ROVNOST 3.5. – Brno´s choir won in Belgium

BRNO, NEERPELT –Kantiléna, Brno´s children´s choir, won the first prize in its category at the Musical Festival of the Youth in Belgian Neerpelt, which has had more than fifty years of tradition. The competition was attended by the choirs of twenty two countries.
„We successfully defended the first place of the year 1984,“ the choir master and the new artistic master of the Kantilena, Jakub Klecker says happily. The first prize of Summa cum laude was decided by ninety eight votes of the members of the jury. According to the members of the jury, the obligatory composition by the Belgian lady composer Erika Budai was managed best of all by the Brno´s choir.
Kantilena´s competition programme was created by Czech and foreign Renaissance compositions. After the oldest Czech sacred song of Hospodine, pomiluj ny there sounded from the Brno´s mouths two Renaissance polyphonies, Zavírání lesa by Bohuslav Martinů and two movements from the Atomus servus pacis by Petr Řezníček.
In opinion of J. Klecker, the Festival was attended by four thousand competitors. „After the prize announcement we sang at the laureate concert together with other five best choirs,“ the choir master added. From Brno there came to compete thirty three singers, including J. Klecker and the choir mistress Zuzana Pirnerová.

MF Dnes 3.5. - Kantiléna trounced almost one hundred choirs in Belgium

Brno, Neerpelt – Jakub Klecker, the artistic master of the Brno´s choir could not wish a better present to celebrate fifty successful seasons. The day before yesterday thirty three choir members under his leadership became the stars of the European Musical Festival in Belgian Neerpelt. „It was wonderful and for many people it was an unambiguously well-earned victory,“ Jakub Klecker described the first moments after the announcement.
The choir competition, which is regularly altered with the instrumental exhibitions, is one of the most prestigious festivals and it was held already the 54th year this year. In 1974 Kantiléna triumphed in the festival, when it won the first prize Cum Laude (worthy of praise). Ten years later the choir again achieved the first place, this time, however, as the absolute winner in all categories.
Designation of Summa Cum Laude – worthy of the highest praise, was achieved by the choir this year especially thanks to faultless performance of the composition Atomus Servus Pacis by Petr Řezníček. „For me it is the highest privilege in the branch, which I have ever received and I am proud of the whole choir,“ Jakub Klecker told to MF DNES yesterday.

Continuation on p. C11

Kantiléna trounced almost one hundred choirs in Belgium
Continuation from p. C1

Preparation for the international choir competition has already started in January this year. The choir members attended the rehearsals regularly three times a week.
„In the course of preparation we also went to a training stay to the mountains, in case of illness the remedial training was performed apart from the days of regular rehearsals,“ Jakub Klecker described the past six months.
The competition performance itself had very strict rules. The choir had to sing one composition in unison so as it would be clear that it is rehearsed. There followed a selection of a composition by a contemporary author, the choir had to perform obligatorily as well as the piece by the lady composer Erika Budai, which sat in the jury. „Kantiléna did not go to the Festival as a choir of outsiders, in respect to past success it has been already making its mark into the jury´s awareness very well,“ Jiří Beneš, the Dramaturge of the Philharmonic Orchestra Brno, explained one of the reason of success.
In his opinion, the co-operation with Kantiléna is a joy, there has never happened that its members would not have been unprepared. „The choir masters maintain a discipline during the rehearsals, which decisively saves time and there does not come at useless time delays,“ J. Beneš appreciated and at the same time he added that children were reasonably ambitious and could defend successfully the title also in future years of the competition.
„We would like to try it, but definitely this yeare´s award is a great honour for us,“ J. Klecker added.
Recruitments into the choir are organized all the year round, you could inform on the Internet pages and arrange a meeting. More information on www.kantilena.cz

