine and overseas and to develop their own careers The true results of the Festival, though, are those which continue to flourish beyond the duration of the festival itself: • links were created between Palestinian conductors and their counterparts from overseas: all Palestine-based conductors involved in the festival report that they are still in contact with foreign conductors that they met through the Palestine Choral Festival • the network of choral leaders in Palestine has been strengthened and galvanised: a core group of conductors has been formed that continues to communicate via email and meetings • a shared repertoire for Palestinian choirs has been established and continues to grow, both through an online resource library and a physical score library, hosted at the Barenboim-Said Foundation centre in Ramallah and available to all Palestinian choir conductors • the festival inspired increased enthusiasm amongst choir members and audiences, paving the way for the festival to be repeated successfully in the future
Participants’ testimonies “Many, many thanks for helping us to live a week of heaven. My students are taking some time to get back to earth...You gave us such a big chance to participate with all the great professional singers. It was simply wonderful.” (Conductor of a Palestinian choir involved in the Festival)
“I would like to thank everyone at the Palestine Choral Festival, it was really one of the most wonderful festivals I ever saw. Thank you for making this festival very special for us.” (Member of a Palestinian choir)
“We wanted to thank you very much indeed for giving us the opportunity for being one of the choirs in the festival. We all enjoyed our visit very much, particularly our collaborations with local choirs. “ (Conductor of a visiting choir)
With grateful thanks to our funders and partners for the important part they played in making the Festival happen: Britten-Pears Foundation • British Council • A. M. Qattan Foundation • Institut Français • Paltel Group Foundation • Australian Friends of Palestine • Australians For Palestine • Al Kamandjati Association • Project Hope • Edward Said National Conservatory of Music • A. M. Qattan Foundation • Ni'lin Teachers' Centre • Danish House in Palestine • Nablus Municipality • Music Harvest • Barenboim-Said Foundation • Magnificat Institute Jerusalem • Diyar Consortium and to all of the singers whose time and efforts made the Palestine Choral Festival a success: Aboud Church Choir (conductor: Fr Emmanuel Awwad): Maroon Yacoub, Salman Jhony, Taleem Mazen, Jiana Eid, Sabeen Fayek, Yasmeen Yacoub, Michleen Ghassan, Ibrahim Fayek, Odeh Emad, Maria Michel, Angela Danial, Nely Suhail Ajyal 'Elderly' Choir (conductor: George Abu Diyyeh): Antwanette Atwan, Affaf Abu Dayeh, Klaire Albandak, Kaity Batarsy, Nuha Awad, Linda Haroun, Fayzeh Nassar, Georgate Khoury, May Nasser, Norma Badra Al-Baath Arab Voices of Galilee (conductor: Rahib Haddad): Suheir Jarrous, Maisoun Jammal, Afaff Haddad, Ahlam Jammal, Dina Esbir, Shuruq Amoury, Donia Armaly, Latifa Mshiel, Eman Shehadeh, Narmin Selbak, Shirin Barakat, Hanan Armaly, Vidia Awadie, Husam Nasrallah, Johne Shihab, Ashraf Hayek, Zaher Mshael, Fadi Jammal, Ashraf Daoud, Hisham Dur, Zaher Jammal
