• Submitted by: admin
• Arts and Culture
• Music
• 10 / 22 / 2006

By: Esperanza Soler

Cuban Schola Cantorum Coralina choir won the 2006 Cittá d' Arezzo Grand Prize, one of the six most important European awards for vocal music, at the 54th Guido d'Arezzo International Polyphonic Contest, held in the Italian city of Arezzo with the participation of 25 choirs from several countries.

The expressive delivery and precise timbre in performing the different musical styles were the most relevant aspects recognized by the jury and the audience in the hard-fought competition.

This top award grants the Antilean vocal group the opportunity to attend the 2007 Grand European Prize of Choral Song, also in Arezzo, which had the previous participation of the Cuban Exaudi choir in 1993.

The Schola Cantorum Coralina choir, directed by professor Alina Orraca, took other prizes at the Guido d'Arezzo, the worlds oldest choral competition, which 54th edition first featured the participation of a Cuban choir.

Rayna Carmona, agent of the Schola Cantorum Coralina, specified that the members of the choral group are extremely happy and proud for having ratified the good name of the Cuban choral school.

She added that prior to its stay in Arezzo, the Coralina participated at the 17th Summer Competition of Choral Direction, Song and Vocal Technique in the Galician city of Pontevedra, Spain, organized by the Camerata ad Libitum Cultural Association, directed by maestro Julio Domínguez.

Directors and chorus singers from the entire Spain, along with members of the Camerata ad Libitum and the Coralina, formed an 80-singer ensemble, conducted by maestros Julion Domínguez (Spain) and Jon Washburn (Canada).

The works were presented in concerts in the cities of Pontevedra and Tui. The Schola Cantorum Coralina also performed in Vigos Tomiño Auditorium and in the San Bartolome Church of Pontevedra.

Source: CubaSi