EUAJC
We unite choirs across Europe to celebrate Jewish music and foster collaboration through music festivals and concerts.
The European Association of Jewish Choirs (EUAJC) provides a platform to encourage collaboration between member choirs in the holding of Jewish choral festivals and other activities.These festivals feature both individual choir rehearsals and joint workshops. Each choir has the opportunity to showcase its own repertoire and style in concerts.
Participants also come together for shared activities and workshops to learn and rehearse new pieces, fostering musical exchange and collaboration. The festivals culminate in gala concerts at prestigious venues, highlighting both the unique character of each choir and the power of collective choral performance.
Spanning all strands of Judaism, we aim to raise the profile of Jewish choral music and showcase its diversity of traditions and genres. These events are open to both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences. Where needed, we collaborate with European, international, national, and local organisations to promote Jewish choral music in its many forms. Our festivals also partner with charities to support and connect with different communities. Recognising the rich Jewish traditions and history of each host country, our festivals strive to educate and inform attendees about the local Jewish heritage.
Activities
The Association forms a hub for Jewish choral activities in Europe. It provides a means of communication between member choirs and facilitates the sharing and exchange of music and musical initiatives. Its principal public role is the coordination and facilitation of choral festivals (to be held annually, or as regularly as possible), for which it acts as an advisory body but is not the principal organiser. Festivals are hosted and organised by EUAJC members in their own country.
Festival History
The first European Jewish Choral Festival took place in London in 2012, hosted by the Zemel Choir. Subsequent festivals have taken place in Vienna (2013), Rome (2014), London (2015), St Petersburg (2017) Lviv (2018) and Ferrara (2019, Vienna (2023) while a smaller event took place in Jerusalem (2016). The founder choirs and initial hosts were the Zemel Choir, the Vienna Jewish Choir, and Coro Hakol of Rome. Subsequent festivals have been hosted by the Eva Jewish Youth Choir (St Petersburg) and the Varnitshkes Ensemble (Lviv) and Coro Hakol. In 2024, Itai Daniel, musical director of the Paris Choir from Copernic Synagogue, is organising our next Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Festivals are occasions for participatory music workshops, rehearsals and performance of the Jewish choral repertoire, as well as social interaction. They include joint concerts for participating choirs and culminate in a gala concert which focuses primarily on repertoire sung by the combined choirs. The number of choirs participating in a festival depends on certain limitations, specific to the location.
Member choirs need to apply to participate in festivals. In the event that there are too many choirs applying, the EUAJC committee will make a decision regarding participation. Choirs who are unable to participate one year will be given priority for the subsequent festival.
As the festivals are events featuring amateur choirs it is expected that participating choirs will pay their own travel and some food expenses. The festival fee includes accommodation, some meals, a contribution to running costs and the EUAJC subscription (see above). It is expected that organising choirs will seek sponsorship to cover the remaining core costs of the festival. The Association will support the organisers and assist where possible in the search for sponsorship.
EUAJC Board
Marguerite Dunitz-Scheer (President of the EUAJC)
Richard di Castro — Italy (Board Member; President of the Coro Hakol)
Roman Grinberg — Austria (Board Member; Musical Director of the Vienna Jewish Choir)
Benjamin Wolf — UK (Board Member; Musical Director of the Zemel Choir)
Itai Daniel — France (Board Member; Musical Director of Ensemble Choral Copernic)