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Aquarius


Participated in Norwegian Championship for choirs October 12-14, 2017


We won Open Category!


AQUARIUS – running for concert


Everything is achievable – dreams are to be fulfilled….

Who are we?


Aquarius was founded on September 19th 2006 by Birgit Westgaard – our managing director, and Birgit Aune – our musical conductor.


Their goal was to gather creative, musically experienced and song-de-voted “girls” into

a vocal ensemble, emphasizing rhythmic choir music.

Today Aquarius counts 25 women from the city area of Askim – located in the south eastern part of Norway, one hour from Oslo.


None of us knew, in 2006, that Aquarius soon would perform for thousands of Queen fans in Europe performing Freddie Mercury’s  8 songs  Opus “Barcelona” and other Queen songs. 

Our visions for a female choir were only to create a new ensemble, different from traditional mixed choirs, going our own way, picking up various songs and arranged, based on popular rhythmic music.  Some of our songs are special arranged just for Aquarius from our rhythmic mentors in Denmark, Tea Thyrre Sørensen and Peter Bom.

Aquarius simple philosophy is this: Singing is pleasure and joy; after a rehearsal on a rainy Tuesday eve, the laughter and good mood is back!

This is the recipe for success!  Join a Choir!

Birgit Aune was our musical conductor until autumn 2015.

From august 2015 Andre’ Bongard has been our musical conductor.

From January 2023 Laura Buta is our new musical conductor.


 


Highlight 2007-2010 with soloist: Marius Holth, Oslo, Karin ten Cate a Dutch soprano.

                       

Aquarius perform concerts with Queen music,the Rock Opera / Opus “Barcelona” written by Freddie Mercury.

2007 – Opera festival in Oslo 

2008 – New Year's Eve performing "Barcelona" opus in Eidsberg


Aquarius is one of few amateur choirs doing this Queen show with full string orchestra, dancers, scenography and costumes, this show was a temporary climax, that led to performances later on in the Netherlands (Maassluis).during Queen day.. 


2009 – September Received local Culture Award, NOK 30.000,-.

2009 – December 5th "Barcelona" opus – concert/performance in Askim

2010 – January Queen Day concert in Maassluis, Netherland.

Even Adventures must come to an end; the following years the choir wanted to do something totally different. Singing a cappella rhythmic music, singing and perform on different sorts of stages and locations. The following period Aquarius performed both in churches and concert halls as well as in former factory buildings, tunnels and mines! The audience and the press / newspapers appreciated these concerts, this was something new and surprising, both the repertory, the difficulty of the songs and the sound of the choir learned from Marius Holth, and The Complete Vocal technique.


Highlights 2010 - 2017

2010 – "Gruvekonserter" (= concerts in mines), Askim

2011 – Songs from Askim,s local musical "Svidd gummi", concert in a former factory building

2012 – Concert “The stars we never forget” from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston

2013 – Concert in Askim Church, The Concert “The power of woman” during a local musical festival

2014 – Scandinavian Choral Festival in York/England (May 22th until May 25th)

2014 – Christmas concert in Askim, and concert in Aulaen in Fredrikstad with 7 other choirs

2015 -  ABBA concert together with students from Askim music, dancing and drama class.

2016 – Aquarius 10 years, the concert “The Circle of Life” August 14th

            Concert-place: Askim Frukt -og Bærpresseri.

2016 – September 3th. Aquraius perform concert in Southwark Cathedral London

2016 -  November 29th Christmas Concert at Moen School together with students

2017 -  October 13th, winner of NM for Choir in Trondheim, open class B             

2017 – December 10th, perform at Christmas Concert in Askim Church

2018 – October 27th, Aquarius is the organizer of ChoirCup Østfold and Akershus, 350-400 singers invited





   



Kontakt:


Leder: Birgit Westgård


Midtveien 4, 1813 Askim, Norway


E-post: Askim@aquariusvocal.com


www.aquariusvocal.com


Facebook: Aquarius-koret Askim


Mobil: +47 977 57 811