Jury Commission

Associazione Corale Goriziana C.A. Seghizzi is pleased to introduce the Jury commission for the 59th International Choral Singing Competition.

Artistic director and president of the jury

Eugeniusz Kus

Born in 1940 in Gniezno, Poland, Eugeniusz Kus began his musical education at the Academy of Music at the University of Poznan. He continued his studies at the Academy of Music in Warsaw, the Königs Konservatorium de L’Aia in Rotterdam, and the University of Music in Vienna. In 1974, he was appointed director of the Cultural Center of the Stettino region. From 1992 to 2007, he also served as the director of the most important cultural center in Pomerania, located in the castle of the Princes of Pomerania in Stettino, managing international activities in art, culture, and music. This commitment lasted uninterrupted for 33 years at a high level.

He founded and led the University Choir of Stettino (1969-2005), which performed concerts in almost all European countries and twice in the USA. In 1984, he established the vocal-instrumental ensemble “Camerata Nova,” specializing in baroque music and compositions by contemporary composers. The ensemble has given numerous concerts in Europe, the USA, Brazil, and China, featuring works by Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Duruflé, Kodály. He has also conducted other professional orchestras with extensive repertoires from the 18th century to contemporary works.

Kus has been a jury member in many international music competitions in Italy, Germany, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, China. He is the founder and artistic director of the International Choir Festival in Stettino and the Music Festival in Kołobrzeg. Additionally, he serves as the music director of the International Organ and Chamber Music Festival in Kamien Pomorski.

He is a member of the National Council for Music in Poland and has been awarded the “Medal of Merit” by the Presidents of the Republic of Poland and the Federal Republic of Germany. Since 2010, he has been a professor at the Academy of Arts in Stettino, having previously taught at the Academy of Music in Poznan from 2003 to 2010.

In 2016, the Seghizzi Association decided to award the “12th International Seghizzi Prize” for a lifetime dedicated to music and choral direction to Eugeniusz Kus. This recognition not only acknowledges his indisputable artistic and professional merits but also commemorates his many years of collaboration with the International Chamber Singing Competition Seghizzi and the International Choral Singing Competition, where he served as president and jury member.

His decades-long positive relationship with the “Seghizzi” association, solid international experience, extensive artistic and musical expertise, significant proficiency in foreign languages, diverse roles held, constant willingness to collaborate, attention to the younger generation, and managerial skills in the cultural sector make him exceptionally well-suited to assume the delicate and decisive role of artistic director of the Seghizzi International Music Events. This appointment signifies continuity with the past and openness to all new musical and cultural challenges that the Seghizzi Association intends to address.

Bozidar Crnjanski

Bozidar Crnjanski completed his postgraduate studies in choral conducting under the guidance of Professor Tatjana Ostojic at the Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad. He participated in the international project Campus Cantat in Dortmund, Germany, and in 2005 attended various master classes during the Winter School in Dubrovnik with Professor Mats Nilsen (Royal Academy Stockholm, Sweden) and Director Gary Graden in Ljubljana.

In 2010, Crnjanski became the first and only director from Serbia to collaborate with Euro Choir (AGEC, Belgium), a vocal group comprised of young and talented singers from across Europe. He actively collaborates with the Chamber Choir of the Serbian National Theatre, the Mixed Choir of the Academy of Arts at the University of Novi Sad, and the male choir St. Seraphim of Sarov from Zrenjanin. Since 1997, he has organized numerous performances both domestically and internationally, including in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, France, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Austria, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Poland, Switzerland, Russia, and Australia (Sydney Opera House).

From 2002 to 2013, Crnjanski worked with the mixed choir of the cultural and artistic society “Svetozar Marković” in Novi Sad, achieving significant recognition and winning numerous international awards: Preveza 2004 (1st prize), Sofia 2004 (1st prize), Arezzo 2005 (1st prize), Masmechelen 2007 (3rd prize), Prijedor 2008 (1st prize), Niš (1st prize), Pardubice 2009 (two 1st prizes and finalist), Gorizia 2011 (1st prize), Torrevieja 2012 (1st prize). He participated in all major music festivals and national competitions, ensuring an active involvement of the choir.

