EVTA	ICVT

European Voice Teachers Association

EVTA is an umbrella organization. Its members are the national associations of voice teachers of European countries exclusively. The member associations of the EVTA unite professors and assistant professors of voice from colleges of music, as well as voice teachers from music academies, conservatories and schools of music, and private voice teachers.

 The association pursues exclusively charitable and non-profit aims. The purpose of the organization is to promote the cultural, educational and scientific aspects

• of vocal pedagogy regardless of style,

• of continuing and further education of voice teachers, laymen and professional singers, as well as pupils and students of voice,

• of the general interest in the singing,

• of the promotion of talented young singers,

• voice research in Europe and particularly in its member countries.

• of communication between its members and between the EVTA and related disciplines worldwide.

In addition to promoting vocal pedagogy the association especially pursues aims of national and international exchange, interdisciplinary cooperation and the general promotion of the song as well as the promotion of the young singers of the member associations. This is achieved through exchange at congresses, special conferences, courses and international projects as well as through publications, documentation, concerts, exhibitions and research on a European and international level.

EVTA  was originally founded in Amsterdam in January 1989 and dissolved in Hanover on October 3rd, 2004 in order to enable a restructuring process. The organisation was newly formed in Hanover on October 3rd, 2004 and is registered in Germany. The founding organizations in Hanover were:

- Association Française des Professeurs de Chant, AFPC, France

- Association des Professeurs de Chants de Suisse, EVTA.CH, Switzerland

- Association of Teachers of Singing, AOTOS, Great Britain

- Bundesverband Deutscher Gesangspädagogen, BDG, Germany

- Genootschap Van Zangleraren in Nederland – DATS, Netherlands

- Laulupedagogit ry,  FINATS, Finland

- Svenka Sang, och Talpedagogförbundet, VOTS, Sweden

- Norwegian Voice Teachers Association, NFPC, Norway

- Associazione Insegnanti dei Canto Italiana, AICI, Italy

- Bund Österreichischer Gesangspädagogen - BÖG, Austria

- Polskie Stowarzyszenie Pedagogów Spiewu, PSPS, Poland

EVTA was recognized as a registered charitable organization in Germany on the 23rd of December 2004. Membership in a national organization automatically grants individuals the privilege of taking part in all EVTA activities. The EVTA Council consists of representatives of each of the member associations and meets every year. The elected members of the Executive Committee run the association. At present they are: President: Prof. Norma Enns, (BDG) vice-president: Dr. Scott Swope, (BDG) secretary: Georges Regner, (EVTA.CH) treasurer: Bjørgulv Borgundvaag (NSPF/BDG), Members-at-large: Jacques Schwarz (AFPC), Maria Czekowska-Królicka (PSPS) and Prof. Helga Mayer-Wagner (BÖG)

EVTA participates in the global activities of the International Congress of Voice Teachers.  Based in the United States of America, the international organisation promotes international exchange by holding a congress every four years. The next congress will be held in Paris in 2009 and will be hosted by the AFPC and EVTA.

International Congress of Voice Teachers

1.  The ICVT is a loose organisation of international voice teachers’ associations founded by NATS and is registered in the USA. Members of EVTA are also automatically members of the ICVT. The ICVT has an initial registration fee of US$10. No further membership fees are required.  The agreement states, that any deficit incurred by a national association organizing the international congress be divided among the member countries, based proportionally on the number of members in each country. To date this has never been necessary.  The international Congress is the sole activity of ICVT.  Due to contacts made through the ICVT though, there has been a positive increase in the exchange of ideas and dialogue between the members.  The language of business within the ICVT is English.

2.  The international congress has become a central place for international exchange and interaction with colleagues from all around the world. The next congress ICVT 7 will take place in Paris, France in July 2009. Each member organisation is asked to send two representatives to the international congress, where a meeting of the ICVT Council will also take place.