International Federation for Choral Music

Join us for an inspiring online café Creating Choral Music — Exploring the Art of Choral Composition, where we will explore how composers create music for choirs today. This session will feature three renowned composers each of whom will bring a unique voice and perspective to the conversation.

Guests:

Rudolf de Beer (Norway/South Africa) is a renowned conductor, organist, composer, and researcher of South African origin, currently based in Norway. Rudolf is known for his dynamic approach to choral music and has collaborated with a variety of ensembles and institutions around the world.

Rudolf aims to bring a unique and thoughtful voice to choral music. Drawing inspiration from earlier musical eras, he reinterprets these influences through a personal, contemporary lens—purposefully stepping away from the trends of today’s popular choral composers.

Rudolf studied composition with, amongst others, Zaid Jabri (Syria) - a former student of Penderecki, Henk Temmingh (South Africa), Odd Johann Overøye (Norway), and Ellen Lindquist (America/Netherlands).

Some of his compositions have been published by Norsk Musikkforlag, while some of his arrangements and one composition of African neo-traditional choral music by Hal Leonard.

About half of his choral compositions/arrangements are crafted for amateur choirs, while others are designed for more advanced ensembles. He frequently writes his own texts, both to maintain artistic freedom and to avoid copyright complications. His works are typically concise and focused, making them ideal for inclusion in a wide range of choral concert programs.

Zuzanna Koziej (Poland) A graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, Zuzanna continued her studies at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica "Giuseppe Verdi" in Turin, Italy. She has had the opportunity to learn from composers such as Bob Chilcott, Ko Matsushita, Ēriks Ešenvalds, and Paweł Łukaszewski.

She is a recipient of the Young Poland scholarship awarded by the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage (2021) and has won numerous awards in international composition competitions. Her works are published by Oxford University Press and ICOT Edition.

Zuzanna has released two monographic albums: Music of Trust and Sway, Oh Sway—both nominated for the Fryderyk Award, Poland’s highest phonographic prize. Her compositions have also been featured on other recordings; notably, The Lamb, which won the international composition competition The Lamb’s Journey in the United States in 2022, was recorded by Ensemble Altera and released on an album of the same title in 2024.

Her music is performed internationally—in the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ecuador, Lithuania, Latvia, and beyond—often as part of intercultural exchange projects. She is dedicated to creating music that connects, educates, and opens new perspectives for both performers and listeners.

Edgard Moya Godoy (Denmark/Argentina) is an Argentine composer whose music bridges Latin American folk traditions with contemporary classical language. Known for integrating the vocality of Baguala and the rhythmic complexity of Tango into refined, modern textures, his work explores gestural structures and the physicality of sound.

Based in Copenhagen, he studied at the National University of Córdoba and The Royal Danish Academy of Music with Bent Sørensen. His music has been performed by leading ensembles including DR Vokalensemblet (DK), Vokal Nord (NO), Fermata Choir (TU) and Choral Arts Initiative (US).

A passionate advocate for contemporary choral writing, he founded ComCorAr and is a member of KODA DK, DKF, and IFCM. His compositions often explore memory, identity, and the body as resonant instruments of cultural expression.

Moderated by IFCM Vice-President María Guinand (Venezuela), our guest composers will share valuable insights into the artistic and practical aspects of choral composition by presenting two or three pieces of their own work. Whether you are an experienced composer, a choral director, or simply passionate about vocal music, this is a unique opportunity to learn directly from the individuals shaping the contemporary choral repertoire.

Don't miss this opportunity to explore with us what makes choral music resonate, both in written form and in performance.

https://bit.ly/IFCMOnlineCafeJuly2025_Register