JANA ZÁHORKOVÁ

MF Dnes 2.5. - Kantiléna triumphed in Belgium

Brno, Neerpelt – the children´s choir the Brno´s Kantiléna became a consummate star of Belgian festival of children´s choirs in Neerpelt.
According to the information, which was brought by the Czech television, the children of the Brno´s Kantiléna reached to the absolute triumph across the categories. They unbeatably trounced ninety six children´s choirs all over the world.
The winners gained a favour of the jury especially by a faultless interpretation of the song of Atomus Servus Pacis.
„It is technically extreme demanding composition, within which there are contained as well as the nine-voices,“ Jakub Klecker, the artistic master of the Brno´s choir explained. Directly in the hall nearby the expert jury there sat Jiří František Potužník, the Brussels´ reporter of the Czech television. In the jury there attended also the author of one of the obligatory compositions.
„She was absolutely fascinated. She said that they sang it completely fantastically,“ the reporter of the Czech television described the atmosphere. Seventeen of ninety seven choirs, which participated in the competition in Neerpelt, were from the Czech Republic. In opinion of Mr. Potužník, the Czech choirs belong to the absolute top and they are very appreciated among the experts very much.
„To the question saying that if they did not mind if so small country has so many choirs in the competition, they replied that the participation of such choirs as the Brno´s Kantiléna, increases the level of the competition,“ Mr. Potužník interpreted the opinion of the expert jury.
This year the children´s choirs have already competed for fifty four times in Neerpelt. And for the first time Czech children enchanted the jury already in the second half of sixties, when they could take part in the competition in Neerpelt thanks to release of political conditions in Czechoslovakia.

Kantiléna celebrated its fiftieth birthday twice

Hardly ever the audience leave the Besední dům so elated and at the same time so deeply touched as on Sunday on 11th September after the concert of the choir of children and the youth - Kantiléna. Its members together with the founding and now leaving choir master Ivan Sedláček celebrated fifty years of its existence.
Due to interest of the former members and present fans the concert was realized twice: in the afternoon and evening terms, interconnected with refreshment and meeting of all the participants. The program brought a selection of the extensive repertoire from the Renaissance polyphony, traditionally appraised by the criticism, to compositions of 20th century, many times devoted to Kantiléna (Kaňák, Pololáník). Interprets gave as good as one gets to their excellent reputation, furthermore the euphoric enthusiasm of the audience made them favourable conditions – it aroused the expressiveness and freedom of performance.
Polyphony of 16th century (Palestrina, di Lasso, Handl-Gallus, de Victoria) gained a touching intensity, romantic Verdi a grandiose extent. In compositions of 20th century on the conductor´s post there already altered Ivan Sedláček with a new choir master, the former member of Kantiléna, talented Jakub Klecker and within a small entry as well as with the lady conductor of the preparatory section, Zuzana Pirnerová. They pleased with extracts from the interpretational already many times proved composition units – parts of Missa brevis by Zdeňek Pololáník with excellent organ accompaniment by Jakub Janšta, a movement of Atomus servus pacis by Petr Řezníček, Zaříkání by Ivan Hrušovský or Vynášení smrti from the cycle Špalíček by Bohuslav Martinů under piano accompaniment by Eva Podařilová. Choral level bore the stamp of victory at international competitions.

Alena Borková
Rovnost 13.09. 2005

Kantilena Welcomed Spring Season

On 16th April the Kantilena, a choir of children and youth people at the State Philharmonic Orchestra Brno, celebrated at the Brno´s Besední dům, full to bursting point, the definitive arrival of spring with a brilliantly performed cantata "Otvírání studánek" by Bohuslav Martinů.
The Kantilena´s founder and its long years choir master Ivan Sedláček, his successor Jakub Klecker and the whole choir won an applause. Around the hall there sounded the scene for the children´s choir and piano "Válka s mloky" by Arnošt Parsch, to celebrate the occasion of the seventieth birthday anniversary of the composer Zdeněk Pololáník the Kantilena ensemble presented his excellent "Misa Brevis" with organ accompaniment by Jakub Janšta. There did not miss the compositions by Jiří Mytys, another of the authors whose works are a continuing part of the repertoire especially of the preparatory section of the Kantilena choir.
Although the selective choir at its spring concert traditionally parts with the leaving members before the public, the performance of a new generation anticipates further worthy continuation of the Kantilena ensemble. This worldly renowned singing ensemble from whose members originated a series of personalities of Czech music particularly Magdalena Kožená is keeping its admirably top quality before its jubilee fiftieth season. "The importance of this work cannot be sufficiently awarded" was written about the work with children´s singers and a direct impact on their soul by the composer Petr Eben.

