International Choral Competition Ave Verum
Jury information 2026
ICC Ave Verum 2026 jury members
Germany, 1st prize winner of numerous international choir competitions, (e.g. BBC "let the peoples sing", Arezzo, Tours, Llangollen, Kleipeda, Vienna, Trelew, Riva del Garda, German Choir Competition) Literature Commission and Juror of the German Choir Competition and the FDC (Professional Association of Choral Conductors) Member of the WorldChoirCouncil Editor of the successful choral series "Reine Männersache" at Peters and numerous other publications Internationally sought-after workshop leader, juror and guest conductor in Austria, Japan, Netherlands, USA, Italy, Poland, Argentina, Sweden etc. Artistic Director of the State Youth Choir of Hessen from 2008 to 2023 Artistic Director of the HARMONIE FESTIVAL in Lindenholzhausen, one of the largest choral festivals in Europe.
Ireland, Dr Bernie Sherlock is a leading choral conductor. She founded internationally-acclaimed New Dublin Voices in 2005, is Artistic Director of the Irish Youth Choirs, was co-conductor of EuroChoir 2021 and is a guest conductor with Chamber Choir Ireland. She has won prizes for her conducting in Finland, Hungary, Belgium, Italy, Slovenia and Ireland. Her work as an adjudicator at international conducting and choral competitions and as a director of choral workshops has taken her around Europe and to the US, Canada and China. Bernie is a Lecturer in Music at the TU Dublin Conservatoire and is an Artistic Director of the Dublin Choral Masterclasses, founded in 2024.
Belgium, Johannes is a passionate choral conductor, musician, and educator. He received his professional training at various conservatories in Flanders, earning two master’s degrees in Choral Conducting and Music Theory, and a bachelor’s degree in Performance (trumpet/cornet). He teaches at the GO! Arts Academy in Ghent (choir, choral conducting, and musical cultural education), the Stedelijk Conservatorium of Bruges (choral conducting), and the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, KASK (choir and choral conducting). From 2013 to 2021, he taught at Artevelde University of Applied Sciences and lectured at the University of Eastern Finland. Johannes refined his conducting skills under notable mentors such as Luc Anthonis, Geert Hendrix, Dirk Brossé, and Aarne Saluveer, Brady Allred, amongst others. As a conductor, coach, and répétiteur, he has worked with esteemed choirs and ensembles. He serves as a choral coach and jury member for festivals, competitions, and conservatories, including the European Choir Games INTERKULTUR, EMJ Neerpelt and International Choir Festival Flanders. He currently leads the internationally acclaimed Amaranthe and Saevus ensembles. Since 2020, he has also directed the Brussels Young Adults Choir (BYAC) and is a guest conductor for the Ghent Singers. He was invited to work with the Flemish Radio Choir. Johannes has conducted concerts both in Belgium and abroad, including in Spain, Italy, and Finland. In 2021, he conducted at the World Choir Games opening ceremony and has been awarded multiple conductor’s prizes, including the Conductor’s Prize at Musica Eterna in Rome (2017) and Best Conductor prize at CantaRode in Kerkrade (2019).
Ukraine, Oksana Sukhetska received her higher and post-graduate education as a choral conductor at the Odesa National A. V. Nezhdanova Academy of Music. For the past 11 years, she has been a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Arts at the Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, where she taught choral conducting, vocal art and leading the student female choir. For 8 years, Oksana led an amateur mixed youth chamber choir - winner of international competitions. She is a member of the jury of all-Ukrainian competitions and international choral and art competitions in Ukraine, Georgia, Italy. And in 2022, she headed the jury in Spain. Oksana Sukhetska is a public figure. She is a founding member of the World Choral Conducting Network, the head of the "Public organization “Youth Choral Association” and also a member of the “Public organization “Ukrainian choir association”. She is currently working as a mentor to choral conductors and a vocal coach. In addition to Ukrainians, she also taught students from Norway, Spain, Serbia and China.
Austria / Colombia, Artistic Director of the: Neuer Madrigalchor Vienna (since 2009) Choir of the Vienna University of Economics - wu chor wien - (since 2010) L’Orfeo Viennese Orchestra (since 2014) Youth Choir of the Volksoper Vienna (since 2024) Co-Artistic Director and member of the jury of the International Franz-Schubert Choir Competition & Festival in Vienna. Regional Choir Director of the ChorForum Wien - Association for viennese choirs. Musical Arranger for theatre productions in Austria. Lecturer in choral and orchestral conducting in Europe and South America. Guest orchestra conductor in Austria, Slovakia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Colombia, Mexico and Brazil.
Norway, Marit Tøndel Bodsberg is one of Norway’s leading conductors. She teaches conducting at the Norwegian Academy of Music and is Chief Conductor for Kilden Vokalensemble (KVE) in Kristiansand. She is also the conductor and musical director for Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening (KSS) and Den norske Studentersangforening (DnS), both leading academic choirs at the University of Oslo. Marit has worked with several of Norway’s most prominent choirs and orchestras. With her energetic personality and musical dedication, she is not only an acclaimed conductor but also an inspiring and popular teacher and speaker, being frequently invited to sit on panels or asked to adjudicate. She has received several prestigious honors and awards in international choir competitions, and in addition to nine first prizes, Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening was ranked number one in INTERKULTUR’s world ranking of competing female choirs from 2015-2020. Marit has also received several awards for conducting, both in Europe and in Norway.