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redsmetz
06-06-2012, 12:52 PM
I thought it would be good to start a thread about the World Choir Games which will take place here in Cincinnati next month. This is the first time the competition has been held in North America and will draw 15,000 participants, as well as "tens of thousands spectators." The expected economic impact is just under $75 Million. The event will run from July 4th thru the 10th. It will be the largest event to ever come to Cincinnati.

http://2012worldchoirgames.com/

Our choir from St. Monica St. George will be entered and will perform on July 5th at the Masonic Temple next to the Taft. Performances will be all over the area, on both sides of the river. I know th Reds have some games during that time, so I expect that various groups will do the singing at the stadium for some of those games.

Anyone else performing in this event ? Anyone planning on taking some of this in?

redsfaninbsg
06-09-2012, 09:57 PM
My wife is really wanting to come to this, how does one get tickets?

reds1869
06-10-2012, 10:14 AM
My wife is really wanting to come to this, how does one get tickets?
http://2012worldchoirgames.com/Section/2012-games/tickets/tickets

oneupper
06-10-2012, 10:47 AM
That's really interesting. I had no idea there was a competition like this.

Is it by country or by choir (several entries per country)?
Categories?

Caveat Emperor
06-10-2012, 01:28 PM
This thread is the first place I've heard anyone express even a passing interest in the World Choir Games.

dougdirt
06-10-2012, 02:54 PM
This thread is the first place I've heard anyone express even a passing interest in the World Choir Games.

Same here. I have seen hundreds of commercials for it. I haven't seen anyone even mention it other than this thread.

reds1869
06-10-2012, 05:31 PM
This thread is the first place I've heard anyone express even a passing interest in the World Choir Games.

Local interest just isn't that high for some reason. My wife and I both teach music (and I am a singer) and are a bit ashamed to admit how minimal our interest is. We feel like we should be excited but we just aren't. That said the economic impact is going to be massive.

Caveat Emperor
06-11-2012, 12:36 AM
Local interest just isn't that high for some reason. My wife and I both teach music (and I am a singer) and are a bit ashamed to admit how minimal our interest is. We feel like we should be excited but we just aren't. That said the economic impact is going to be massive.

I think the reason is fairly obvious -- the overwhelming majority of people don't really care about choir music. I'm sure the people performing are tremendously talented, but I'd never pay or (were it free) give up my time to listen. It's an extremely niche market that this sort of thing caters to.

SunDeck
06-11-2012, 07:09 AM
They need a juicing scandal or something to pique interest.







Our choir from St. Monica St. George will be entered and will perform on July 5th at the Masonic Temple next to the Taft.
Another possible connection, Redsmetz! My aunt, the Franciscan nun, played organ at St. G/St. M for many years.

medford
06-11-2012, 10:57 AM
Perhaps we should spread rumors of a vocal chord transplant for the Choir Games Favorite ;)

In all seriousness, for something that allegedly have such a large econmic impact, there has been very little buzz. Is all of that impact imparted by those travelling to the city simply to compete, sleep & eat? Are there many people who will travel into the area from far away lands simply to absorb the competition, or are 99% of the audience made up of judges, family members and other competitors?

Choir music certainly isn't my thing, but It wouldn't be hard to imagine a scene full of immensly talented people just knocking your socks off.

redsmetz
06-11-2012, 12:18 PM
I think that many of the tickets will be taken up by visitors to the city. As I noted originally, this is the first time this has ever been held in North America, so it's not unsurprising that folks aren't necessary familiar with it. Someone else commented to that Americans don't generally follow this type of music much, although it's not limited solely to church choirs.

I'm still not sure myself whether our choir is actually competing or if we're just performing (not competing). I think we're actually competing. I don't usually sing with our choir except when we have special things and the choir director wrangles me into joining for these things. I like it, but it's a ton of work and I'm not interested in putting regular time into it. At my previous community, I was a member of one of two music groups, both singing and playing guitar, but I can't remember the last time I picked up one of my guitars (shame!). As a kid, I spent one year at the Archbishop's Choir School here, which is now defunct. At the time, it was one of only two full-time schools for a boys choir (the other being in Vienna or someplace or another :)).

My landlord for my office hosts barbershop choruses in their hall (my office is in their lobby) and I know at least one of the choruses is participating. I heard from a high school classmate that he's involved with another choir that's participating as well.

I think as the time draws closer, Cincinnatians will hear more about it and folks will have an opportunity to participate as they will. Keep in mind, there are some Reds games going on during the Games, so plan accordingly.

redsmetz
06-11-2012, 12:20 PM
Another possible connection, Redsmetz! My aunt, the Franciscan nun, played organ at St. G/St. M for many years.