Barenboim-Said Foundation Children’s Choir/Ramallah Evangelical School Choir (conductor: Diego Alamar): Mariana Shunnara, Aseel Khateeb, Bana Shamieh, Tareq Daher, Lure Sadeq, Yasmeen Dweikat, Aida Shawwa, Katja Abdelqader, Jana Nasser, Tala Faramanad, Jana Eways, Natalie Azar, Hadeel Khoury, Ranim Daraghmah, Talia Tannous, Joyce Bosheh, Marah Khawaja, Tala Lulu Beit Reema Girls’ Choir (conductor: Diego Alamar): Majar Muneer, Batool Roni, Weidan Fawzi, Raha Wasel, Rama Ahmad, Yasmeen Murad, Tasneem Abedulnaser, Sewar Shehab, Aia Akef, Falasteen Samer, Seleen Ayed, Rama Ahmad Isa, Dalia Feras, Selia Kamel, Haifa Murad, Oroba Emad, Raneem Fersan, Lama Abbod, Marim Raea, Dareen Sael, Dina Abd Alkhaleq, Layan Maimon, Shahed Wafa, Roa Oda, Malak Forsan Bethlehem Academy of Music Children’s Choir/Talitha Kumi School Choir (conductor: Reem Handal): Tamara Mokarkar, Rozate Lolas, Lord Atwa, Hosam Malash, Nicole Ilsos, Issa Abo Jeres, Nicole Handal, Sandra Abo Jeres Bethlehem University Choir (conductor: Sister Patricia Crockford): Mary Awwad, Marwa Banoura, Abeer Sleibi, Ramzi Zreineh, Areen Ibrahim, Shireen Mufdi, Sally Kaissieh, Angie Zoughbe, Haneen Awad, Marie Payen Magnificat Choir of the Custody of the Holy Land (conductor: Hani Kreitem): Jamil Freij, Yacoub Ghazzawi, Amir Abdallah, Calire Ghazzawi, Nadia Tadros, Rula Katanasho, Adrea Krogmann Music Harvest Children’s Choir (Asirah al-Qibliyah)/ Music Harvest Children’s Choir (Askar Camp): Mamoud Abd Alfatah Ahmad, Mahmoud Hossam Ahmad, Abdullah Yousef Shami, Badran Mohammed Badran, Hamzah Mohammed Makhlouf, Fareedah Mohammed Badran, Fatemah Kamal Taha Yassin, Amal Mohammed Yassin, Dalia Khaleel Yassin, Wafa Abed Alqader Issa, Aroub Khaled Hussain, Abeer Ibraheem Hamdan, Yasmeen Ali Abo Hamad, Yusor Amjad Wassef, Razan Tareq Rajeh, Samya Lutfe Yassin, Fadi Khaled Abu Hammad, Shoroq Sawalhi, Malak Sawalhi, Fatima Ashaar, Manar Shiha, Luna Ashaar, Motaz Asaqa, Noor AbuJaradee, Mohammad Al-Ishibi, Adnan Al-Ishibi, Mohammad Sawalhi Nablus Children’s Cultural Centre Choir (conductor: Jamil Sayyegh): Yara Ghazal, Tala Al Joheree, Anwar Hanu, Ala Hanu, Ghazal Al Masri, Ibraheem Al Haladi, Leeana Salah, Teema Qeeno, Tasneem Astiti, Raghed Maqbool, Ghnua Arafat, Areen Sawalaha, Razan Sawalaha, Leen Al Hazam, Nor Ilazuni, Suzanne Hseeba, Masa Astiti, Sami Astiti, Afeef Hijawi, Nuswwah Abd il Mjeed, Kareem Kamal, Yusif Ilzahir, Muhammed Ilzahir, Yasir Issayeh, Ahmed Ilabuah, Ateea Qadree, Omar Ilreesha, Asama Abu Sufeeah, Rand Isshaka, Rbab Abu Ilhadi, Areen Ilshushtree, Hisham Ilmasri, Basel Sabeeh, Bra Sabeeh Nazareth Custody of the Holy Land Choir (conductor: Haig Vosgueritchian): Vivian Assad, Mervat Ashkar, Najwan Turk, Lina Hakim, Maria Zaytoon, Hanan Hilu, Rula Banna, Maysoon Hakim, Mouren Ashkar, Ruba Salman, Katie Zaher, Rana Sababgha, May Karam, Rida Mabjish, Saher Issa, Firas Akawi, Mansour Ashkar, Amer Zaher, Wisam Ashkar, Louis Shofany, Maher Ashkar, Bishara Srouji Olive Branches Choir (conductor: Fr. Aurelio Mulé-Stagno): Suha Awwad, Ghassan Isaac, Mona Isaac, Judith Abu Akleh, Adel Nasser, Sawsan Shomali, Akram Nassar, Rania Salsaa, Tarek Wahhab, Rami Shomali, Rhoda David, Lina David, Veronica Benvenisty, Sr. Lucia Corradin, Thimna Bunte, Louis Jaar, Henry Chaya, Monnitte Monana, Katrina al-Batarsah
