The Swiss Choral Federation renews itself

After 2 years of the pandemic and events held in writing or online or on a small scale, the Central Board of the Church Choral Federation was able to invite delegates to the Assembly of Delegates in Brugg on April 22, 2023. The items on the agenda were certainly important, as the focus was on a not insignificant revision of the statutes, which is intended to make the SKGB fit for the coming years, in which there will also be changes for the SKGB due to current developments. Even if much remains as it is - and as is good, singing remains at the heart of the association - there are still some adjustments that should make the association more open to future steps. 60 participants from all over German-speaking Switzerland accepted the invitation and were able to experience a wonderful afternoon in the parish hall and town church in Brugg. The program included the business part of the meeting, encounters, discussions and singing together.

Minutes (summarized) of the ordinary general meeting or new general meeting:

Under the leadership of acting Vice President Iris Klöti-Wülser, 11 agenda items were discussed. Actuary Dietrich Jäger-Metzger took the minutes. The detailed minutes can be found on the SKGB website
(www.kirchengesangsbund.ch). 

Only the resolutions are reproduced here.

• The minutes of the written AV 2021 are approved. 
• The Chairman's biennial report is approved and thanked. 
• The 2021 and 2022 annual accounts are approved and discharge is granted to the Treasurer and the Board of Directors. 

The largest item on the agenda is the discussion and entry into force of the SKGB Articles of Association, which have been amended in key points. The Articles of Association will be streamlined overall and adapted to current developments. The most important changes at a glance: 

• The Appeals Commission is abolished. 
• The audit is replaced by the financial audit. 
• Individual members and honorary members have voting rights. 
• Delegates' meetings are replaced by annual members' meetings. 
• The Board of Directors is now called the "Executive Board". 
• The office is no longer mentioned in the Articles of Association. 
• Iris Klöti-Wülser is elected as the new President and Bettina Fierz Salzmann is elected as a new member of the Board of Directors. Martina Bissegger, Peter Hartmann and Edy Weber are elected to the Audit Committee. 
• The 2023-2024 activity program is presented and approved. 
• Annedore Neufeld and Albert Hartkamp, who have both retired from the ZV since the last AV, are awarded honorary membership.

In November 2022, we were able to celebrate the 125 + 1  anniversary in the Grossmünster and in the Kulturhaus Helferei Zurich. Board member Rev. Dietrich Jäger-Metzger also commemorated Kurt Marti's 100th birthday in his address and with the texts during the festive service. These were Kurt Marti's words at the beginning: 

the end of the story
the friends said:
sing us a song - a new song - a spiritual song
and i sang - a new song
but see: the song - that i sang
was the end - of the spiritual song

The poet himself once wrote: "Behind the formulation of this poem lies the - albeit audacious, somehow messianic - hope that one day the border posts and fences between sacred and profane can be broken through, or will fall by themselves.
But the border is still there for the time being. I can't abolish it either. I can only express the hope that it will be abolished..." Marti's sometimes disturbing, but also awakening words beautifully reflect the spirit of optimism that can be felt in the association. 

Singing days, singing weeks and voice training days are once again on the agenda for 2023 and 2024 Program. Together with committed staff and participants, we will continue to develop the SKGB ship through singing and steer it through the sometimes calm and sometimes frighteningly choppy seas. Everything will be centered around singing together in church  -  whether as an individual, congregation, vocal ensemble, choir or cantor.