b vocal
Postyr
Stouxingers – the a cappella groove
Vocal Six
b vocal, Spain:
The group b vocal has been working for the last fifteen years in a surprising and innovative style: using just their voices, these five Aragonese musicians are able to recreate the soundscape of any musical piece (drums, guitars, brass, rhythm, etc.). With their entertaining shows, they have managed to popularize a cappella as a musical style in Spain through a perfect combination of songs and humour and a repertory of high quality music from both national and international sources.
Over the course of their career, they have often appeared on Spanish television and they have also been interviewed on the major Spanish radio stations while their music has received good reviews from the national and international media.
In 2005, the group celebrated 1000 concerts and their tenth anniversary. In October of the same year, they played in one of the most multitudinous musical shows in their career: in Zaragoza they performed before 100,000 people as the support act for rock legend Bonnie Tyler.
b vocal has played the most important stages in Spain. The group has also performed in some of the most prestigious national festivals, including the Luna Lunera Festival and the Road to Santiago Festival.
In July 2006, b vocal received the Jury Grand Prize and Audience Award at the International Vokal.Total Festival in Graz (Austria), one of the most prestigious international vocal competitions. Thanks to this success, the group was invited to participate in the International Festival for vocal groups in Taiwan, during which b vocal offered several concerts in October 2007. During this same tour, they played various concerts in Japan. Following the success of this first tour of Asia, they returned in 2008 visiting the four largest cities in Taiwan.
On 24 March 2006, the group performed for Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain.
In 2007, they presented ¡Comicapela! - their new show - with which they toured Theatres and Auditoria throughout the country. This culminated with the show having a month-long run on the stages of the prestigious Fine Arts Theatre in Madrid.
In 2008 they performed two large-scale concerts at the International Exposition in Zaragoza.
In 2009, they released their latest album Vocalitessen.
They regularly perform in non-profit concerts.
In March 2010, they received one of the most important international recognitions of their career: Jury and Audience Awards at the prestigious Harmony Sweepstakes Festival in New York. Later, in May, they would go on to win the Audience Award once more and place third in the Jury Award in the same festival in San Francisco. They are the most decorated group in the 2010 edition of a competition considered to be the most important in the world for a cappella music.
In June 2010, they were chosen as Aragon people of the year in Culture, a prize which is given in recognition of the artistic and professional merits of the group's 15 year-long career.
In July 2010, they performed four times in the Spanish Pavilion at the Shanghai Universal Exposition.
In September 2010, they once more toured Asia, giving concerts across 20 days in China, Taiwan and Japan. In addition, they gave a concert in Tokyo Cathedral, performing a repertoire of Spanish Renaissance music especially for this occasion.
They have released four albums: Rebisiones (2000), Seis voces... ¿nada más? (2004), Entre Abades y Juglares (2006) and Vocalitessen (2009), as well as two DVDs: Cinco voces son risas (2006) and ¡Comicapela! (2008). For the first time - and in addition to their impressive cover versions - they included a number of self-penned creations (also performed a cappella) on Vocalitessen.
For the group, the pedagogical work that they have undertaken over the years is very important. More than one million children and youngsters from all over Spain have had the chance to enjoy their didactic concerts.
On the back of fifteen years of hits, b vocal has become one of the most versatile and original Spanish music groups - as well as one of the main reference points for a cappella music worldwide.
Postyr, Denmark
We welcome you to the quirky world of the electronic vocalgroup, Postyr. The group, which consists of 5 singers, 1 laptop, 1 tambourin and an old sofa, has an ambition of turning the a cappella genre upside down with catchy electronic popsongs arranged for voices and laptop.
Postyr is inspired by the honesty and fragility of american singer-songwriters, the energy from triphop and electronica and the evocative soundscapes of avantgarde pop and electronic music.
Postyr was founded in October 2009 and consists of Tine Fris, Line Groth, Andreas Bech, Anders Hornshøj and Kristoffer Fynbo Thorning.
The members of Postyr all work as professional singers and they have performed with international artists such as Bobby McFerrin, The Real Group and Maybebop and Danish artists such as Mads Langer, Julie Maria, tv2 and Etta Cameron. The Postyr singers are all permanent members of either Vocal Line or Vox 11.
Although Denmark is one of the smallest countries in the world, some people think of Denmark and especially Aarhus as the European centre of contemporary vocal music. Some of the world's most respected and succesful rhythmic choirs are Danish, and Scandinavia's largest festival of contemporary vocal music, AAVF, takes place in Aarhus.
The world famous XL-vocal group, Vocal Line has as their proclaimed goal to act as a front-runner of the development of rhythmic choir singing. This is the foundation from which the new electronic vocal group, Postyr, arise.
Postyr was founded due to a deep desire to renew the a cappella genre by creating new music written especially for this ensemble type and new arrangement techniques that make use of electronic equipment such as loop stations, kaoss pads, laptops and a new kind of software developed exclusively for Postyr.