Palestine Girls’ Choir (conductor: Suhail Khoury): Ayda Kunbar, Yara Qasam, Noor Faham, Suha Abu Aker, Noor Alawi, Hiba Tahan, Sireen Tahan, Saheed Azzeh, Tala Hijazi, Narmeen Shirtah, Manar Shirtah, Nadine Kaloti, Shaden Mikawi, Nisreen Tahan, Reem Al Sharif, Lina Kamal, Rand Nammari, Saja Muna, Sara Mushaashaa, Nadine Bader, Nadine Sabbagh, Miral Abu Hasna, Rand Khoury, Jude Amous, Alma Abu Leil St Catherine’s Choir of the Custody of the Holy Land (conductor: Reem Handal): Jodit Aqleh, Jacklen Badra, Samia Shahin, Soad Handal, Basema Abo Maheh, Maya Handal, Amal Andoni, Sister Roza, Maik Salman St George’s Cathedral Boys’ Choir (conductors: Hosam Naoum and Inna Dudakova): Wadi Naoum, George Alaw, Sami Saba, Wadi Saba, Edmund Kirreh, Joseph Ghazawi, Noar Shihadi, George Jabra Yasmeen (conductor: Hania Souda-Sabbara): Talin Katansho, Jesica Said, Hadeel Sabat, Annie Aslanian, Natalie Kasabian Yasmeen Buds (conductor: Mirjam Younan): Rita Al Taweel, Basel Awad, Ivad Abdel Malak, Clara Abdel Malak, Hana Adi, Tamara Ghrayeb, Jude Assali, Maria Karkar, Michael Batato, Christine Batato, Fuad Jaber, Jude Baseer, Sweem Al Taweel, Nathalie Tabar, Nelly Tabar, Nicol Tabar, Jude Boullata, Sama Boullata, Aynur Al Taweel, Patil Karakashinan, Elias Ghrayeb, Marinett Ballout Zaridash (conductor: Diego Alamar): Nada Majdalani, Sandrine Amer, Leila dal Santo, Delia Labah, Fattima Aanan, Jay Crossland, Anica Heinlein, Almut Hoffmann, Jordan Perry, Robin Burlton, Teddy Ab, Clemens Messerschmidt, Tawfiq Ab, Gheith Halil, Khalil Ansara and the young musicians of Al Kamandjati Arabic Ensemble Jenin, Al Kamandjati Children’s Choir Deir Ghassaneh, Al Kamandjati Children’s Choir Jenin, Nablus Children’s Cultural Centre Arabic Ensemble and Taybeh Latin Church Choir Choeur Régional Nord – Pas-de-Calais (conductor: Eric Deltour): Marion Albertier, Arlette Baczynski, Francine Beauvillain, Marie-Paule Berlemont, Hoëlle Blanquart , Catherine Bodet, Kornélia Couvois, Annie Devinck, Sophie Dubois, Anne Duhen, Marie-Françoise Dupuich, Anne Duret, Michelle Gaudefroy, Céline Gouëllo, Eve Hoschede, Blandine Jouni, Catherine Lafon, Dominique Lessenne, Thérèse Letiers, Marie-France Natali, Anne Perraud, Christine Picavez, Béatrice Poupard, Marie-Laure Saunier, Carine Verdier, Nathalie Baudrin, Françoise Bonte, Mélika Cherfaoui, Nicole Cordonnier, Chantal Defromont, Virginie Desmarets, Pascale Dievart, Françoise Holin, Anita Huet, Béatrice Joron-Guiot, Capucine Lamoitier, Delphine Lecaille, Céline Leclaire, Dominique Lemaire, Hélène Leuridan, Séverine Lobiau, Jacqueline Maciejczak, Danielle Marcoin, Sylvie Merviel, Virginie Motte, Evelyne Pecqueur, Claire Sellier, Houria Slimani, Perrine Vandecastele, Françoise Weeger, Christophe Anscutter, Stéphane Baron, Patrick Bertreux, Félix Demede, Arthur Egels, Nicolas Foulon, Daniel Gryl, Jean-Pierre Guffroy, Laurent Jolis, Christian Lamidey, André Thomas, Christophe Vanheule, Pascal Vantomme, Claude Verbeke, Emmanuel Allioux, Claude Ampere, Jean-Claude Beauvillain, Yves-Marie Cartiaux, René Charlet, Joseph D’halluin, Jean-Michel Dansette, Gunnar De Boel, Christian Imbert, Jean-Pierre Leclercq, Hervé Lefort, Vincent Lemoine, Arold Malandain, Michel Picavez, Jean-Marie Roger, Frédéric Sacleux, Patrick Tilli