by Vít Lepil
Právo 20th April 2005

COMMENT

Voices with Youthful Grace Flattered the Ear

Onto this year´s manifold programme of the Easter Festival of Sacred Music the dramaturgy also put the Kantilena, a choir of children and the youth, under the baton of its founder Ivan Sedláček and his new co-operator Jakub Klecker.
The second Festival´s evening at the Cathedral in Petrov was a remarkable success: the choir has a professional standard and within these dimensions it performed on upper professional level. Especially in the first part of the concert, devoted to Renaissance polyphony, flattered to the ear with easily formed tones, from which the conductor´s baton (in this case being Ivan Sedláček´s one) shaped long, legato arched phrases. Mostly four voiced wholes usually developed from one voice - there originated almost a visual impression of bursting onto bloom, growing and spatial nature. We appreciated a sensitive approach to the intonation purity, balance and compactness of the individual voices, stylistic anchorage of compositions and to their expression in connection with the text (the Easter theme). The spacious acoustics of the Petrov´s Cathedral benefited the fragility of used "voice tones"; clothed it in a beautiful colour and veneer of ancientness. Incidentally Palestrina, Orlando di Lasso and other authors of 16th century counted with church music.
In the following part of the programme a talented Jakub Klecker, still studying at the Prague´s AMU, proved the ability of a sensitive conducting the choir. With comprehension and in co-operation with the organist Jakub Janšta performed Bach´s four voice hymn and especially the selection from Stabat Mater by Alessandro Scarlatti, the representative of the Naples´ Baroque School. In the solos there presented themselves a soprano Eva Dřízgová-Jirušová, already awarded twice with the Thalia Prize, a prospective Jana Štefáčková having a beautiful mezzo-soprano material. Both of them adapted their performance to the composition style and the chamber sound of small organs and grace of children´s and girls´ choir voices.
The ending belonged again to Ivan Sedláček who has conducted Misa Brevis by Zdeněk Pololáník, dedicated to Kantilena, for one hundred and second times. He distinguished in expression the separate smaller parts. The choir members sang them with enthusiasm and sense for the composition´s elastic rhythmic.

by Alena Borková
Rovnost ??th March 2005

COMMENT

At the choir concert there was fulfilled the composer´s wish

The visitors of the Janáček Festival, who, on Sunday, came to the Besední dům for the choir concert, were witnesses of a very quality performance. The first half of the programme made possible to look at that part of the Janaček´s works connected to his folklore approach. From his early works there were produced the one-voice Královničky in beautiful Kantiléna´s interpretation (nice legatos) and with sensitively performed piano accompaniment by Eva Podařilová, under the baton of Ivan Sedláček. A Janáček´s more pronounced composition showed the following technically very demanding Lidová nokturna of 1906 with cymbalon – stylized piano part and more divided vocal line with solos, polyphony etc. The interpretation dominant was excellently interpreted Říkadla of the already fully developed author. The conducting Jakub Klener added to them a witty tempo snappiness, the children from the Kantiléna and singers Tomáš Kořínek and Jiří Klecker put in some precise work supported by the philharmonic orchestra members and the already mentioned-above prefect pianist. Moreover there was implemented the Janáček´s long wish – to project the animated pictures by Josef Lada to particular counting-out rhymes.
The second half of the concert moved the expression into more serious position of sacred music in interpretation of the Pražský filharmonický sbor in co-operation and the solo participation of the organ player Aleš Bárta. The choir master Jaroslav Brych made use of a quality voice material of the body for fine expressively divided performance. For practical use destined compositions (Exaudi Deus, Veni sancte spiritus, Graduale etc.) connected stylized to common practice, the non-completed mass Eo…was shined with the composer´s secularity and elliptical style. Successfully there started Otčenáš the solo tenor, mixed choir, flute and organ (with starting intonation embarrassment). The organ player boasted with meditative Adagio and excellent Postludium from the Glagolská mass.

by Alena Borková
Rovnost 5th February 2004

Kantiléna is singing

Who said that in Brno there is a calm audience? He would be surprised at a concert of the Brno´s children choir Kantiléna, which took place on 15th April in the absolutely full (even the standing rooms!) in the Brno´s Besední dům concert hall. The concert with plenty of bunches of flowers reminded a flourist´s shop and by thunderous applause the ceremonial welcoming of an important government´s member) if people applaud the gvernment´s politicians so enthusiastically, from their very heart). For this time his beloved choir parted with its founder and choir master, Ivan Sedláček, who spent numerous hours in rehearsals, concerts, trips, recordings in various world´s studios and for which he took over a series of first prizes at international competitions, he was the choir master for the whole 46 years. Despite of his seventies celebrated this year, he is leaving, according to my opinion, prematurely, because he is maintaining the choir on the top level and at minimum for those four seasons, which remain to his fifty years of working in the choir, he could impart his experience to young singers. Such a body usually exists and finishes with its conductor – for we with great interest will follow how the Kantiléna´s activity will be developing.

