Cor Vivaldi - Little singers of Catalonia
Vivaldi Choir web: http://www.corvivaldi.cat
It was created in 1989, in IPSI school of Barcelona, by the pianist and director, Òscar Boada.
This choir is an absolutely unique product in the Catalan territory and even in Spain: there is no other choir in the country that has the same characteristics as the Vivaldi Choir - Little singers of Catalonia. With over 25 years of history, a large number of CDs and DVDs have been recorded, important awards have been won and it has performed in the most symbolic venues (Palau de la Música, Liceu, Auditori Nacional, Auditorio Príncipe de Astúrias, Wiener Konzert Haus, Victoria Hall of Geneva, etc.). Pioneer in the performance of children operas, it normally collaborates with the Gran Teatre Liceu and also with l’OBC.
It has also recorded music for some Pedro Almodóvar, Balagueró and Lompart films, and, since 2004, it elects some compositors to increase the repertoire.
It has made tours around Europe, Argentina and the USA, and, since 2001, it organises its own cycle of concerts, which has its headquarters in the Auditori Axa of Barcelona, where all kinds of new songs are presented, apart from all the dynamic concerts open to all kinds of publics.
Functioning
The choir is only composed by IPSI students. Nowadays, the number of singers is more than 45, with other students aspiring to join the choir.
A little audition is needed to enter the choir, measuring:
a) willingness and commitment of the student.
b) quality of the voice.
c) pitch
Most of these little singers have taken part, since they were very young, in other choirs. When they feel prepared, they can ask for an access audition (if not successful it can be repeated as many times as desired).
Once the audition has been successful, the singers become, in the vivaldi argot, “recruits”.
These “recruits” are tutored during the rehearsals by an expert little singer, who helps them with the music sheets, with the discipline, and with all that we call professionalism.
When a student feels they are ready with one piece of music they can ask for the definitive audition. If the result is successful, they receive the rules (which must be read and signed), a meeting is set up with the parents and they become active members of the Cor Vivaldi, called “officials”.
The Vivaldi Choir singers rehearse every day from 13:30 to 14:30h without any exception.
During the course, the choir prepares four different programs that are performed every three months in Auditori Axa.
Moreover, occasionally, the choir can join some concerts of the Liceu Orchestra or the OBC Orchestra and it can record soundtracks or collaborations with different artists, as well as trips or artistic tours. In these cases, the school lets the singers off lessons and school activities, giving them special support, if necessary.
Musical pieces and composers
Missa brevis by Jordi-Lluís Rigol (1992)
Stabat Mater by A. Garcia demestres (2004),
Magnificat by P. Bacchus (2005)
Els Pastorets by Albert Guinovart and lyrics by J. Galceran (2006)
Missa brevis by Peter John Bacchus(2008)
Missa brevis by Salvador Brotons(2008)
Missa brevis by Albert Guinovart (2008)
To taksidi tis Elenis d’Eduard Iniesta (2009)
A Catalan suite, suite of Catalan songs by Kirby Shaw (2010)
A Christmas catalan suite, suite of Catalan Carols by Kirby Shaw (2011)
Te deum by Albert Guinovart ( 2014)
Constel·lacions by Mariona Vila ( 2015)
Atlàntida ( 2013-2014)
Carmen ( 2014-2015)
La Bohème (2015- 2016)
Christmas concert in Gran Teatre Liceu:
Els Pastorets by Albert Guinovart. Orquestra of Gran Teatre Liceu. Narration by Elisabet Egea, directed by department of Arts Escèniques of IPSI. Directed by Òscar Boada, founder of Cor Vivaldi and director of Music School.
Opera
Cor Vivaldi is a pioneer in infantil opera in Catalunya and the rest of the Spanish State.
