Following an Asia tour in September 2012, which included celebrated concerts in Singapore and Taipei, the ensemble will sing on 3rd September in Forlì Cathedral during the Emilia Romagna Festival. Then, on 5th September, the Audi Youth Choir Academy will perform at the Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer in the town of Ravello in southern Italy. The programme will focus on Romantic choral music by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Mahler. For some of the works, the choir will be accompanied by the “Munich Opera Horns”, an ensemble of French horn players from the Bavarian State Orchestra, as well as harpist Antonia Schreiber. “A concert tour is an outstanding experience for everyone involved. The time spent together is extremely beneficial socially, but above all musically,” explained Martin Steidler, Artistic Director of the Audi Youth Choir Academy. The choir will report on daily happenings during the concert tour on a Facebook VLog at www.facebook.com/audijugendchorakademie.
Since its foundation six years ago, the Audi Youth Choir Academy project has enjoyed outstanding success. Alongside regular performances at the Audi Summer Concerts, highlights for the choir have so far included a concert tour of Asia last autumn, a concert at the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in 2011 and partnerships with the conductor Kent Nagano and the Berlin Academy of Early Music. In cooperation with the CD label Farao Classics, the choir is set to record its third CD this autumn. The disc will be released in spring 2014.
The Audi Youth Choir Academy was founded by AUDI AG at the end of 2007 as part of its Audi ArtExperience cultural initiative. The project is an important measure in terms of providing opportunities for young people. The singers prepare for upcoming performances during intensive rehearsal periods; one-to-one coaching with professional singing teachers gives them the chance to improve their vocal skills. The Audi Youth Choir Academy has around 70 members aged between 16 and 27 who are selected by audition. It is aimed at young people who are passionate about singing and want to develop their ability. In early 2014, interested singers can apply to join the choir at www.audi.de/kultur.