“I love to hear a choir. I love the humanity, to see the faces of real people devoting themselves to a piece of music. I like the teamwork. It makes me feel optimistic about the human race when I see them cooperating like that.”
— Paul McCartney
Choral music is the music written specifically for a choir or chorus to perform. The term choir was applied originally to groups affiliated with a church, while the term chorus was reserved for groups that performed in theaters or concert halls, but these days this distinction is far from rigid. The origins of choral music are found in Ancient Greece, as well as in contemporary European musical cultures. Today, diverse repertoires of choral music and a number of professional choirs can be found all around the world.
In Bulgaria, choral singing has long been popular, and the high standards attained by the country’s many choirs have been recognized throughout the world. Indeed, the country is known as the “Kingdom of Choruses.” Min-On initiated the Choral Music Series in 1970 with a Japan tour by the Men’s Chamber Choir of Bulgarian Radio and Television. Since then, Min-On has invited four more internationally acclaimed choral groups from Bulgaria, including the Tolbuhin Children’s Choir in 1975, the Svetoslav Obretenov Bulgarian A Capella Choir in 1977, the Madrigal Choir of Sofia in 1983, and the Philip Koutev Choir of Bulgaria in 2007. The Choral Music Series has to date featured more than 20 of the finest choirs from all around the world for a total of more than 600 concerts of world choral music, inspiring audiences throughout Japan. The most recent in the series was the performance by the Young People’s Chorus of New York City from the United States, winner of the World Choir Olympics in both 2009 and 2010.
The Childern’s Choir of Czechoslovakian Philharmony in 1976 
Bulgaria A Capella Choir from Bulgaria in 1977 
The Tapiola Children’s Choir from Finland 
The Royal Swedish Men’s Choir (Orphei Drängar) in 1984 
Estonian Girl’s Choir Ellerhein from Estoni 
Riga Chamber Choir “Ave Sol” from Latvia in 2004 
Carmina Slovenica Women’s Choir from Slovenia in 2008| 1970 | The Men’s Chamber Choir of Bulgarian Radio and Television from Bulgaria |
|---|---|
| 1970 | Southern California Youth Choral Group from the United States of America |
| 1972 | The Men’s Chamber Choir of Bulgarian Radio and Television from Bulgaria |
| 1973 | Mozart Sängerknaben from Austria |
| 1973 | Kölner Manner-Gesang-Verein from Germany |
| 1975 | The Tolbuhin Children’s Choir from Bulgaria |
| 1976 | The Childern’s Choir of Czechoslovakian Philharmony |
| 1977 | Bulgaria A Capella Choir from Bulgaria |
| 1977 | The Tapiola Children’s Choir from Finland |
| 1980 | Venezuelan Choir from Venezuela |
| 1981 | Knabenchor Hannover from Germany |
| 1983 | The “Madrigal” Choir of Sofia from Bulgaria |
| 1984 | The Royal Swedish Men’s Choir (Orphei Drängar) from Sweden |
| 1991 | The Children’s Choir of Romanian Radio and Television from Romania |
| 1993 | The Harvard Glee Club from the United States of America |
| 1995 | The Efroni Choir of Israel |
| 1996 | The St. Bavo Boy’s Choir of the Netherlands |
| 1997 | The Drakensberg Boy’s Choir of South Africa |
| 1998 | Philharmonischer Kinderchor Dresden of Germany |
| 1999 | Wolfratshausen Childern’s Choir of Germany |
| 1999 | La Cigale de Lyon of France |
| 2000 | Estonian Girl’s Choir “Ellerhein” from Estonia |
| 2001 | The Drakensberg Boy’s Choir of South Africa |
| 2002 | The Drakensberg Boy’s Choir of South Africa |
| 2003 | Romeo and Juliet Choir from Sweden |
| 2004 | Riga Chamber Choir “Ave Sol” from Latvia |
| 2006 | The Efroni Choir of Israel |
| 2007 | The Philip Koutev Choir of Bulgaria |
| 2008 | Carmina Slovenica Women’s Choir from Slovenia |
| 2008 | The Russian Sveshnikov Concert Children’s Choir of Kolomna from Russia |
| 2009 | The Red Star Chorus of China |
| 2009 | The Young People’s Chorus of New York City from the United States of America |
| 2009 | The Young People’s Chorus of New York City from the United States of America |