In 2013, he founded and became the artistic director of the Novi Sad Chamber Choir. With this ensemble, he has won numerous awards and participated in various festivals, including the Internationaler Kammerchor Wettbewerb Marktoberdorf, Germany (2013); XVII Festival International de Chant Choral “Voix du Monde,” Nancy, France (2014); two gold medals in the category of mixed and youth choirs at the First International Choir Festival, Herceg Novi, Montenegro (2015); gold medal and second absolute prize at the 11th Internationaler Chorwettbewerb Miltenberg, Germany (2016); 63rd Festival Habaneras y Polifonia, Torrevieja, Spain (2017); 68th Festival Junger Künstler Bayreuth, Germany (2018); first prize in the category of mixed choirs at the 40th International May Music Competition prof. Georgi Dimitrov, Varna, Bulgaria (2019).

He was awarded as the best choir director at the First International Choral Singing Festival in Sofia in 2004, organized by the Bulgarian Choral Society, at the Festival of Music Societies of Vojvodina in 2009 and 2011, and at the 40th International May Music Competition prof. Georgi Dimitrov, Varna, Bulgaria (2019).

Bozidar Crnjanski is a professor of choral conducting at the Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad.

Maurizio Sacquegna

Born in 1984 in Verona, Maurizio Sacquegna is a Professor, Choir Director, and Ph.D. in Musicology. He teaches Music History and Theory, Analysis, and Composition at the Music High School of Scuola Campostrini in Verona. Besides, he serves as a faculty member in the Guido d’Arezzo School for Choir Conductors, the Italian Choral Academy, and has been a lecturer in Renaissance Music Paleography and Musical Rhetoric at the Piergiorgio Righele Academy for Choir Conductors.

A speaker at significant conferences and masterclasses on musicological disciplines and choral music interpretation, Sacquegna has presented at institutions like the Guido d’Arezzo Foundation, F.A. Bonporti Conservatory in Trento, E.F. Dall’Abaco Conservatory in Verona, ASAC Veneto, and USCI Brescia, among others. He has also served as a jury member in major national and international choral competitions in Italy, including the National Choral Competition Città di Vittorio Veneto, Polifonic Competition of Lake Maggiore, International Seghizzi Competition in Gorizia, and the National Trophy Choral Competitions of Italy in Ledro (TN) in 2019, the National Polyphonic Competition Guido d’Arezzo in 2021, and the 70th Edition of the Floralies – Assembly of Choirs in 2022.

Founder of the male and female sections of the Novecento Vocal Group in 2003 and 2005, respectively, Sacquegna has been their director since inception. He also directs the Coro Piccola Baita in San Bonifacio (VR), Corale San Giovanni Battista in Locara (VR), and Coro Alpino La Preara in Caprino Veronese (VR). From 2007 to 2015, he directed the Choir of Liceo A. M. Roveggio in Cologna Veneta, and since 2021, he is one of the directors of the Choir of Liceo Musicale Campostrini in Verona. Additionally, he has performed as a baritone in the professional vocal sextet EsaConsort and serves on the artistic commission of ASAC Veneto while being an artistic consultant for the province of Verona in the same association.

Leading the Novecento Vocal Group, Sacquegna has secured several awards and prizes in top national and international choral competitions in Italy, including the Grand Prix at the 12th National Polyphonic Competition of Lake Maggiore, first prize with the best director award at the 2nd National Competition for male choirs Luigi Pigarelli, first prize at the 7th National Competition Città di Fermo, 21st Gran Premio Efrem Casagrande at the 49th National Choral Competition Trofei Città di Vittorio Veneto, second prize at the 64th International Polyphonic Competition Guido d’Arezzo, second prize at the 9th Antonio Guanti Competition in Matera, second prize at the 32nd National Polyphonic Competition Guido d’Arezzo, first prize in the final category of Romantic Music and the title of finalist at the 57th International Choral Competition Seghizzi in Gorizia, Gold Ribbon and first category prize at the 25th International Choral Singing Competition in Verona, Excellence Ribbons at the 8th, 9th, and 10th Festival della Coralità Veneta, Gold Ribbon and special award for best conductor at the 31st and 32nd National Choral Competition Franchino Gaffurio in Quartiano.

