Programme
How to compose for children’s choirs?
Could music for basic children’s choirs contain more complex forms of tonality? How might lyrics relate to scoring? Are there other ways to do write for children’s choir? Specialist composer Hans Helsen will explore some innovative practices for writing for children’s choirs.
Hans Helsen (1989) is a Belgian music pedagogue, composer and singer, though choral music is what drives him and is present in all of his work. Hans composes for a variety of ensembles, but over time has developed a special affinity working with and writing for children’s choirs. He recently worked as a researcher at the KU Leuven on The Singing Sofa, a VOICE-project to help create awareness of Vocal Health in Young Choirs. Currently, Hans teaches composition at both the Music Academy in Lier and the Conservatory of Bruges. In 2015 he was awarded the European Award for Choral Composers.