My dad's cousin was the choir director at St. Monica's, years before the merger with St. George. His name was Franklin Bens and he also taught voice at CCM (apparently he was opera singer Kathleen Battle's teacher there), as well as at Xavier. I remember him playing organ at the downtown cathedral when I was in the Archbishop's Choir.

PM who your aunt was. My dad has another cousin who is a long-time Oldenburg Franciscan.

Reds/Flyers Fan
06-22-2012, 11:46 AM
I've heard talk about it pick up the last week or so around town. And certainly you can't go downtown without signs, posters and other indications that the WQG are coming. I flew into CVG last Monday and there were already welcome signs.

redsmetz
07-04-2012, 06:16 PM
At the opening ceremony right now. They staged us at GABP & we just paraded over to the US Bank Arena. This is incredible, folks!

reds1869
07-04-2012, 09:50 PM
At the opening ceremony right now. They staged us at GABP & we just paraded over to the US Bank Arena. This is incredible, folks!


I watched the procession from the ball park to the arena. It was pretty spectacular!

redsmetz
07-05-2012, 02:30 PM
Well we just finished our set and I lived to tell about it. I think we did well. Coolest thing was the kids from Indonesian giving us a good luck sign as we passed each back stage after their set.

Reds Freak
07-05-2012, 06:52 PM
Sounds like the opening ceremony was tremendous and showed our city off extremely well. I promised my girlfriend I'd take her Saturday, but now I see the day competition passes are sold out for Saturday. Any other way to snag tickets? Are there scalpers for this thing?

redsmetz
07-05-2012, 10:49 PM
Sounds like the opening ceremony was tremendous and showed our city off extremely well. I promised my girlfriend I'd take her Saturday, but now I see the day competition passes are sold out for Saturday. Any other way to snag tickets? Are there scalpers for this thing?

I haven't seen anyone scalping tickets, but I do see some listings on Craigslist.

Reds/Flyers Fan
07-06-2012, 04:44 PM
Wow what a great vibe in the city right now. People from around the world converging on downtown by the thousands. I walked around for a bit last night and saw large groups from Spain, Russia, Turkey, China, Belgium and California. The Belgian group was a bunch of teenagers and they were having a blast at the Smale Riverfront Park fountains, laughing and videotaping their friends getting wet.

Just an amazing atmosphere in and around downtown and OTR right now. And the tickets are going fast and the restaurants are slam-packed. Even the concerts taking place in the suburbs are packed. Just imagine what it's going to be like next weekend when the World Choir Games final days coincide with the Reds/_ardinals series and the Bunbury Music Festival at Sawyer Point.

CrackerJack
07-06-2012, 07:47 PM
It's great they're all in-town and singin' it up. I just find it a bit disconcerting that it's a "competition" when it could just be more of an exhibition of people who are talented and want to share it and entertain folks - but I guess anyone who sings these days, wants that "American Idol" moment. It's sad, sorry.

Roy Tucker
07-07-2012, 01:17 AM
We went to the "Pop the Night Away" at the Aronoff tonight. I must say, it was fantastic. I never thought I'd be so entertained by 4 Aussies singing Motown, a great Chinese choir singing what I call urban Chinese pop, and the most creative and inventive vocal group from the Netherlands I've ever heard. Plus a good vocal group from Western Michigan Univ. to top off the evening. And the most supportive and enthusiastic sold-out crowd I've heard in Cinci since I don't know when.

I'd recommend getting yourself downtown for this event. It's pretty amazing and I'm not one to gush.

Reds/Flyers Fan
07-07-2012, 02:30 AM
It's great they're all in-town and singin' it up. I just find it a bit disconcerting that it's a "competition" when it could just be more of an exhibition of people who are talented and want to share it and entertain folks - but I guess anyone who sings these days, wants that "American Idol" moment. It's sad, sorry.

There are competitions for all sorts of things other than athletics: spelling bees, beauty pageants, science fairs, dog shows, car shows, even "Best of ..." contests for things like Taste of Cincinnati, etc.

Why should choirs and musical groups in general not have a chance to be recognized as best among their peers?

reds1869
07-07-2012, 12:56 PM
It's great they're all in-town and singin' it up. I just find it a bit disconcerting that it's a "competition" when it could just be more of an exhibition of people who are talented and want to share it and entertain folks - but I guess anyone who sings these days, wants that "American Idol" moment. It's sad, sorry.