In the field of musicology, Sacquegna actively contributes to scientific publications with significant essays, articles, and monographs released by the University of Padua, AERCO (Emilia Romagna Choirs), Erma di Bretschneider, Fondazione Campostrini di Verona. In 2020, he was honored with the 35th Brunacci Award for Venetian History in Monselice (PD) and received an acknowledgment in the 5th biennial Pierluigi Gaiatto Award promoted by the Ugo and Olga Levi Foundation in Venice. Both recognitions were attributed to his Ph.D. research thesis on policoral collections for G. M. Asola’s Vespers.

Alexei Shamritsky

Born in 1988, he graduated with honors from the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Kiev in 2011 and completed his postgraduate studies at the same Academy in 2014.

He was the winner of the First Prize at the V-All, a Ukrainian competition for choir conductors. Since 2010, he has been the artistic director of the Chamber Choir “Sophia.”

In 2014, the Chamber Choir “Sophia” won the First Prize at the XXXIII International Festival of Sacred Music “Hajnowka 2014” in Bialystok, Poland. In 2015, under the direction of Alexei Shamritskii, the choir toured various cities in Germany (Weimar, Erfurt) and Poland (Krakow, Luslavitsy, Warsaw, Bialystok).

The choir actively participates in organizing concerts in Kiev.

In 2016, the “Sophia” choir won the 27th edition of the International Choir Singing Competition Bela Bartok in Debrecen, Hungary, along with the Diploma for the Best Choir Director.

In August 2016, he was appointed the first conductor of the Academic Chamber Choir “Khreschatyk,” and in September, he also took on the role of the director of the national ensemble of classical music named after B. Liatoshynsky.

In May 2017, the choir was the winner of the competition in Limburg, Germany, securing the first prize in two categories and also receiving the Diploma for the Best Choir Director.

In July 2017, the “Sophia” choir won the Grand Prix at the 56th International Choral Singing Competition “Seghizzi” in Italy, also earning the Diploma for the Best Choir Director.

In November 2017, the choir participated in the International Choral Singing Competition in Toulouse, Spain.

In May 2018, the Chamber Choir “Sophia” won the First Prize at the XXXVII International Festival of Orthodox Sacred Music “Hajnowka-2018,” and in September 2018, they achieved the First Prize at the VIII International Choir Singing Competition Liviu Borlan in Baia-Mare, Romania.

Andrea Venturini

Born in Udine, after completing his scientific high school education and piano studies, he devoted three decades to choir conducting, leading various vocal ensembles in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Simultaneously, he began his career as a composer, studying and refining his skills, including mentorship from Franco Donatoni. He also studied Gregorian Chant under the guidance of Professor Nino Albarosa.

A significant portion of his output is dedicated to choral music, earning him awards and recognition in numerous national and international competitions. Among these, he won the IV International Choral Composition Trophy “C. A. Seghizzi” in 2007 and, in 2014, the first prize at the II International Composition Competition for a sacred music work “Francesco Siciliani,” promoted by the Fondazione Perugia Musica Classica Onlus and the Pontifical Council for Culture. In 2013, his composition “Deafening Silence” was selected as one of the fifteen finalists out of 637 works submitted to the Second International Competition for Choral Music, promoted by the International Federation For Choral Music (IFCM). In 2017, commissioned by Feniarco and in collaboration with Giovanni Bonato, he composed “Multi unum corpus sumus,” performed by a thousand choristers in the Basilica of S. Maria Novella in Florence as part of the “Officina Corale del Futuro” project and the “Festival di Primavera” in Montecatini Terme. Also in 2017, he was chosen by the International Federation for Choral Music to be one of the fifteen international composers commissioned to create a new work performed at the “11th World Symposium on Choral Music” in Barcelona, Spain.

His compositions have been performed by prestigious ensembles, including the Coro Giovanile Italiano, the Coro Giovanile Nazionale Francese (A Coeur Joie), the World Youth Choir, the St. Jacob’s Chamber Choir of Stockholm, The University of Pretoria Camerata, the Torino Vocalensemble, the Coro del Friuli Venezia Giulia, and the Coro Giovanile Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia. His works are published by Pizzicato, Feniarco, and USCI FVG.

Currently, he holds the position of Artistic Director of the Unione Società Corali Friulane and is a member of the Artistic Commission of the U.S.C.I. Friuli Venezia Giulia.