Exclusive: 5 Questions – The new festival director of the 2027 Chorbiennale introduces himself
- May 2
- 3 min read
- in conversation with Ursula Wiethoff-Hüning
Who is Leo Bögeholz Gründer?
First and foremost, I am a musician and com fraom a family of musicians in Aachen. I started by learning drums and piano, but I also sang in a choir from an early age, for example as a student at the Viktoriaschule. It was through this choir that I first came into contact with the Chorbiennale. Although I originally played mostly pop and jazz music, I gradually gravitated toward classical music. After fiishing highschool, I studied music (with a focus on drums) and history to become a teacher, and subsequently studied vocal pedagogy. I am currently pursuing a master's degree in classical voice in Düsseldorf. For me, this has been a decade of music studies!
How did you get into music management?
Already during my year of voluntary social service (FSJ) with the Association of German Music Schools in Bonn, I took on my first administrative tasks, provided organisational support for orchestras, and came into contact with event management as well as music and concert booking. Through the combination of making music, studying, and the need to work - and because I've remained very connected to the Aachen-Cologne-Bonn region, especially through the close-knit nature of Aachens's cultural scene - a mosaic of professional fields has emerged. This is what led me to music management.
What makes the Chorbiennale extraordinary to you?
Unlike other choral events in Germany, the Chorbiennale isn't a competition, which creates a very special atmosphere. On top of that, we invite top-tier ensembles while also having amateur choirs particiapte in the festival not in a hierarchical way, bus as equals, side by side and working together. I also think it's fantastic that the Chorbiennale brings together people of all ages. We have both children and 90-year-old participants. You could actually sum it up like this: it's a cross-section of the city's society - choir singing at every level and across different generations - and then, in addition to the choirs from the city and the region, we also have choirs from other countries. It's a diverse convergence of many facets during these 10 days of the festival. That's truly something very special!
What appeals to you about your new role as festival director?
Since I'm familiar with music events from both sides - as a participant, professional singer, and choir director, and in the last two editions of the Chorbiennale also at the organisational level (working alongside the previous festival director, Maximilian Stössel) - I'm well-acquainted with many prodedures, processes, and structures, so I also have an eye for the artists and understand their needs. As the festival director of a music festival like the Chorbiennale, I therefore don't just keep an eye on the numbers, but also on the musicians, although the artistic direction is the responsibility of the choir directors of the five Aachen initiative choirs, with whom I maintain good communication. It is generally an advantage that I, too, share this dedication to the arts and have a personal commitment to ensuring that this festival is a success. Added to this are the continuity and regional roots of the Aachen Chorbiennale in particular, wich appeal to me as festival director.
What focus would you like to place on the 2027 Chorbiennale?
First and foremost, as I just mentioned, the regional connection is important to me. We already have many formats, events, and participants. I want to carefully consider how much further this festival can grow or what new elements we should incorporate, given our financial constraints. It would be wonderful to involve the younger generation of singers - school choirs, but also university choirs - more in the overall festival, including through encounters with the guest choirs, in the spirit of intersecting worlds. In addition, singing together during the festival days is important to me; I hope that this, apart from the evening Chorbi-Lounge, becomes further institutionalized and that, overall, even more people feel inspired to sing along in community with others.
Dear Leo, thank you for this wonderful and informative converstation We are already looking forward to a new edition of the Chorbiennale next year under your festival directorship!
I'd also like to say thank you - of course for the conversation, but at this point also to my friend and predecessor, Maximilian Stössel. He was the one who originally approached me about working on the festival, and I had the privilege of successfully leading the last two festivals alongside him.
I, too, am now eagerly anticipating the 2027 Chorbiennale and am very excited!