Ishirini (conductor: Jeremy Rouse): Ros Allwood, Liz Bell, Fiona Cunningham, Louise Cunningham, Audrey Dean, Charlotte Newstead, Naomi Rouse, Jo Willmott, Moira Cox, Alice Jacobs, Chris Madock, Una Murphy, Michael Bateman, Alan Charlton, Ben Finn, Brian Inglis, Mark Miller, Tom White, Peter Allwood, Tom Allwood, Chris Green, Robbie Haylett, Mark Wainwright Northern Spirit (conductor: Jaret Choolun): Marie Boelts, Moritz Bunjes, Julian Dorsch, Sonja Gross, Velia Holzapfel, Sonja Mahnken, Leo Michalke, Martin Reich, Johanna Stache, Daniel Wu, Melike Wulfgramm The Australian Voices (conductor: Gordon Hamilton): Jaret Choolun, Scott Griffin, Charlie Hacker, Tali Kellam-Pearson, Anika Mittendorf, Mikaela Ward Blessed Cecilia creative team: Andy Staples (Director), Jo Tyabji (Stage Manager), Sam West (Staff Director) Choir of London (conductors: Charles Cole, Jessie Maryon-Davies, Graham Ross, Jeremy Summerly): Harriet Armston-Clarke, Alex Ashworth, Dima Bawab, Charmian Bedford, Ben Breakwell, Robin Burlton, Catherine Carter, Allan Clayton, Peter Crawford, Anne-Marie Cullum, Fiona Cunningham, Alex Dinwiddie, Leoma Dyke, Matthew Graham, Sebastian Harris, George Humphreys, Anne Jones, Daniel Joy, Mardi Lumsden, Laura Mildner, Tim Moore, Elizabeth O’Shea, Lucy Page, Timothy Scott, Michael Stevens, Kate Symonds-Joy, Elaine Tate, Abi Thompson, Ed Tolputt, Peter Tregear, Sam West Palestine Festival Orchestra (conductor: Paul Kildea): Faris Amin*, Rady Doulani*, Marina Eichberg*, Naji Alali Esrawee*, Nawras Ibrahim, Mahmoud Karzon*, Mohamad Karzon, Layan Nijim*, Hadeel Sabat*, Khoulud Sabbara*, Leila Saleh, Ala Shelaldeh, Sama Tarazi*, Rashed Zarour, Daniel Bradley, Jamie Campbell, Xymo Clemente, Charles Cole, Jay Crossland, Rosenna East, Diego Alonso Garcia, Alice Howick, Cecily Howick, Emeline Martin, Jessie Maryon Davies, Ruth Nelson, Benjamin Payen, Sophie Rivlin, Fuensanta Zambrana Ruiz, Dina Shilleh, Joe Walters, Rebecca Wolfe *these musicians have previously been awarded bursaries to study in the UK under the British Council/Choir of London Trust Bursary Scheme for young Palestinian musicians
SCHEDULE OF CONCERTS AND PERFORMANCES Date
Location
Event
Participating groups
22 August
Ni'lin – Al Khawaja Palace
Children's Choirs Concert
23 August
Bethelehem – Dar Annadwa Jerusalem – Lutheran Church of the Redeemer Nazareth – Basilica of the Annunciation Bethlehem – Aida Camp Youth Centre Jerusalem – Saint George's Cathedral Beit Reema – Bani Zaid Basic Girls' School Ramallah – Al-Kasaba Theatre Ramallah – Al Kamandjati Zebabdeh – Anglican Church Beit Jala – Hosh Jasmin
Blessed Cecilia
Choir of London (UK), The Australian Voices (Australia), Aboud Church Choir, Barenboim-Said Foundation Children's Choir, Beit Reema Girls' Choir, Music Harvest Children's Choir (Asirah al-Qibliyah), Music Harvest Children's Choir (Askar Camp), Ramallah Evangelical School Choir, Yasmeen Buds Choir of London (UK)
Jerusalem – St Anne's Church Jerusalem – Edward Said National Conservatory of Music Taybeh – Latin Church Jenin – Al Kamandjati
Choral concert
Sebastiya – Cultural Centre Shefa-'Amr – Anglican Church Amman (Jordan) – Citadel River Jordan Baptismal Sites (Palestine & Jordan) Jerusalem – St Saviour's Church Jerusalem – Saint George's Cathedral
Joint choral concert
24 August
25 August 25 August 25 August 25 August 25 August 26 August 26 August 26 August 27 August 27 August
27 August 27 August
27 August 27 August 27 August 28 August
28 August 28 August
