**The New Amsterdam Children's Choir: the price-winning children's choir of the Netherlands!

English version below**

 
Deze zomer won het Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor een ZILVEREN MEDAILLE op het '9th Cantemus Festival and Competition' in Nyíregyháza, Hongarije. We waren de enige Nederlandse vertegenwoordiger in deze internationale competitie van topniveau.  Het Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor kwam met dit fantastische nieuws in het Jeugdjournaal! Bekijk de projectupdates om door te klikken naar de uitzending.

Het koor verzorgde bovendien verschillende concerten als gastkoor in het festivalprogramma. Ook gaven we een prachtige en inspirerende voorstelling nabij de Hongaarse hoofdstad, in de historische plaats Zsámbék.

Eén van de bijzondere reacties uit ons publieksboek, van de kleindochter van de grote (koor)componist L. Bardos: ,Congratulations- I can't tell you how much I loved your concert! My grandfather was here in the church in Zsambek, I'm sure. He was so happy his tears were falling down. I felt like I was in paradise. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Julia Bardos'.

En het commentaar van Stephen Connolly, jurylid van de Cantemus competitie, wereldberoemd zanger en ex-bas van 'The King's Singers': 'I was thrilled to hear your vibrant, delicate and thoughtful interpretations in Hungary. Keep up the good work; I look forward to hearing you sing again soon!!'

Het Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor heeft deze zomer flink geïnvesteerd uit zijn reserves  om de reis naar Hongarije mogelijk te maken. Die investering was meer dan de moeite waard: onze deelname aan het Cantemus Festival en de competitie waren een waanzinnige ervaring voor onze kinderen, en bovendien was de reis van onschatbare waarde voor de kinderkoorzang in Nederland. 

De dirigenten, pianist en begeleiders van het Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor die bij dit project betrokken zijn geweest dragen financieel bij door (een heleboel!) gratis gewerkte uren aan te bieden. De ouders van onze koorleden hebben de deelnamekosten aan het festival betaald. De Kattendijke Drucker Stichting, het Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds (Anjeractie) en de Nederlandse Ambassade in Hongarije helpen ook. Meer dan de helft van onze begroting is op die manier al gedekt; de rest hebben wij, zoals gezegd, uit onze reserves 'voorgeschoten'.  

Want: als wij de financiering niet rond krijgen, gaat dit ten koste van onze jaarlijkse drukbezochte kerstconcerten... en kunnen alle kinderen die ook het topniveau van onze school ambiëren, en in de toekomst ook naar Hongarije zouden willen reizen als zij ver genoeg zijn, in December 2012 voor het eerst in de geschiedenis van het Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor wellicht niet op het podium staan.

Met uw bijdrage helpt u alle 200 leerlingen van het NAK, ook de kinderen uit onze opleidingsklassen, het podium op in December 2012, en ondersteunt u een in Nederland unieke opleiding in klassieke kinderkoorzang!

Het Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor is een klassieke zangopleiding voor kinderen met specialisatie opera. Alle kinderen vanaf vier jaar zijn welkom bij ons en niemand hoeft auditie te doen. De opleiding is ook de kweekvijver voor ons Selectiekoor, één van de beste kinderkoren in Nederland. Het Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor zong al voor de Koningin, werd ingehuurd door het Muziektheater in Amsterdam, en won verschillende internationale prijzen. Kwaliteit deelt in onze school de eerste plaats met.... plezier!    

Wij weten zeker dat er een enorm draagvlak is voor ons werk, dat toont de explosieve groei van onze school in de laatste jaren al aan. Wilt u meer over ons weten? Wees dan welkom op www.nieuwamsterdamskinderkoor.nl, volg ons op facebook en bekijk onze YouTube streaming (NieuwAmstKinderkoor)!   

NB Met donerende bedrijven nemen wij, naast de hierboven genoemde tegenprestaties,  graag contact op over een eventuele co-advertising en co-marketing actie! Let u ook op de fiscale voordelen die een bijdrage aan ons project via voordekunst u oplevert: zie http://www.voordekunst.nl/anbi.

English Version

This Summer, the  New Amsterdam Children's Choir won SILVER at the '9th International Cantemus Festival and Competition' in Nyíregyháza, Hungary. We were the only Dutch participant in this international competition of the highest level. The Jeugdjournaal, Holland's special news service for children, broadcast a newsitem on the national television about this fantastic news! Please link to the video through the 'project updates' tab.

The choir also sang several  times as a guest choir in the festival program, and on top of that gave an inspiring and vibrant performance near the Hungarian Capital, in the historical village of Zsámbék. 

One of the special comments from our audience book, from the granddaughter of the important (choir)composer L. Bardos: ,Congratulations- I can't tell you how much I loved your concert! My grandfather was here in the church in Zsambek, I'm sure. He was so happy his tears were falling down. I felt like I was in paradise. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Julia Bardos'.

And the feedback of  Stephen Connolly, committee member of the Cantemus Competition and world-renowned singer and ex-bass of  'The King's Singers': 'I was thrilled to hear your vibrant, delicate and thoughtful interpretations in Hungary. Keep up the good work; I look forward to hearing you sing again soon!!'