Tom Sawyer by J.Elkus (1989)
Chip and his dog by G.C.Menotti (1990)
La Flor by R.Lamotte de Grignon (1990)
The Golden Vanity by B.Britten (1994 - 2000 - 2011)
Els cinc dits de la mà d’A. García demestres (2002)
El mercader de somnis by S. Brotons –R. Contel, sobre un relat by Carmen Posadas (2005)
from 2003, usually working with el Gran Teatre Liceu:
Tosca (2003-2004)
El Wagner més vell (Foyer), Boris Godunov i Turandot (2004-2005)
La Gioconda, Wozzeck, Die tote Stadt (2005-2006)
Boulevard Solituby (2006-2007)
Król Roger (2009-2010)
Carmen (2010-2011)
Street Scene ( 2012-2013)
Recordings
An extensive repertoire of pieces from all times and styles.
Viatges (1995)
Petits Cantors de Catalunya (1997)
Puer Natus! (1998)
El Cor Vivaldi en concert (1999)
Le Phenix du Mexique (2000)
Nadales catalanes (2003)
Fiesta Criolla ( 2003)
Viatges II (2004)
Els millors moments of Cor Vivaldi (2005)
Stabat Mater de demestres(2005)
El mercader de somnis (2005)
Una vetllada de Jazz (2006)
Els Pastorets d'Albert Guinovart(2007)
Misses Brevis d'Albert Guinovart i Salvador Brotons(2008)
To taksidi tis Elenis d´Eduard Iniesta (2009)
Swing,swing,swing amb Ignasi Terraza trio ( 2012)
En clau de Jazz (2010) Dvd
Bèsties i Pirates ( 2011) Dvd.
Coelo in terra ( 2011) Dvd.
A catalan Christmas suite ( 2011) Dvd
Música coral catalana. Els “Top-Ten”. ( 2012) Dvd
Vivaldi: versió original (2012) Dvd
Les veus dels camps del silenci ( 2012) Dvd.
Les veus dels camps del silenci (2012) Dvd
Stabat Mater Dolorosa ( 2013) Dvd
It has also recorded the following Soundtracks:
La mala educación by Pedro Almodóvar ,
Frágiles by Jaume Balagueró
Viatge màgic a l’ Àfrica by Jordi Llompart.
El bosc by Oscar Aibar
Mozart - Rossini - Shubert ( 2013) Dvd
A cap-pela! ( 2013) Dvd i Cd
45 Tolosako abesbatza Lehiaketa (2013) Cd
Britten's forever! (2013) Cd
25è aniversari of Cor Vivaldi (2014) Dvd i Cd
Concert de tardor amb la Cobla Sant Jordi (2014) Dvd i Cd
Concert de Nadal al Liceu Els Pastorets (2014) Dvd i Cd.
Prizes
2014 Florilège Vocal Tours ( France) 2n. prize infantil / 2n. prize // public award // 1 prize contemporary interpretation
2013 3r. prize Tolosa
2013. Creu de Sant Jordi from la Generalitat de Catalunya
2011. National prize by Choir BBK
2011. prize Editorial Proteus a l’Ètica for pedagogic project.
2010. 1r prize. Choir XII ANTIGUA ABESBATZAK LEHIAKETA
2007. 2n prize. International Festival in Malgrat de Mar
2003. 1r prize . IX Nacional Infantil y Juvenil competition by Habaneras de Torrevieja. (Alacant)
2002. prize Comtal de Cultura 2002. Given by la Jove Cambra de Barcelona.
2001. 3r prize. 5º National Competition by “Turrón by Jijona” choirs, in Jijona. (Alacant).
2001. 3r prize – bronze- XXXII Tolosa choir (Guipúzcoa) in the XXV Anniversary of the infantil choir competition.
2000. 1r prize International Choir Competition “Niños Cantores de Mendoza”. Mendoza, Argentina.
2000. Diplôme Mention Très Bien. Montreux Choral Festival 2000. Montreux, Suissa
1999. Finalist GRAND PRIX EUROPÉEN 1999. Varna, Bulgària.
1998. 1r prize – gold - and grand prize “Città d’Arezzo”. XLVI Concorso Polifonico Internazionale “Guido d’Arezzo”. Arezzo, Itàlia
1997. 1r prize – Generalitat de Catalunya- XV International Music Festival.
1996. 2n prize – Silver - XXVIII Certamen Coral Internacional in Tolosa. Guipúzcoa.
1995. 2n prize XIII International Music Festival.