At this extraordinary concert the choir presented itself in excellent form and with the cross-section of its traditional repertoire (Hans Leo Hassler, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Jacobus Handl-Gallus) His artistic connection to Brno documented by introducing the authors as Petr Řezníček, Ctirad Kohoutek, Zdeněk Pololáník and Jiří Matys. The young singers were always known to devote maximum attention also to Czech but particularly Moravian contemporary musical works. The evening came to a head by moving interpretation of Bohuslav Martnů´s cycle – Otvírání studánek, when the choir was joined with the soloists Richard Novák – singing, Jiří Dušek – recitation, Eva Podařilová – piano and the Brněnské smyčcové trio (Pavel Wallinger, Jan Vašta and Karel Plocek), in the composition by C. Kohoutek there also joined Martin Jakubíček – organ and František Vlk – percussion instruments. Ovation was so stormy that it appeared as neither Ivan Sedláček nor Kantiléna would not ever leave the concert platform – but in life it is said everything is only once, on the last...

by Věra Lejsková
"Hudební rozhledy" Prague, June 2002

SAVING THE ART

“Brundibár” in the Vienna´s Concert dome: Children´s opera by Hans Krása lived with charm of “Kantiléna” - children´s choir from Brno.
The opera stage direction could have refer to children´s naivety, which, however, in performance of fresh and at the same time the best rehearsed Brno´s choir “Kantiléna” under the conducting of Ivan Sedláček it was rising above any comments and shining: enjoy of play, correct type cast as well as proper portions of naughty charm especially the solos contributed to an entertaining evening. Krása´s intelligent, only seemingly simple music found in Martin Braun and his youthful orchestra of Vienna´s Conservatory as excellent interprets.

Die Presse, Vídeň, October 2001

SACRED MUSIC ON THE TOP LEVEL
The Church of St. Jacob Friedberg, 7th May 2001

Kantiléna – this word hides a Czech choir from Brno, which offering sacred music on top level. During the performance in the Municipal parish church of St. Jacob in Freidberg young girl-singes and boy-singers filled with enthusiasm with their nonets, choir singings and repertoire which dated from late Renaissance to contemporary composers.
...but in Freiberg the choir impressed with large dynamic range, which wonderfully and stereophonically excelled in the acoustic space of the Church of St. Jacob. The young artists have full, carrying voices and corresponding voice range.

by our contributor Uschi Öttl

RADIO VATICANA

We would like to express our thanks and admiration for your excellent concert you had performed on Sunday 4th March 2001 in Basilica Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome, and at the same time for your willingness to interviews and visit to our studio. Thanks to your visit we could our listeners to present such an excellent impression.

P. Josef Koláček, S.J.
The Manager of the Czech Section of the Radio Vaticana

The review by Lukáš Vasilko on the joint concert of the Královehradecký dětský sbor Jitro and the ensemble of the State Philharmonic Orchestra Brno, the children´s choir Kantiléna, can be found at the choral singing server:

www.sbor.cz

HRADEC KRÁLOVÉ - 7th February 2001

A superior concert with an excellent choir Kantiléna in Bülach

After an outstanding concert of the Hungarian choir “Cantemus” the lovers of demanding choral singing enjoyed another musical peak. By the invitation of the “St. Laurentius – Chors” under the leadership of Hana Seegenschmidt now there was a welcomed guest in Bülach, the 45 member choir Kantiléna. Already for the second time there was demonstrated this friendship connecting nations.
This time the charming singers in the age from 11 to 19 were accommodated with families. A very praiseworthy action of the event, the company Vetropack was providing the imposing foyer “Arena” and reception.

The programme emphasis: The sacred songs

In the programme there introduced the concert choir Kantiléna formed by 38 girls and 7 boys under the professional leadership of the choir master Ivan Sedláček. In total the choir of children and youth Kantiléna has more than 120 members and it is a part of the renowned State Philharmonic Orchestra Brno. The ensemble also co-operates with the National theatre.
At present time seven boys and three girls appear with the National Theatre ensemble in the performance of the opera Carmen by G. Bizet on forty-days tour around Japan.
The disciple of the choir is the star singer Magdalena Kožená.

