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The Weerter Mixed Choir Vivace was founded in 1970 as result of a merger of two choirs: the female choir called ''Vivace'' and the mail choir of the ”Biestchurch” in Weert, The Netherlands. From the very beginning on, the choir has made a very positive musical development thanks to the fact that much time and money was spent to to the choral education for all choirmembers. Many workshops and studies were organised in order to improve the voice quality of the choir. Many singers attended classes on the A.M.D., the Academy for Music and Dance in Weert.

From january 2004 on, the musical education is integrated, as part of the weekly rehearsal on Tuesday. This training is given by a professional singing teacher.
The Weerter Mixed Choir VIVACE consist of about 70 singers in all ages, so it is not a specific youth choir or senior choir, 40 female singers and 30 male singers.

Several concert tours were made as well in The Netherlands as in foreign countries. Day trips, weekends and long lasting concert tours were made to the Czech Republic (Usti nad Labem University), Belgium (St. Pauls Cathedral in Antwerp), Germany (Dom of Cologne), Austria (Town Hall in Vienna and Cathedral of Klagenfurt and Wiener Neustadt), U.S.A. (St. Augustine’s Presbytarian Church, Jacksonville Catholic Church and University, Orlando Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church in Hudson, all in state Florida). The last trip was made to Italy (Rome: Saint Peter’s Basilica, The Panthéon, Dutch Friezenchurch and the Cathedral in Segni, in the neighbourhood of Rome). In 2007 the choir also went to in Spain (Barcelona, Girona).

The Choir is conducted by Mr Dion Ritten. He participated in various symposiums and workshops in the field of choral singing and orchestral directing, e.g. at the State University New York te Buffalo U.S.A. and the State University Florida at Orlando U.S.A.. Further he was a guest speaker at choral conventions in the Nederlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium and the U.S.A. He gave many lectures on American Universities.

The choir is accompanied on piano by Mrs Véron Jongstra, both on rehearsals as on concerts. On top of this, she is the second conductor.
The professional singing teacher is Mrs Louise Deal. We are always looking for worldwide association or musical exchange programs on choral music.

L'Ecco - Orlando di Lasso

This website is written in Dutch. For further information you might want to contact us.