Postyr was formed as a group in October 2009. The group initially consisted of Tine Fris, Line Groth, Andreas Bech, Kristoffer Fynbo Thorning and Christian Steen Noringriis.
For the first couple of months Postyr spent most of their time in the "a cappella lap" trying to figure out what styles and genres fit them the best. Just before Christmas, Christian announced that he wanted to spend more time on his piano studies at the Royal Academy of Music, and therefore had to leave the group. At the beginning of the new year the rest of Postyr searched for a new singer and the choice fell on barytone, Morten Vinther. Shortly after Morten's arrival, Postyr headed for the Corono Studio to record their first three songs. In the studio the Postyr sound began to take shape and after the recording sessions the group was finally ready to enter the stage for the first time.
Postyr released their first EP in June, 2010. Shortly thereafter the group won the 1st price at the competition of the SoleVoci A Cappella festival in Varese, Nortern Italy. And after returning to Denmark they appeared on Danish Television for the first time. This was a very happy and eventful time for Postyr, but at the same time it marked yet another turningpoint in the short life of the group. Morten Vinther had been asked to join the world famous vocal group, The Real Group, and had to move to Sweden in the fall, 2010. Postyr was both happy and proud on Mortens behalf, but also worried about which consequences it would have for Postyr. Fortunately, the group was introduced to barytone, Anders Hornshøj. Anders studies singing and conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in Aalborg, Denmark and sings in the awardwinning Danish vocal group, Vox11. Anders joined Postyr in the beginning of August 2010. In the fall of 2010 Postyr started the preparations for the recording of their debutalbum, which came this year under titul Postyr Project.
References:
"Let me say it right away - this mixed Danish group is sensational!
In terms of technique; intonation, time, blend, etcetera, they already possess everything you could ask for. (…) On top of their technical abilities, they feature very expressive soloists, innovative arrangements and a playful and relaxed attitude on stage. (…)
I believe they can make significant contributions in the future - they are already doing so!"
Peder Karlsson, The Real Group
"Finally something new on the vocal scene!"
Jens Johansen, Vocal Line
"I sleep better at night, knowing that you guys are in the world doing what you do."
Dr. Kirby Shaw
Stouxingers – the a cappella groove, Germany
One woman, five men, and a sound versatile enough to put an orchestra to shame.
Creating more than just their own mix of Pop, Jazz and R&B, these voice experts represent extraordinary vocal performance. Keen to experiment - whispering, clicking of tongues, wheezing, tweeting is part of their music as well - sometimes you might even think that you're listening to a didgeridoo. The Stouxingers have thrilled audiences for years with both their own compositions and adapted material, winning fans at concerts and a cappella festivals throughout Europe and Asia.
Each voice complementing the other, the group is even up to trading excellent solos, all the while displaying their character charm and wit. With these things and more, the group ranks among the top a cappella ensembles from Germany, having enchanted juries of such international competitions as "Vokal Total" in Graz (AT), winning two "Ward Swingle Awards“ and three "Golden Diplomas" (Jazz, Pop, and Open Category) as well as the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA), the so-called Grammy of the a cappella scene...
"Six Voices", a song from the Stouxingers current album "Nothing is Real", was the CARA winner of "Best Jazz Song of the Year", 2008. The album itself was selected as the second best Jazz album of the year worldwide. It's the first time a German vocal group has been so honoured.
2009 has also seen the group enter into new territory with their recording of the soundtrack for the film "Mensch Kotschie", coming to German cinemas.
An A cappella symphony is also in the Works, as well as a jazz version of Handel´s Messiah in collaboration with the Klazz Brothers.
Vocal Six, Sweden
Imagine four tenors, a baritone and a bass singer firing off some good and well-known songs. Very skillful, very captivating and very energetic.
Vocal Six is a cappella at its best.
Vocal Six is a Swedish male a cappella group founded in 1988 in Helsingborg in southern Sweden.
Their repertoire is a mix of different styles, but best described as pop, rock and jazz with precision and humour.
The show contains not only music but also a great deal of dialogue full of humour, which makes for an easy atmosphere. It makes you want to join in and sing along!
Whether it’s a small event or a large concert, the goal is to create a unique moment with the audience. Vocal Six really knows how to custom make a show with a twist.
Vocal Six has entertained for over 20 years. Around a thousand performances in Sweden and inter nationally. Numerable radio and TV shows, five CDs and a live DVD.
In 2005 the group won The Ward Swingle Award – a grand prize in the a cappella world, and an acknowledgement for hard work on a high level.
Selection of international performances in recent years: International Male Choir Festival, Cornwall (UK), Vocal Six 20th Anniversary National Tour (Sweden), Taiwan Tour, Las Vegas (USA), Voice Mania, Vienna (Austria), Estonia Tour, Nordkor (Norway), Theater, Lievekamp (Holland), Wasa (Finland), Rassegna Corale Int. Mondovì (Italy), Festival International de choeurs D’Hommes (Switzerland)
Besides doing concerts and event entertainment, both in Sweden and abroad, Vocal Six also gives workshops for choirs.
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