Saint Nicolas Journeys to Choir of London (UK), The Australian Voices (Australia), Palestine Olive Branches Choir, St George's Cathedral Boys' Choir, Palestine Festival Orchestra Church Service: Mass Ishirini (UK), Nazareth Custody of the Holy Land Choir Choral concert
The Australian Voices (Australia)
Evensong
Choir of London (UK), Olive Branches Choir, St George's Cathedral Boys' Choir Barenboim-Said Foundation Children's Choir, Beit Reema Girls' Choir, Zaridash Choir of London (UK)
Children's Choirs Concert Blessed Cecilia Rooftop concert Choral concert Joint choral concert
Mardi Lumsden (Australia) & students from Al Kamandjati [cancelled due to mourning] Choir of London (UK) Northern Spirit (Germany), The Australian Voices (Australia), Bethlehem University Choir Choir of London (UK), Hadeel Sabat
Joint choral concert
Choir of London (UK), The Australian Voices (Australia), Palestine Girls' Choir
Joint choral concert Joint choral concert
Joint choral concert
Choir of London (UK), Taybeh Latin Church Choir The Australian Voices (Australia), Al Kamandjati Children's Choir Jenin, Al Kamandjati Arabic Ensemble Jenin [cancelled due to mourning] Choeur Régional du Nord – Pas-de-Calais (France), Barenboim-Said Foundation Children's Choir, Zaridash Ishirini (UK), Al-Baath Arab Voices of Galilee
Blessed Cecilia
Choir of London (UK)
Singing across the Jordan Choir of London (UK) River from Palestine & Jordan Choral concert Charles Cole (UK), Magnificat Choir of the Custody of the Holy Land, Yasmeen Church Service: Ishirini (UK) Evensong
28 August
Bethlehem – Dar Annadwa
28 August
Bethlehem – Beit Jeddi Bar night
29 August
Bethlehem – University Chapel Deir Ghassaneh – Al Kamandjati Aboud – Greek Orthodox Church Ramallah – La Vie
Lunchtime concert
Bethlehem – St Catherine's Church Ramallah – Danish House in Palestine Nablus – Khan al Wakala
Fauré Requiem
29 August 29 August 29 August 29 August 30 August 30 August
30 August
31 August
Bethlehem Choirs Celebration
Joint choral concert Joint choral concert Bar night
Joint choral concert Joint choral concert
Choir of London (UK), Northern Spirit (Germany), The Australian Voices (Australia), Ajyal 'Elderly' Choir, Bethlehem Academy of Music Children's Choir, Bethlehem University Choir, Olive Branches Choir, St Catherine's Choir of the Custody of the Holy Land, Talitha Kumi School Choir Robin Burlton (UK), Annie Lovell (UK), Mardi Lumsden (Australia) Northern Spirit (Germany), Bethlehem University Choir Choir of London (UK), The Australian Voices (Australia), Al Kamandjati Children's Choir Deir Ghassaneh Choir of London (UK), Aboud Church Choir Choir of London (UK), Robin Burlton (UK), Annie Lovell (UK), Mardi Lumsden (Australia) Choeur Régional du Nord – Pas-de-Calais (France), Olive Branches Choir Northern Spirit (Germany), Zaridash
Choeur Régional du Nord – Pas-de-Calais (France), Music Harvest Children's Choir (Asirah al-Qibliyah), Music Harvest Children's Choir (Askar Camp), Nablus Children's Cultural Centre Choir, Nablus Children's Cultural Centre Arabic Ensemble Beit Jala – Latin Church Saint Nicolas Journeys to Choir of London (UK), The Australian Voices (Australia), Palestine Ishirini (UK), Olive Branches Choir, St George's Cathedral Boys' Choir, Palestine Festival Orchestra Ramallah – Ramallah Final Celebration Choir of London (UK), Choeur Régional du Nord – Pas-deCultural Palace Concert Calais (France), Ishirini (UK), Northern Spirit (Germany), The Australian Voices (Australia), Al-Baath Arab Voices of Galilee, Barenboim-Said Foundation Children's Choir, Beit Reema Girls' Choir, Bethlehem University Choir, Ramallah Evangelical School Choir, Olive Branches Choir, Yasmeen, Yasmeen Buds, Zaridash
