CASA - the contemporary a cappella society - Aahus Vocal Festival: Day 3

Aahus Vocal Festival: Day 3

Written by Bill Hare

Sunday, 14 May 2006

This week, CASA's Bill Hare is attending the Aarhus Vocal Festival in Aarhus, Denmark from May 11-14, 2006. The festival includes concerts from groups: The Real Group, Rajaton, baSix, Vocal Line, Touche, VoxNorth and Vocappella. There will also be workshops, coachings, competitions, and lectures. Bill will be sending back daily reports to us here at CASA.org. So join us for DAY 3 of the 2006 Aarhus Vocal Festival!

Danish Radio is covering parts of this event, being broadcast nationally. Even I got interviewed this morning! It was strange, because it was all in Danish, and the interviewer would switch to English right at the very end. It went something like this, from my point of view: Interviewer: "Bjørken deerga nørken børken oogen sweegen, and then you mix it, right Bill?" Me: Ummm... yeah. Today was very, very busy and jam-packed! no less than 21 full performances by great groups, 2 separate competitions - one each for choirs and vocal groups. Top prize in each competition is 15,000 Danish Kroner (approximately US$2600), with the second and third place winners in each category winning 7,500 DKK (US$1300) each. A total of 6 nice cash prizes! There was a bit of overlap in that a "choir" could be 12 or more, a "vocal group" 14 or less, so there were a couple "contemporary" groups in the choir competition and vice-versa.
The esteemed judges - Matthias Becker, Jens Johansen, and Andrea Figallo.
The last group in the choral competition, Denmark's Vox11, reminded me much of the North American collegiate A Cappella groups - a look and sound that I haven't heard much at this festival.
Next up were Apes and Babes from Norway. I worked on their 2004 album, "Rå", but this was the first time I've ever seen them live! (Video Here!)
Pussy DeLuxe, from Germany, incorporates electric bass with their vocals. Before anyone reels back in terror, do remember this is a "vocal festival" rather than an "A Cappella festival"! One of the rules of the competition included a compulsory song for a more even comparison - here is a video of one of 6 versions of "Feelings" we heard that day!
A photo-op with reSound!
I visited reSOUND! in Sweden a couple years ago, as well as baSix here in Denmark, so it was fun seeing friends of mine from different countries all sitting together at mealtimes.
Yeah, I think this board will do for the concert tonight!
Rajaton, of Finland, opened the show and kept everyone entranced for the next hour. (Video Here!)
Awards ceremony between acts for the two competitions. In the choral competition, the 15,000 DKK prize went to Vivid Voices, of Germany. 7,500 DKK each to Vox 11 and Groovy Voices, both of Denmark. In the Vocal Group competition, the 15,000 DKK grand prize went to Norway's Apes and Babes, and 7,500 each to Niniwe (Germany) and Nfinity (Denmark).
My dear friends of baSix take the stage!
I have been working with this group for a few years over several projects, but this was the first time I've seen them perform live. (Video Here!)
More concert shots - The sound and lighting was spectacular! baSix with both their live and album engineers! Afterwards, we all went to another crazy afterparty with much singing - there are 41 groups here - plenty to go around!