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The conductor Karl Schmelzer-Ziringer was born in Graz. His first
contact with choral music was during his participation in the children's
choir St. Veit (Graz) conducted by Luis Steiner. He attended the
music school of the diocese Graz (conducted by Anton Lippe, organ
by Franz Illenberger) and later the conservatories in Graz and Vienna
(conductor: Karl Ernst Hoffmann). Karl Schmelzer-Ziringer studied
a year at the university in Perugia (Italy) focusing on Renaissance
music. He later worked as a music teacher and still performs sacred
music.
Karl Schmelzer-Ziringer was awarded the "Pro Musica"
price by the Belgian minister of culture for his outstanding musical
and pedagogical success in the field of youth-choir-education in
Europe.
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The Kantorei Graz was founded by the choirmaster Karl Schmelzer-Ziringer
in 1973. All the members of the choir are amateurs.
The musical work focuses on a-capella-singing but the Styrian
choir also performs concerts together with orchestras during liturgically
important Christian festivities. The repertoire of the choir contains
for the most part sacred music of the 16th and 17th centuries (Renaissance) and also music
by contemporary composers.
The Kantorei Graz participated in various radio recordings in Italy,
Hungary, Belgium, Ireland, England, Spain, Poland and Austria.
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A main point of the musical work is the annual participation in a
Gregorian workshop for one week carried out under the direction
of DD Godehard Joppich (Germany). During the course the participants
acquire important historical knowledge, which enables them to understand
the roots of vocal music and its rhetorical expressiveness better.
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At the national choir competition "Bundesjugendsingen 2004", the
Kantorei Graz was the only Styrian choir being able to be awarded the attribute
"mit ausgezeichnetem Erfolg" (which is the highest award at this competition).
Taken from the live recording at the "Bundesjugendsingen 2004":
 Kantorei Graz "Ein Blümlein auserlesen"
Moreover, the Choir "Kantorei Graz" conducted by Karl Schmelzer-Ziringer
has successfully participated in several international competitions all
over Europe and won 7 first places, 1 second and 1 third place. At the
Limerick Church Music International Choral Festival in 2000 in Limerick
(Ireland), in which 36 choirs participated, the Kantorei Graz won one
first place and was awarded the price for the best overall choir because
it was given the maximum number of points.
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The Kantorei Graz and their choirmaster Karl Schmelzer-Ziringer
went to Ireland on March 22 2000 to participate in a
competition for sacred music in Limerick.
Choirs from various countries, altogether 2000 singers, participated
in six different categories during the 3-day competition at the
St. Mary's Church.
The Kantorei Graz succeeded in winning one of the coveted first
places and was further awarded the best overall choir, which was
given the maximum number of points. The Kantorei Graz was extolled
by the internationally renowned jury as a choir that has a high
art of singing and excellent ability of musical interpretation.
According to the jury, the musical interpretation of the text,
which forms the basis of the whole musical work, is of paramount
importance. The jury thinks that the choirmaster of the Kantorei
Graz was very successful in accomplishing this task. Further,
the intonation, the fascinating agogics as well as the musical
flow of the lines were excellently performed by the choir.
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(Article about the Limerick
Church Music International Choral Festival in 2000 in Limerick/Ireland, taken
from the magazine "Tenor")
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