I've been a part of many, many musical competitions in the past. I don't think the spirit is quite how you think it is. About as far removed from American Idol as it gets. The competition is extremely friendly and in my experience second to the experience of performing with other groups like yours. Besides, only a few select groups have any prayer of taking home hardware; most performers are just there to make music.

redsmetz
07-07-2012, 05:17 PM
We attended a spectacular show at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Four choirs sang. The first was from Carroll County in Maryland. Then a young choir from Namibia sang and were just incredible, absolutely lights out.

After them came a Chinese choir from Hungary. They appeared before my choir on Thursday, so I hadn't heard them. They finished with a song about being away from home and missing it and half of them were in tears by the finish and our friend said many of them were still crying out in the hall afterwards. Incredibly moving.

The final choir started as a group of young woman from New Zealand and then were joined by the boys jazz choir. They were also very good. Their director talked about how they've enjoyed Cincinnati and about seeing squirrels, a groundhog and fireflies (as she called them). Funny, isn't it. Never thought about some part of the world not having them.

MWM
07-07-2012, 07:04 PM
My high school choir director has somehow been involved in this, announcing and introducing some of the choirs. Apparently, the Fairfield Choraliers will be performing at some point (one of the best anywhere). Wish I could see that, I'm an alum. :)

redsmetz
07-07-2012, 08:41 PM
Wow! Our choir won a Silver level award.

redsmetz
07-08-2012, 06:43 AM
Wow! Our choir won a Silver level award.

I put this up while at U.S. Bank Arena. Now a bit more of an explanation.

Each section of the competition was broken into two segments. First there were awarded various "diplomas" (their word, hence the quotes) and depending on the judges points, choirs were award either a Bronze, Silver or Gold "diploma". We were awarded such a Silver diploma, which wasn't bad for one of the few church choirs entered and made up of both regular choir members and perhaps a quarter more who only joined in for this (such as me). We were probably the 2nd lowest score of those receiving a silver.

In the championship category, various medals were awarded, again with the Bronze, Silver & Gold levels. Those too were based on a certainly scoring level, so there were multiples of each. Then each category had a champion.

The categories were Mixed Choir (which is what we were), Youth, Female, Jazz and Folklore. Some choirs competed in more than one area.

One of the treats of the night was me getting the fabulous Folklore choir from Namibia to sing Happy Birthday to my wife outside the arena since yesterday was her birthday. They sang both the traditional one and then spontaneously sang a version of their own. She was elated. Major points for me! And it was wonderful.

Next week will be Gospel and Chorale. I can't recall if there are others. Again, if you get the opportunity to take in one of the many Friendship Concerts downtown or all around, do so. Everyone I've seen has been just really very good.

Roy Tucker
07-08-2012, 11:35 AM
For those of you in the Mason area, there is a friendship concert at Cedar Village retirement home today at 2 pm. It's outdoors so dress appropriately.

HeatherC1212
07-08-2012, 06:35 PM
One of my youth group girls is in one of the children's choir groups that are located here in Cincy and they competed and performed earlier this weekend. Apparently they did extremely well! They won a Gold diploma and ended up fifth overall in their category (they were also the top US group in their category) and all of them are SOOOO excited! It's really fun to hear all the news coming out of this event and I love how Cincy is being shown in such a positive light to the world right now. That's a great feeling too! :D

Congrats on your choir's accomplishments redmetz!!! :D

Reds/Flyers Fan
07-08-2012, 08:10 PM
Wow! Our choir won a Silver level award.

Congratulations! :beerme:

cooperlamar
07-09-2012, 12:57 PM
I work downtown and not a huge choir fan but really big into downtown, current events, and most things going on down here. The city has been promoting this for a long time and I never realized how big of a deal it is until now. It really is amazing having all of these different types of people in our city. It's really cool watching those that aren't from here take such an interest in a lot of things us locals take for granted.

And the city has done an absolutely amazing job in preparing for this. There are signs EVERYWHERE. I see currency exchange signs, welcoming signs, menus in foreign languages, and a lot of businesses got together and designed an app that would translate menus into a lot of different languages. They set up the Market Garden at 5th and Race with tons of food trucks, a beer garden, etc. You see volunteers and police precence everywhere. There are mist fans and free water at Fountain Square, they really cleaned the city and there are over 4000 volunteers helping this happen.

It's really amazing how well our city and residents have embraced and prepared for this. I really hope it helps with word of mouth and tourism and perhaps some of these people will come back.

This next weekend will be one of the biggest weekends in our city's history (maybe I'm embellishing a little, maybe not) with the Choir Games final weekend, the Bunbury Festival, and the Reds-Cardinals series. It should be amazing downtown if anyone wants to come check it out - and luckily the weather is supposed to be nice.