When and how did you first encounter Pueri Cantores?
I encountered Pueri Cantores on a visit to the Cathedral Choir School in Cologne. A very good friend of mine, AnnaMaria Hedin, wanted to start a similar school in Stockholm and Ansgarwerk invited us to a study visit. On Saturday, there was a Pueri Cantores Day in the Kardinal-Höffner-House, and we were FASCINATED by what we saw and thought: This is exactly what the catholic children in Sweden need. So, when we came back, I googled Pueri Cantores, found the address of the international president and asked him what we needed to do to become members.
You are originally from Austria and now reside in Sweden. How do the choral cultures differ?
The choral cultures differ in many ways. I think that the Swedish language is very healthy for the voices. There are usually no problems with the closing of the vocal cords. In Austria and even Germany I see many children with a very “airy” sound in their voice. In Sweden the sound is mostly clearer, tighter. Sweden is a very good choir country, there are MANY choirs and very good choir leaders, due to the teachings of Eric Ericsson, who fostered a whole generation of excellent choir leaders.
What makes Pueri Cantores special to you, and why is this association necessary in the world?
The Pueri Cantores are like a big family. There is love, help, caring for each other, community, joy, playfulness and at the same time a serious effort for high quality singing, a living relationship with God and participation in the liturgy. This makes them very special for me, as it corresponds with the way I want to live myself!
What is your vision for the FIPC in the coming years?
I would love to encourage the choir leaders to help their choirs to grow in faith, hope and charity, which are the pillars of the cristian life. They profess their faith by their singing, which is deeply rooted in Catholic spirituality. With their inspiring enthusiasm, they can invite people of all nations and faiths to stand up for humanity and peace across the globe. Caring for and listening to each other, learning from each other and working towards common goals, and reaching out to other people with the fruits of this work, touching them, the choirs of Pueri Cantores make an important contribution to a more mindful and respectful coexistence among the people of our world. I want to work for and inspire all to go towards those goals.
Which traditional song/choral piece from both countries would you recommend?
As we are close to Christmas, I would recommend for Sweden “Jul, jul, strålande jul”, which was in the last Rome congress book. And for Austria I would recommend “Stille Nacht” in the version of Robert Michaels, very close to the original version, which was in the Pueri Cantores Choir book for the congress in Rome 2015/16. Pueri Cantores in Lugano taught us to do this during the midnight mass on Christmas eve, singing it after communion, with a candle procession to the crib in our cathedral. Mass ends with our Cardinal putting the child Jesus in the crib, and we await him there with lit candles. The assembly loves that!
