Sandefjord Girls Choir (Norwegian: Sandefjord Jentekor) was a Norwegian girls choir that performed from 1956 to 2009.
It was founded in 1956 by
Sverre Valen and had a varied repertoire. In 1969, the choir won its class in the
BBC (later
EBU
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU; french: Union européenne de radio-télévision, links=no, UER) is an alliance of public service media organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area or who are members of the Co ...
) competition
Let the Peoples Sing
''Let the Peoples Sing'' (known until 1964 as ''Let the People Sing'') is an international choral competition currently organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The final, encompassing three categories and around ten choirs, is offered ...
. They won NRK's national competition for youth choirs 15 times. On tours in Europe, the choir performed in cathedrals like
Cologne Cathedral,
Notre Dame de Paris and
St. Peter's Basilica. In 1976, the choir toured USA for three weeks as part of the
United States Bicentennial. The tour ended with a performance in the
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
, for which they received an excellent review in ''
The New York Times''.
[Sverre Valen]
International Adventist Musicians Associations. Retrieved 14 February 2014 Valen stopped conducting the choir in 1997.
Recruiting many of the best singers of the Sandefjord Girls' Choir, Valen started Valen's Soloist Ensemble ( Valens Solistensemble) in 1985 and conducted it to 2000.
[Aksel Korbøl (in Norsk biogragisk leksikon]
Sverre Valen
Store norske leksikon
The ''Great Norwegian Encyclopedia'' ( no, Store Norske Leksikon, abbreviated ''SNL''), is a Norwegian-language online encyclopedia.
The online encyclopedia is among the most-read Norwegian published sites, with more than two million unique vis ...
. Retrieved 14 February 2014
Jan Helge Trøen took over as conductor of Sandefjord Girls Choir in 1997. In 1999, the choir became part of the foundation World Festival Choir who hired Vesta Zabulioniene as conductor. During her time the choir held concerts with artists like
Tommy Körberg,
Benedicte Adrian
Benedicte Christine Adrian Mouton (born 22 October 1963) is a Norwegian singer and artist. She has released material on her own, but is best known for her collaboration with Ingrid Bjørnov in the pop duo Dollie de Luxe (1980–1994). She has also ...
,
Jørn Hoel,
Jan Werner Danielsen and
Sandra Lyng Haugen
Sandra Lyng Haugen (born 18 April 1987) is a Norwegian singer.
Biography
Sandra Lyng Haugen is from the town of Mosjøen in the municipality of Vefsn. She rose to popularity in 2004 after her participation in the Norwegian TV2 program '' ...
. She conducted the choir until 2009 when she decided to concentrate on her own music school and the girls in the choir followed her.
[Marianne Henriksen (10 June 2009]
Synger på siste vers?
'' Sandefjords Blad''. Retrieved 20 February 2014
Selected recordings
* ''Jul med Sandefjord Jentekor''. (1970) Conductor:Sverre Valen
* ''Hymn to Freedom'' (1990). With Jorunn Marie Bratlie. Conductor:Sverre Valen
* ''O Helga Natt''. (1992) With several others. Conductor:Sverre Valen
* ''På folkemunne. Norwegian folk tunes.'' (1994) Conductor:Sverre Valen
* ''Julemoro''. (1994) With
Gunstein Draugedalen. Conductor:Sverre Valen
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandefjord Girls Choir
Girls' and women's choirs
Choirs of children
Norwegian choirs
Musical groups established in 1956
1956 establishments in Norway
Musical groups from Sandefjord