22 - 25 October 2026
Norway
Ragnar Rasmussen is a choral conductor, university professor and composer, based at NTNU Music in Trondheim, Norway. He is currently the conductor/artistic director the professional ensemble Nidaros Vokal (N), and the international Utopia & Reality Chamber Choir (EU).
He is former conductor of Norway’s National Youth Choir and the World Youth Choir, Vokal Nord, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra Chamber Choir and Kilden Vocal Ensemble in Kristiansand, and in 2007/08 he was visiting professor at the University of Ljubljana.
He regularly gives lectures at music academies, seminars for choirs and choral conductors, judges choir- and choir conductor competitions, as well as guest conducting professional choirs.
He has worked with ensembles such as the BBC Singers, State Choir Latvija, Estonian National Male Choir, Turkish State Choir, The Slovene Philharmonic Orchestra and choir, The RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra (UK), Concerto Farinelli (Germany), Arctic Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra and many more.
The last couple of seasons has brought him from Svalbard (NOR) in the north to Jakarta (IND) in the south, via i.a. Istabul/Ankara (Turkey), Poznan/Bielsko-Biala (Poland), Preveza (Greece), Barcelona (Spain), Derry (Northern Ireland), Arezzo/Siena/Piuro (Italy), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Varna (Bulgaria), Beijing/Hong Kong/Schenzen/Xi’an (China), Copenhagen (Denmark), London (UK), Marktoberdorf (Germany) and many beautiful concert venues around Norway.
Slovenia
Urša Lah studied choral conducting at the Ljubljana Music Academy (Slovenia) and at the University of Tromsø (Norway).
With Mixed Youth Choir Veter, APZ Tone Tomšič University of Ljubljana and the National Radio Chamber Choir, she has been involved in many première performances, and won many first prizes, golden plaques, special prizes and conducting awards at national and prestigious international choral competitions, including the final for the Grand Prix of Europe (Debrecen, 2008).
In recognition of her valuable work with choirs, Urša received the highest award of the Municipality of Ljubljana for cultural achievement in 2008, and in 2009 the award of Public Fund of the Republic of Slovenia for Cultural Activities.
Since autumn 2009 Urša Lah lives in Norway. During the years 2010 – 2017 she taught choral conducting and ensemble leading at the UiT The Arctic University of Norway, she was the artistic leader and conductor of Finnmark Operakor, the artistic leader and conductor of the University Choir Mimas and Music Conservatory Vokalensemble. She also worked as a choirmaster for Artic Philharmonic Orchestra and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra. After her moving to Trondheim, she held a position of Associate Professor of Ensemble leading at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.
Currently she conducts the Choir of Trondheim Symphony Orchestra & Opera, TSO children choir and works as a choir master for Trondheim Symphony Orchestra & Opera.
She is a lecturer in educational seminars for choral conductors, mentor in international conducting masterclasses, a frequent member of adjudicating panels at international choral and conducting competitions, a guest conductor of professional choirs and recognised ensembles and conductor/artistic leader of the international Utopia & Reality Chamber Choir.
United Kingdom
Alexander L’Estrange (b.1974) is an award-winning British composer, arranger, jazz musician, and choral animateur celebrated for his vibrant fusion of the English choral tradition with jazz. Dubbed “the added 9th of choral music,” he brings a fresh, genre-blending approach to choral composition. A graduate of Oxford University, L’Estrange is best known for his acclaimed series of 40-minute choral works for SATB choir, unison children’s voices, and jazz quintet, beginning with the international hit Zimbe! Come, sing the songs of Africa!—performed for its 10th anniversary at Carnegie Hall. Since then, literally tens of thousands of primary-aged children have sung in performances of his works, a legacy that reflects his deep commitment to music education and young voices. His latest pieces—Freedom! The Power of Song and Wellspring! The Way of Water (2025)—were co-written with his wife, composer and lyricist Joanna Forbes L’Estrange. L’Estrange’s sacred anthems feature on Tenebrae’s On Eagles’ Wings, while his secular settings include Love’s Philosophy and Winter Songs. A prolific arranger for groups like The King’s Singers, he has contributed extensively to Faber Music’s Choral Basics series.
Finland
Mia Makaroff (b.1970) is a composer, arranger, music teacher and a choir conductor. In 2003, she graduated from the Sibelius Academy as a Master of Music in Music Education studies. Her thesis was about creating a music teaching pedagogy using the therapeutical sides of music especially aimed at preventing youth drug addiction.
Mia Makaroff’s work includes teaching music to school children and young people, composing, creating and conducting different music projects. Song-writing projects for young people are a speciality of hers: altogether six school musicals have been written and performed by her pupils. Finnish folklore and poetry are great sources of inspiration in her composing work.
Many well-known song groups and choirs have brought Mia Makaroff’s music to a wider audience, such as Rajaton, King’s Singers, Amarcord and others. In 2006 she was asked to participate in an international Song Bridge-choir project as a composer. She has been teaching in mastercourses about composing for children’s choirs, in Neerpelt Belgium 2008, Aosta Italy 2010 and St Petersburg Russia 2014-2019. She has also worked as a juror and a lecturer in choir competitions and festivals, for example in The Interkultur World Choral Games in Cincinnati 2012. Theatre music is one big interest of hers: 2012 was the premier of her first musical for children and adults called Kruunulapset, “Crown Children”. She was a grounding member of a national network of non-auditioned and inclusive children and youth choirs under the name of MunKuoro (munkuoro.fi) or MinKör (minkör.fi). She is currently working as a project manager for the national Kaikki laulaa – Alla sjunger project, which aims to promote and increase singing in Finland.
Ireland
Dervilla Conlon is a choral music specialist with significant experience of performing, conducting and directing.
Currently a Choral Conducting Tutor on the Diploma in Church Music, St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth, Dervilla also serves as an Assistant Conductor of the Maynooth University Choral Society. She directs both the Cathedral Choristers and the recently established Cathedral Girls’ Choir at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar. Dervilla is the founder and director of the female ensemble, the Lynn Singers, national and international competition winners.
An alumnus of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Dervilla was a veteran member of Ireland’s professional choral ensemble, Chamber Choir Ireland. Working in a variety of educational activities, Dervilla’s focus is on nurturing young musicians and on developing choral excellence. She conducts, directs, adjudicates and collaborates with artists and ensembles across the island and beyond.