The gentlemen and ladies singers of the Kantiléna choir from Brno and their choir master professor Ivan Sedláček were a great success at the concert in the Golden Hall of the Town Hall.

Enormous applause for the children´s choir

Only for one day small boy and girl singers arrived at Ausburg. By the invitation of the Choral and Musical School of Albert Greiner the Czech children´s choir gave a concert in the Golden Hall of the Town Hall and won a great applause. Under the leadership of the professor Ivan Sedláček the Brno´s artists sang the sacred music, apart from the others “CANTATE DOMINO” or “FAVATE LINGUIS SINGULI”.

AUGSBURGER ALLGEMEINE 29th Jun. 1999

Young crystal voices

The Czech choir Kantiléna showed us round through ten centuries of music in the shining concert of sacred music in the cathedral of St. Etienne.
Could you imagine better festival´s continuation than the one having been performed in their last night concert the Czech choir Kantiléna? Everybody in the Cathedral of St. Etienne that could have listened to their last concert and harmony of the choir with organ, praised this unique concert and considered it as gala dinner for ears and heart.

J.Mona
L´´Alsace Dimanche, 27th July 1999

Musical perfection

Forty angels with heavenly voices could have been enjoyed by those who were so lucky last night to participate in the municipal theatre at the unique concert of religious hymns by Palestrina, Di Lasso, Victoria, Bach, Mozart, Verdi and others which touched the perfection in performance and conducting.
The Kantiléna choir visited many countries of the world, where it presented itself, he attracted the hearts of all. We, who were present in the municipal theatre, stayed sitting as if being glued to our seats. In absolute silence the audience enjoyed the sound and picture being in harmonic perfection, pleasing never to end this performance. So much we were impressed by these children´s performance on the concert platform, we even felt that staying in different environment above the world, hearing harmonic angel´s voices we could not tire of listening them.

Macedonian newspapers Saturday, 27th October 1997

The Brno´s Kantiléna in America

In Washington´s Cathedral Shrine of Immaculate Conception we heard their beautiful singing accompanying the Catholic Easter mass in the crypt and after the mass in the main church of the Cathedral. Kantiléna performed a concert of sacred music including the works of such masters as Gallus, Lasso, Victoria, J.S. Bach. Their wonderfully pure voices filled the enormous hall and shined all the present who thanked and gave the choir enthusiastic applause. We could be really proud of our Czech choir.

Czechoslovak Society for Art and Science
May-June 1997, Issue No.3, page 22,23

A Beautiful Czech Choir

...Led by its choirmaster Ivan Sedláček, Kantiléna offers the audience the works of contemporary Czech composers Petr Eben, Petr Řezníček, and Zdeněk Pololáník, whose Missa Brevis was the highlight of the concert. It seems that the choir is in a state of exaltation during its performance. The quality of the voices is particularly seen in the pure pitch of the tones. There is impressive exactness in the beginning and ends of phrases, and Wagnerian massiveness on the forte without loss of tonal pleasantness and sensitivity...

Jean-Michel Schmitt
MULHOUSE, concert 28.10.1995

Brno Choir Kantiléna Celebrates Anniversary

Kantiléna, the children’s choir the Czech Symphony Orchestra of Brno, began its 40th jubilee season very impressively indeed, in the restored milieu of the Besední dům concert hall in Brno, performing afternoon and evening concerts on October 14th.
The repertoire of the jubilee concert consisted of the works of 16th century authors Giovanni P. da Palestrina, Orlando di Lasso, and Tomas Luis de Victoria. Works by Brno composers extraordinarily demanding for even the most sophisticated professional choirs – Atomus Servus Pacis by P. Řezníček, the Bells of Skalice by C. Kohoutek, and Missa Brevis by Z. Pololáník – were performed in a manner fulfilling the most demanding artistic criteria.

Věra Lejsková
SVOBODNÉ SLOVO
World of Culture, Oct. 17, 1995, 17.10.1995

Children sing like superstar

Constantly moderated fullness of voice, absolute presence, an equipoise of sound, and the awe-inspiring certainty and maturity, these characterize the perfect spiritual harmony and artistic quality of this vocal ensemble. Not often does one experience such a presentation, capable of transformations, and even the elevation of individual words. An expert ensemble, to be counted among the very best.

