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Caloroso

Vocal Ensemble Caloroso

In September 2002 Inge Sykora asked her singing students to sing together, thereby forming the Waelrant Vocal Ensemble. Only one year later, the ensemble won a first prize at the European Music Festival for Young People at Neerpelt (Belgium). During October 2004 the Waelrant Vocal Ensemble became the Caloroso Vocal ensemble.

In May 2008 Vocal Ensemble Caloroso won a first prize cum laude at the 56st edition of the European Music Festival for Young People at Neerpelt. In November 2008 the 24 girls of Caloroso made it to the final of the prestigious competition Choir of the year 2008 (the Belgian edition).

Since January 2009 Inge Sykora has built up a younger ensemble, which despite their youth, won first prize cum laude at the Korenfestival Vlaanderen (Choir festival of Flanders) in 2009.

In march 2010 Caloroso moved into the superior category at the Provinciaal Koortoernooi (Provincial Choir Tournament). In May 2010 The Caloroso Vocal Ensemble together with The Caloroso Ladies’ Vocal Ensemble recorded a CD entitled “This We Know” led by Kurt Bikkembergs. This CD holds a collection of exclusively Flemish contemporary composers.

In August 2010 the girls of Caloroso took part in the “Heart of Europe” International Choir Competition at Gelnhausen in Germany. The ensemble’s enthusiasm was rewarded with a silver diploma and 21 out of 25 points.

On the first of May 2011 Caloroso took part in the Korenfetival (Choir Festival) for the second time but this time in category A, obtaining a first prize.

In 2012 the Caloroso Vocal Ensemble celebrated their 10 year anniversary! The Flemish composers Maarten Van Ingelgem and Karel Van Marcke composed their ‘Bestiarium’, a cycle for equal voices and a piano quintet composed using lyrics by Leonardo da Vinci, especially for this occasion.

Inge Sykora

Inge Sykora (°1975) is the founder and conductor of all of the Caloroso choirs.

Inge learned to play the guitar as a child. At the age of 14 she developed a preference for singing and choir music.
From 1994 to 2002 she taught singing at the J.M.A. Waelrant. Vocal Ensemble Waelrant originated out of this class, it later became the Caloroso Vocal Ensemble.

She graduated in 2002 as a teacher of Dutch, history and religion after which she taught for a few years. In 2007 she graduated cum laude as a teaching and performing musician. Her main subject was singing, at the Fontys Conservatory at Tilburg in The Netherlands. During July 2009 and July 2010 she attended a course in choir conducting at the International Bach days in Bruges, where she was taught by a.o. Ludo Claessens. In 2015 Inge graduated magna cum laude a Master’s degree in choir conducting with Luc Anthonis at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp.

Today Inge Sykora teaches classical singing at the municipal Music academy Brasschaat, Antwerp and also conducts the children’s and youth choir of the academy.

Inge is the proud mother of Hannelore and Marjolien.