ENSEMBLES 2024

Gøtu Kirkju Ungdómskór

About Gøtu Kirkju Ungdómskór (GKU) (Gøtu Church Youth Choir)

Gøtu Church Youth Choirs mission is to perform choir music on a high and interesting level. The choir was founded in September 2011 and has been very active on the vocal scene in the Faroe Islands. The choir is a part of the local Lutheran church in Gøta – Faroe Islands but has an active performance program around the Faroe Islands. The choir is a mixed youth choir with 32 members. Its members are in the age between 14 and 25 years, but following the international rules for youth choirs, 20% of the members may exceed the age limit with 5 years. Since 2014 the choir has regularly been seeking new challenges outside the Faroe Islands, by participating in international choir events. In 2014 the Choir took part in the Paolo Serrao choir festival in Filadelfia in Italy, In 2015 the Choir participated in the Bad Ischl Choir Festival, arranged by Interkultur, In 2017 the Choir participated at the European Choir Games in Riga and was awarded 3 silver. In 2018 the Choir participated at the Helsingborg International Choir Festival in Sweden, and was awarded 3 silver. In 2019 the Choir participated at the Johannes Brahms International Choir Festival in Wernigerode, and was awarded 2 gold, winning the Spiritual category, and was awarded one silver X in Sacred A cappella. In 2023 the Choir participated in the World Choir Games in South Korea, where the choir was rewarded with 2 medals, one gold and one silver. In addition to choir festivals, the choir also has been on concert’s tours in London and Denmark. The conductor, Simun Hammer, is organist & cantor at the church of Gøta in Faroe Islands, educated from the Royal Academy of music in Aarhus, Denmar. He also has conducted several Norwegian choirs, when working as Organist & Cantor in Tromsø – Norway.

Símun Hammer

Conductor

The conductor, Simun Hammer, is organist & cantor at the church of Gøta in Faroe Islands. He also has conducted several Norwegian choirs, when working as Organist & Cantor in Tromsø – Norway from 1989-1997. He holds an diploma in church music (Organ, Choir Conducting & Music Theory) from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark. He has been Organist at the Church of Gøta in Faroe Islands since 1998, where he also established the Gøtu Church Youth Choir in 2011. In addition to the job as organist, Símun Hammer is also active as composer, and has arranged the traditional song, that the choir performs during the competitions.

Competition Program

Additional Concerts Program