Songs Sacred and Secular from France and Around the World - Mulhouse Boys’ Choir

The Choeur de Garcons de Mulhouse (“CdGdM”) is an award-winning boys choir based in Mulhouse in the Alsace region of eastern France. The choir was founded in 1948 and is very much in the tradition of French boys choirs as portrayed in the 2004 film “Les Choristes”. The CdGdM has been directed by Jean-Michel Schmitt since 1981. It consists of 40 boys aged between 7 and 18 and five adult male voices (all of whom started as boys in the choir and some of whom are still singing over 40 years later!). The choir is usually accompanied on piano by its accompanist, Luc Marin. The ethos of the CdGdM is very much encapsulated in its motto “chanter en voyageant, voyager en chantant” (“to sing as we travel and to travel as we sing”). Every summer the choir sets off on tour on its “Tournee Musicale” and, in the last decade has made visits to China, Russia, Guadaloupe and the Czech Republic. The CdGdM has never yet visited Great Britain, but are very enthusiastic about the prospect of learning something of its rich singing and choral tradition (including a “behind the scenes” visit to the Choir at St Paul’s Cathedral in London). The choir is also looking forward to sharing their own music making as they go. The 2012 Tour is taking place from Friday 6 July to Monday 16 July.