The New Amsterdam Children's Choir has made a substantial financial contribution from its own reserves in order to realize the trip to Hungary. Obviously, the investment has been more than worth it: not only was the participation in the Cantemus festival a fabulous experience for the children, but the results and experience which we've returned home with have a priceless value for the classical children's choir world in Holland. 

The conductors, pianist and assistants that have been involved in the Hungary project have offered to work a lot of hours for free. Our choir members‘ parents covered the participation fees for the Festival, and we have received contributions from the Dutch Kattendijke Drucker Foundation, the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds ('Anjeractie') and the Dutch Embassy in Hungary.  More than half of the total expenses for the project are already covered in this way, and we have 'anticipated' the rest, as mentioned above. 

However, if we cannot cover 100% of the expenses, this will mean that we are not able to realize our very popular (usually sold-out) yearly Christmas Concerts... All children of our institution that strive to the top level of our school, and who, in the future, desire to travel to Hungary or a similar competition themselves as soon as they've reached the necessary level, might not be able to go on stage in December 2012 for the first time in the history of the New Amsterdam Children's Choir. 

With your donation, you will get all 200 students of the NAK, also the students from our training program, on stage in December 2012, and you will support an education in classical singing that is unique in Holland!

The New Amsterdam Children’s Choir offers a classical voice education to children from Amsterdam and the surrounding area. There is no need to audition: all children aged four and onwards, regardless of their previous musical education, can apply. Talented and advanced students, after having completed several levels of training, can audition for the 'Selectiekoor' (Elite Choir), which studies and sings at the highest level. This choir is one of the best classical children‘s choirs in The Netherlands.

Some highlights from our curriculum: the NAK was on stage in the Amsterdam Muziektheater, sang in the Queen’s Day concert at Noordeinde Palace and won several international prizes. Fun and excellence are both our top priority! We can proudly say that the demand for our educational program is high: the almost 'explosive' growth of the school serves as proof of that.

_Curious? Please drop by at www.nieuwamsterdamskinderkoor.nl, follow us on facebook and watch our YouTube stream (NieuwAmstKinderkoor)!

Donations_
25 euro = You will receive a Hungarian souvenir via regular mail, with a special card containing a personal message written by one of the choir members!

50 euro = You will receive a Hungarian souvenir with a special card and personal message from one of the choir members, plus a dvd featuring a highlights-compilation of our trip and of the participation in the Cantemus competition!

150 euro = You will get the souvenir, the card, the dvd, plus a free ticket for one of our Christmas concerts 2012!

300 euro = In October 2012, you'll receive a special phonecall...: the Elite Choir will call you and sing one of the pieces of the competition program especially for you! In case we reach your answering machine, you will find your sung gift among your messages! You will also receive two free tickets for one of our Christmas concerts 2012!

500 euro = In the 2012-2013 season, one of our teachers will give you three free solfeggio and vocal technique lessons of one hour each! Materials, including our own solfeggio method 'Nachtegaal' (Nightingale) and of course the indispensable tuning fork, you can of course take home with you at the end. On top of that, you will be given two free tickets, 'for the best seats in the house', at your choice of our 2012 Christmas concerts.

1000 euro = The Elite Choir will bring you very special Christmas Wishes during the Christmas Period of 2012: two heart-warming Christmas songs! Venue to be arranged, for example: your Amsterdam living-room with fantastic acoustics, your company cantine, where we'll perform for your employees, the Amsterdam Conservatoire... Venue, date and time will be determined according to your personal wishes. On top of that, you will be given two free tickets for the best seats at three of our Christmas or Summer concerts in the 2012-2013 season (six tickets in total).

3000 euro = We offer a 'Diner Chantant' with the New Amsterdam Elite Choir! The choir is happy to pesonally thank you during this dinner, and you will be provided not only with a high quality meal, but also with high quality singing, while you enjoy a fine glass of wine! On top of that, you will be given two free tickets for the best seats at all of our Christmas and Summer concerts in the 2012-2013 season (most probably there will be four concerts in this season, so eight tickets in total).

NB Donating companies are offered, on top of the above gifts, special offers in co-advertising and co-marketing!

Don’t have a Dutch Bank Account? Donations can easily be made using a credit card or by bank tranfer.

Credit card:

1. Go to http://www.voordekunst.nl/vdk/project/view/527-het-nieuw-amsterdams-kinderkoor-het-prijswinnende-kinderkoor-van-nederland

2. Click 'Steun dit project / minimaal 10 euro'

3. On the following page, insert these details in the left column:
the amount you'd like to give ('Wat is je bijdrage'); please note that all amounts from 10 euros onwards are accepted optional: the reason for your donation ('Wat is je motivatie om dit project te steunen') the gift you want to receive, by checking one of the boxes your email address and click 'volgende stap'

4. On the following page, just insert your credit card details (card number - name - expiry date - security code) and click 'betalen'. Done!

bank transfer:

Please send an email to [email protected], and you will be provided with the international bank details of voordekunst within 24 hours.