SOUND Choir is a mixed choir (SATB) with a flexible structure generated by the nature of its repertoir and events it participates in. The choir’s purpose is to draw the general public’s attention to the art of choral music by shaping its sound into becoming this instrument generator of profound and sincere emotions. Repertorial assimilation and development is achieved by approaching works that directly relate to the choir’s spirit, temperament and vocal capacity.

The choir was founded in 1994 as part of the Students Culture House in Bucharest and it’s comprised of students of and graduates from various Bucharest universities.

The choir’s repertoir was conceived to appeal to a varied audience and includes a wide range of works from the Romanian and universal heritage: religious pieces, authentic and transcribed folklore, Renaissance, traditional and spirituals compositions, as well as modern and entertainment works.
SOUND choir gathers an impressive list of prizes and awards from the international and national competitions and festivals it participated in. Tough international contests brought the choir 3 gold medals and 2 silver medals during the 2 World Choir Games, the 1st prize and Grand Prix in other two very competitive festivals and the public’s and best conductor of the festival award for Voicu Popescu, whose magical hands make the SOUND choir sound so sensitive as it does.

Mr. Voicu Popescu is the conductor of SOUND choir since 1994. A year later, together with the choir, they start giving recitals in various radio and Tv shows and go on national and international tours. In 2005, he is awarded the Gold medal and Special prize for the Best Conductor of the International Choral Competition at Preveza, Greece. This year (2011), Voicu Popescu was invited to be part of the jury of the International Ohrid Choir Festival, Macedonia and to present a workshop during the COREARTE International Festival, in Barcelona, Spain.

In terms of types of events, SOUND has participated in:

international festivals and competitions:

“International Krakow Choir Festival ‘Cracovia Cantans‘”, Poland (16 – 19 June 2011), where it was awarded Ist Prize in ‘Popular, Folk, Gospel and Barbershop Music’ category and IInd Prize in ‘Mixed Choirs Adults’
International Ohrid Choir Festival, Macedonia (2010) – where it was awarded The Grand Prix and Special Prize for the best performance of a composition by a Macedonian author “Do tri momi”
International Sacred Music Festival – Roma & Vatican, Italy (2009);
Choir Olympics in Graz, Austria (2008)- it was awarded a Silver Medal in the a cappella folklore category and a Gold Medal in the mixed chamber choir category
The Voice of Orthodoxy International Festival, Pomorie, Bulgaria (2007);
COREARTE International Festival , Barcelona, Spain (2007);
“International Choral Festival”, Banja Luka, Bosnia&Hertzegovina (2006);
“International Choral Competition at Preveza“, Greece (2005) ) – SOUND was awarded the Gold Medal and Special Prize for the Best conductor of the festival
“International Choral Festival“, Sligo, Ireland (2004);
“Gaude Mater” , Czestochowa, Polonia (2003);
“1st International Choir Olympics in Linz” Austria (2000) – the choir was awarded a Silver Medal in the mixed chamber choir category and a Gold Medal in the a cappella folklore category
“International Choir Competition at Bad Ischl”, Austria (1999) – SOUND won the 1st Prize and the Prize of the Audience
““FIMU – Festival Internazionale di Musica Universitaria”“- Bari, Italia (1999);
Humanitarian artistic tour, Belgium (1999), in cooperation with the organisation ‘Help Ons Helpen’, for the benefit of disabled people in Bucharest;
“3e Concours Europeen de Choeurs et Maitrises de Cathedrales” Noyon”, France (1998) – the choir got the 2nd Prize, as the 1st Prize was not awarded
“Romanian Culture Week in Thanat – Kent”, United Kingdom (1997).

national festivals:

Asamblaje II – Praguri, Dealul Frumos, July 2010
National Festival of Chamber Music ‘Florin Comisel’, Plopeni 2010″
“Proiectul Assemblage”, Dealul Frumos, 2008
“Children and Youth Choirs’ Festival”, Busteni, 2002 and 2006;
“Sacred Music Festival”, Bucharest 2005,
“International Day of Choral Singing”, the Xth edition, Bucharest, 2000;
“Bucharest Month”, 1999;
“Romania – Japan Friednship Festival, Bucharest, 1998;
“Folklore Festivalul “De Sanziene”, Bucharest, 1997;
“Tudor Ciortea” Festival, Brasov, editiions 1996,1997,1998;
audio recordings for the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation;
live shows of several radio and TV stations;;
recitals and concerts in various concerts halls and student centres in Bucharest, Brasov, Costinesti, Buzau, Ploiesti, Sinaia;
a series of extraordinary concerts of American music held at the Romanian Athenaeum, the Concert Hall of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, the Cotroceni and Sutu Palaces, the Law Faculty Rotunda, the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest, the Culture Palace in Arad, the State Philharmonic in Timisoara, and the Casino and ‘George Enescu’ memorial house in Sinaia under the Romanian-born American conductor Valentin Radu ;

Rehearsal schedule: Mondays between 18:30-21:00, Fridays between 18:30-21:00
Conductor: Voicu Popescu
Contact: Voicu Popescu -  voicu.popescu@choralsound.ro; Camelia Ducaru – camelia.ducaru@choralsound.ro