Why is the choir named Istanbul ‘European’ Choir? What does it mean?
When do the IEC concerts take place?
How can I follow your concerts?
What kind of music does IEC perform?
How much do your tickets cost?
Where do your concerts take place?
Did IEC ever make an album? Can we find your CD’s at music stores?
Who’s your conductor?
Who accompanies you at your concerts?
Do we need to have a conservatory degree to be a member of IEC?
Then how can I join?
How are the auditions realized? Do we need any preparations in advance?
How often do you have rehearsals and on which days?
Where do the rehearsals take place?
Is IEC the choir of German High School?
How is IEC managed?
Since the choir is multinational, how do the people communicate?
Does the choir have an income?
How much is the subscription fee?
Who are your sponsors?
What do you do to find sponsors?
Who is responsible with the finances in the choir?
How is the social medium in the choir?

Why is the choir named Istanbul ‘European’ Choir? What does it mean?
Our choir was established by a group of German musicians under the name of ‘Deutscher Singkreis’ (German Vocal Association). In the later years the choir got its current name with the joining of other European friends who lived in Istanbul. In time, the choir attracted the attention of Turks and singers from different countries outside Europe too; and grew each year. Today IEC consists of over 100 members who come from different countries and live in Istanbul. It’s the first and only big choir with multinational structure.

When do the IEC concerts take place?
IEC rehearsals are held in two seasons each year: Fall (September to December) and spring (January to May). We have our traditional concerts at the end of each season. Apart from these, we have sponsored special concerts at various dates.

How can I follow your concerts?
You can read news about our concerts in different newspapers and news portals on the net. However we recommend you to follow our website if you wish to be informed regularly.

What kind of music does IEC perform?
The main purpose of the foundation of Istanbul European Choir was to endear choral music and popularize great choral works. For this purpose, the repertoire often consisted of classical works. In recent years we have begun to diversify our repertoire with examples of works by popular foreign and Turkish composers. We add new works to our repertoire each year and share them with our audience. And also we aim to add a new color to Istanbul's art life by choosing works that have never been performed in Turkey before. You can find the main works that Istanbul European Choir has performed since 1991 on the Repertoire page.

How much do your tickets cost?
Our traditional concerts take place at churches and with free entrance. The ticket prices for special concerts depend on the venue and the purpose of the concert. For example, at the concerts we had at AKM with IDSO, the usual ticket prices of IDSO were valid.

Where do your concerts take place?
Our choir has at least two church concerts each season. These concerts are usually held at St. Esprit Cathedral in Harbiye and the Church of the Assumption in Moda. IEC has had concerts at many different venues apart from these: AKM, the German Evangelical church, the auditorium of Mimar Sinan University, the auditorium of Istanbul Technical University, Bosphorus University Albert Long Hall, The Military Museum in Harbiye, Governor Erol Çakir Teachers’ Club, the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Beyoglu, Afife Jale Theater in Ortaköy, St. Antoine Church in Beyoglu, Armenian Church in Ortaköy, Feshane building in Haliç and St. Irene Church.

Did IEC ever make an album? Can we find your CD’s at music stores?
We have professional audio and video recordings only at our concerts. Right now we can share these only with IEC members. We plan to produce a DVD out of the recordings of the AKM concert in October 2004.

Who’s your conductor?
The Istanbul European Choir had many conductors from different countries: Sylvenne Maire (France), Stephen Lomas (UK), Florian Mair (Austria), John Taylor (UK). Our current conductor is Ms. Gökçen Koray, who also conducts Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Choir, TRT (National TV and Radio) Youth Choir and Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra Children's Choir. For more info about Gökçen Koray please click here.

Who accompanies you at your concerts?
Usually our pianist and accompanist Serguei Gavrilov plays with us during our concerts. Depending on the nature of the work we are performing, opera soloists also accompany us. Also, when we need an orchestra accompaniment, we work together with orchestras from Turkey or abroad. Some of the orchestras we had concerts together are as follows: Lyon Orchestra from France, Toonkunst Orchestra from Netherlands and Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra.