SCHEDULE OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS Date
Location
Event
Participating groups
14 August
Ramallah – Al Kamandjati
Orchestral workshop
21 August
Jerusalem – St George's Cathedral Bethlehem – Bethlehem University Chapel Ni'lin – Al Khawaja Palace
Choral workshop
Alice Howick (UK), Benjamin Payen (France), students of Al Kamandjati, Barenboim-Said Foundation, Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, and Magnificat Institute, and volunteers from Music Harvest (Nablus) Paul Kildea (Australia), St George's Cathedral Boys' Choir
Choral workshop
Paul Kildea (Australia), Olive Branches Choir
Children's Singing Day
Jerusalem – St George's Cathedral Ramallah – BarenboimSaid Foundation
Choral workshop
Jessie Maryon Davies (UK), Diego Alamar (Spain), Maya Khaldi (Palestine), Choir of London (UK), The Australian Voices (Australia), Aboud Church Choir, Barenboim-Said Foundation Children's Choir, Beit Reema Girls' Choir, Music Harvest Children's Choir (Asirah al-Qibliyah), Music Harvest Children's Choir (Askar Camp), Ramallah Evangelical School Choir, Yasmeen Buds Charles Cole (UK), St George's Cathedral Boys' Choir
Nablus – Nablus Children's Cultural Centre Bethlehem – Dar Annadwa Ramallah – Al Kamandjati Bethlehem – Bethlehem University Chapel Nazareth – Basilica of the Annunciation Nazareth – Basilica of the Annunciation Amman (Jordan) – British Council Ramallah – Al Kamandjati Bethlehem – Bethlehem University Chapel Shefa-'Amr – Anglican Church Nazareth – Basilica of the Annunciation Nazareth – Basilica of the Annunciation Bethlehem – Dar Annadwa Jerusalem – Edward Said National Conservatory of Music
Choral workshop
21 August 22 August
22 August 22 August
23 August
24 August 25 August 25 August 26 August 26 August 26 August 26 August 26 August 26 August 27 August 27 August 27 August 27 August
Orchestral workshop
Organ masterclass
Paul Kildea (Australia), Choir of London (UK), students of Al Kamandjati, Barenboim-Said Foundation, Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, and Magnificat Institute, and volunteers from Music Harvest (Nablus) Eric Deltour (France), Music Harvest Children's Choir (Asirah al-Qibliyah), Music Harvest Children's Choir (Askar Camp), Nablus Children's Cultural Centre Choir Jaret Choolun (Germany), Northern Spirit (Germany), Ajyal 'Elderly' Choir [cancelled due to sickness] Mardi Lumsden (Australia), Daniel Bradley (UK), students of Al Kamandjati Jaret Choolun (Germany), Northern Spirit (Germany), Bethlehem University Choir Charles Cole (UK), Haig Vosgueritchian
Choral workshop
Charles Cole (UK), Nazareth Custody of the Holy Land Choir
Choral workshop Songwriting workshop Choral workshop
Conference on Benjamin Dima Bawab (Jordan), Choir of London (UK) Britten Songwriting workshop Mardi Lumsden (Australia), Daniel Bradley (UK), students of Al Kamandjati Chamber music Paul Kildea (Australia), Choir of London (UK), students of Al workshop Kamandjati Choral workshop Rahib Haddad (Shefa-'Amr), Jeremy Rouse (UK), Ishirini (UK), Al-Baath Arab Voices of Galilee Organ masterclass Charles Cole (UK), Haig Vosgueritchian Choral workshop