SCHWARZWALDER BOTE SCHWARZWALDER BOTE wendesday 16.8.1995

European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Special Euroradio Day, December 18, 1994

The Special Euroradio Day on December 18th, 1994 devoted to Christmas music, was extremely succesful. The concerts offered by your organization were of exceptional quality and they met with a wide unanimously positive appreciation of the audience.

I should like to thank you for contribution to this significant event.

Pierre-Yves Tribolet
Music programme
Programme department
Geneva

This choir has immense potential of expression and ranks, in my opinion, among the top children’s choirs. This was Kantiléna’s first visit to Japan, but it succeeded in demonstrating that the Czech Republic is a treasure-house of excellent composers and their works. I am sure it gained many fans.

EDUCATIONAL MUSIC Volume 35, no. 9, Sept. 1991
TOKYO – The Brno children’s choir KANTILÉNA a choir which
can be proud of the extent of its reperatoire

...Kantiléna demonstrated gentle beginnings and intertwining of voices, a rhythmic logic whose discipline was at times displaced by a musically palpable change of tempo, and a sense for work with musical themes and phrasing.
The entire concert of the choir, which was hidden away in the gallery of the cathedral, gave in places the impression of a perfect laboratory production, reminding me of the greenhouse atmosphere of a studio recording.

Olga Kittnarová
MUSICAL OUTLOOK
6/1991, page 262-263
A Prague Spring for Children

Let´s Create a Landscape of Singing

For listeners the concert meant two hours of real delight in music, how many hours of work of children and the conductor is behind that, is difficult to count. However, that is a contribution precious above others! In compositions with piano accompaniment the pianist Eva Podařilová was sensitively co-operating with the choir.

Věra Lejsková
Svobodné slovo 23.3.1991

...At the concert the choir Kantiléna offered a stunning display of extremely exciting modern Czech music. High spirits and precision marked their performance. An excellent interpretation sung in Hungarian was shown in Kodály’s composition „Esti dal“. An exquisite piano accompaniment by Eva Podařilová added to this great success as well as the suggestive personality of the choirmaster, Ivan Sedláček.

Kelet – Magyarország 22.6.1988

...The superlatives ascribed to the Choir Kantiléna’s performance, such as exquisite, magnificent – may seem exaggerated only to those who were not be able to come to the concert. Deep inside we could feel envy when comparing their results with our choirs. What we heard confirmed us that the conductor, Ivan Sedláček, is one of the most outstanding and honoured choirmasters in his country.

Opinion, Lérida 6.11.1987

...Kantiléna, the choir of Brno, was the most impressive among the choirs at the Days of Music in Leipzig. Under the direction of Ivan Sedláček our guests aroused a real enthusiasm in the audience for their excellent technique, clear sound and the power of expression shown in every composition they sang. The most effective work of the concert was „Zlatá brána“ (Golden Gate) by Petr Řezníček, the most interesting „Válka s mloky“ (War with Salamanders) by Arnošt Parsch, the most temperamental was „Vynášeí smrti“ (Farewell to Death) by Bohuslav Martinů.

Gewandhaus, Leipzig 8.5.1986

....Kantiléna under Ivan Sedláček’s dynamic direction was a real culmination of the International Festival. The prize awared by the jury was a just reward for an unusual performance of Admirault’s composition.

L´Eclair de Nantes, France 5.3.1985

....You would not believe Kantiléna is a children’s choir when listening to such complicated compositions sung with brilliant intonation purity and magnificent vocal technique. The wonderful first-class choir succeeded in winning the first prize.

Europees Muziekfestival voor de Jeugd Neerpelt 29.4.1984

....The two concerts of Brno’s Kantiléna became real events of the festival. It is a good thing Kantiléna again presented that singulas composition by E. Zámečník „Utvořme krajinu zpěvu“ (Let’s form a country of singing) as this work is considered a model piece in contemporary choral music. The highest claim for the precise technique (difficult even for adult choirs) go together with serious and urgent thoughts of the text. The children sing this repertoire composition with astonishing certainty and keen understanding.

Štafeta (The Relay), Olomouc 4/1983

...Kantiléna did an admirable job. The jury did not need much time to decide that singers of Maestro Sedláček should be awared the first prize. The precision was remarkable, the voices clear and supple with perfect intonation, which one could only envy.

Giornale La Nazione, Florence 10.5.1982