Do we need to have a conservatory degree to be a member of IEC?
No. If you enjoy choral music, if you have an adult voice, if you believe you have got a ‘music ear’ and a feeling of rhythm, and if you can read music, you can join us too. Because IEC is a choir that runs on an ‘amateur spirit’ and believes that “everybody can sing”. In our choir, 100 amateur singers from every profession, different nationalities, languages and religions make music together.

Then how can I join?
The only thing you have to do is to attend the auditions in September or January. The auditions are done right after the rehearsals. Come and watch one of our rehearsals and then attend the auditions.

How are the auditions realized? Do we need any preparations in advance?
The auditions are held by our choirmaster and music working group together. You don’t need to do any preparations in advance. We only consider your ear and voice capacity during the audition.

How often do you have rehearsals and on which days?
Apart from the special conditions, the rehearsals are held only once each week; on Tuesdays starting by 7 pm and ending at 9.30 pm.; and also we have one ‘long rehearsal’ on one Saturday of each month. If our choir master or pianist has other performances, the Tuesday rehearsal might be postponed to another day of the week. Also, the weeks right before our concerts, we might schedule extra rehearsals depending on the need of the choir. The rehearsal dates are announced to the members verbally during the rehearsals and by e-mail. The dates also can be followed from the calendar on the left hand side of our website.

Where do the rehearsals take place?
At the Aula Hall of German High School, in Tunel area. The address is: German High School, Sahkulu Bostani Sok. No. 20, Beyoglu, Istanbul.

Is IEC the choir of German High School?
No. The founders of IEC were a group of German teachers who lived in Istanbul. From then on, German High School not only provided a perfect working space for our choir, but also supported us continuously about other needs for the rehearsals (pianos etc). However IEC is an independent choir who is not attached to any other corporation.

How is IEC managed?
We have a committee that is consisted of people who are responsible from each different function. The committee is elected from our friends who are willing to contribute and take responsibility once in two years. We also have an elected choir president in this committee. Under the committee we have working groups. People in this structure cooperate and take all the responsibility from the publishing of music scores to concert organizations. They also take initiatives and make decisions to keep the workflow fast and uninterrupted. The members are free to ask for any information from the committee.

Since the choir is multinational, how do the people communicate?
The official communication is done in two languages: Turkish and English. But also there’s a majority of choir members who speak German and French. Those who don’t feel comfortable communicating in Turkish or English can ask for support from the friends who speak one of these languages.

Does the choir have an income?
Since IEC doesn’t have a legal identity, we can’t sell tickets. The resources of the choir come from sponsorship fees and donations. And also members pay a subscription fee to contribute to the expenses.

How much is the subscription fee?
The fee is announced at the beginning of each season. For the 2004 fall season, we ask for 80 million TL from our members, which means, 160 million TL for the year. This amount might be paid in 40 million TL installments, too. The cost of basic materials is included in this fee: Music scores, working CD’s, ties and scarves we use for concerts, etc. However the costs of concert recording CD’s are not included. The subscription fee will be organized again on the increase of our sponsorship income.

Who are your sponsors?
Till now, many foreign companies, cultural attaché offices, and also European Union Commission Turkey Desk sponsored our choir.

What do you do to find sponsors?
One of the committee members is responsible for coordinating the sponsorship relations. And all the choir members are authorized to find sponsors. We have sponsorship files in 4 languages and interactive CD’s. Those who want to contact sponsors can take a copy of these and go on with their applications. The received proposals are considered by the committee and decisions are made about whether to be in the proposed organization or not.

Who is responsible with the finances in the choir?
We have a treasurer in the IEC committee who manages the financial resources of the choir.

How is the social medium in the choir?
IEC is a big choir. Our number can increase up to 120 people from time to time. While most of the members have continuous attendance, sometimes we have members who need to stop for a while (e.g. our European friends who leave Turkey for some time and then come back and start living in Istanbul again). Since there’s a democratic medium in our choir, everybody is free to bring up their points of view. The fact that our members come from many different nations, religions, and language, race and profession groups is the basic factor that builds the cultural prosperity of our choir. That’s why we can say that we have a very colorful and warm social medium.

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