Charles Cole (UK), Nazareth Custody of the Holy Land Choir
Chamber music workshop Choral workshop
Paul Kildea (Australia), Choir of London (UK), students of Al Kamandjati Graham Ross (UK), Gordon Hamilton (Australia), Choir of London (UK), The Australian Voices (Australia), Palestine Girls' Choir
27 August
Taybeh – Latin Church
Choral workshop
27 August
Jenin – Al Kamandjati
Choral workshop
28 August
Jerusalem – St Saviour's Church Bethlehem – Dar Annadwa
Choral workshop
29 August
Deir Ghassaneh – Al Kamandjati
Choral workshop
29 August
Aboud – Greek Orthodox Church Sebastiya – Cultural Centre
Choral workshop
28 August
29 August
29 August 30 August 30 August
Choral workshop
Choral workshop
Bethlehem – Bethlehem Choral workshop Academy of Music Ramallah – Danish House Choral workshop in Palestine Nablus – Nablus Choral workshop Children's Cultural Centre
31 August
Ramallah – Ramallah Cultural Palace
Conference on choral music in Palestine
31 August
Ramallah – Ramallah Cultural Palace
Choral workshop
Paul Kildea (Australia), Choir of London (UK), Taybeh Latin Church Choir Gordon Hamilton (Australia), The Australian Voices (Australia), Al Kamandjati Children's Choir Jenin, Al Kamandjati Arabic Ensemble Jenin [cancelled due to mourning] Charles Cole (UK), Magnificat Choir of the Custody of the Holy Land, Yasmeen Jessie Maryon-Davies (UK), Graham Ross (UK), Choir of London (UK), Northern Spirit (Germany), The Australian Voices (Australia), Ajyal 'Elderly' Choir, Bethlehem Academy of Music Children's Choir, Bethlehem University Choir, Olive Branches Choir, St Catherine's Choir of the Custody of the Holy Land, Talitha Kumi School Choir Robin Burlton (UK), Choir of London (UK), The Australian Voices (Australia), Al Kamandjati Children's Choir Deir Ghassaneh Jessie Maryon-Davies (UK), Choir of London (UK), Aboud Church Choir Diego Alamar (Spain), Eric Deltour (France), Choeur Régional du Nord – Pas-de-Calais (France), Barenboim-Said Foundation Children's Choir, Zaridash Jeremy Rouse (UK), Ishirini (UK), St Catherine's Choir of the Custody of the Holy Land Jaret Choolun (Germany), Diego Alamar (Spain), Northern Spirit (Germany), Zaridash Eric Deltour (France), Choeur Régional du Nord – Pas-deCalais (France), Music Harvest Children's Choir (Asirah al-Qibliyah), Music Harvest Children's Choir (Askar Camp), Nablus Children's Cultural Centre Choir Diego Alamar (Spain), Patricia Crockford (Palestine), Rahib Haddad (Shefa-'Amr), Maya Khaldi (Palestine), Hani Kreitem (Palestine), Aurelio Mulé Stagno (Malta), Michael Stevens (UK), Joe Walters (UK), Mirjam Younan (Palestine) Jessie Maryon-Davies (UK), Jeremy Summerly (UK), Choir of London (UK), Choeur Régional du Nord – Pas-deCalais (France), Ishirini (UK), Northern Spirit (Germany), The Australian Voices (Australia), Al-Baath Arab Voices of Galilee, Barenboim-Said Foundation Children's Choir, Beit Reema Girls' Choir, Bethlehem University Choir, Ramallah Evangelical School Choir, Olive Branches Choir, Yasmeen, Yasmeen Buds, Zaridash
Festival management Festival Director Michael Stevens Manager Alice Howick Management team Hana Gammoh, Harriet Armston-Clarke, Benjamin Payen, Tim Moore Design Majdi Hadid Special thanks to: Diego Alamar, Araceli Batalla, Jason Crompton, Maya Khaldi, Mohamad Khawaja, Yousef Khawaja, Fabienne van Eck, Basel Zayed