Non-competitive forum for international co-operation between children's / youth choirs and contemporary composers
Songbridge is an international choral music program which contributes to peace, friendship and understanding. It aims to promote children's and youth choirs as a distinct artistic instrument. In addition, it provides a forum for generating innovative music for this instrument. Select children's and youth choirs, conductors and composers of the highest calibre come together to fulfil this mission.
Erkki Pohjola, the iconic Finnish conductor, founded Songbridge. In 1999, his vision of having a new non-competitive global forum for choral collaboration was realized. The first Songbridge was celebrated at the 5th IFCM World Symposium on Choral Music in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since then it has been organized many times in different countries all over the world. Songbridge has transformed and expanded the world of choral music. It has become a model for numerous events.
Songbridge is supervised by the IFCM Songbridge Artistic Committee
Erkki Pohjola, Finland, chairman 2004-2008
Kari Ala-Pöllänen, Finland, chairman 2008-
Cristian Grases, Venezuela/USA
Susan Knight, Canada
Cifuru Matsubara, Japan
Sanna Valvanne, Finland
Lyn Williams, Australia
The committee oversees the organizing of Songbridge events and works alongside potential collaborators. For each Songbridge event the committee approves the participants and organizers, as well as nominates an Artistic Director.