International Festival for Vocal Music "a cappella"

The International Festival of Vocal Music " a cappella " is taking place in Leipzig in the spring concert week for polyphonic singing. It was founded in 1997 amarcord by the singers of the ensemble, which - in which function as artistic director of Festival - held annually since 2003. Apparently the idea came to the festival, as the ensemble Amarcord wanted to invite to his five-year anniversary in 1997 befriended international ensembles in matching frame to Leipzig. The program design is designed so that young ensembles perform alongside established vocal groups and different genres such as early music, folk song, classical, vocal jazz and pop are covered. Famous guests included the The Real Group, The King's Singers, The Hilliard Ensemble, Take 6, Chanticleer or Bobby McFerrin.

The festival won the 2006 Tourism Award of the city of Leipzig.

List of ensembles of recent years

Patronage

In 2008, Charlotte Knobloch took over the patronage of the festival. In the years 2009 and 2010, there was Prime Minister of Saxony Stanislaw Tillich.

Competition

Since 2007 is part of the festival and the International a cappella competition, which enables young ensemble introduce themselves to a wider audience; the winner will receive a festival concert in the following year. In this way, ensembles used as Vocado or Sound Affaire already competition as a springboard to more awareness.

The jury of the competition is just as international than the participants of the competitions. So among the jurors already so well-known experts of the scene as Simon Carrington ( King's Singers), Bob Chilcott ( King's Singers), Katarina Henryson ( The Real Group ), Mitos Andaya (USA) or Martin Hoffmeister ( program director of music at MDR Figaro ). The jury is composed of four judges, which partly belongs to a member of the ensemble Amarcord annually.

List of winners of previous competitions

In the years 2007 and 2009, the jury 's decision was so hard that they decided in each case the second- placed, sound district ( 07) from Germany and the ensemble Jazzation (09) from Hungary, also the possibility to offer in at the festivals perform the following years with a private concert.

*) In 2011, instead of the 1st prize awarded two second prizes ( on audio Feels from Poland and Lalá from Austria ).

**) In 2013 were again only two 2nd prizes awarded ( Mixtet from Estonia and The Quintessential Five of Georgia).