Franz Herzog
The Austrian conductor, composer and lecturer for choral conducting and choral voice training has already achieved numerous international successes. For his artistic direction of the "Voices of Spirit" festival, for example, he received the appreciation award of the Federal Ministry of Science and Research. In 2011 he founded the Gospel & Jazz Choir at the Johann-Joseph-Fux Conservatory in Graz, where he is currently the director of the choral conducting course.
A SOUNDING NAME IN THE WORLD OF CHORAL MUSIC
Franz M. Herzog (born 1962) is an Austrian conductor and composer. He studied composition and choral conducting at Graz University of Music and Performing Arts (KUG). Postgraduate studies with Eric Ericson brought him to Stockholm (Sweden).
In 1994 Herzog founded CANTUS, an ensemble specializing in contemporary music. He is artistic director of the chamber choir Vocalforum Graz and was founder and chief conductor of the Styrian youth choir Cantanima (2004-2013). With all of these ensembles he achieved numerous international successes (winner of the World Choir Championships 2011, winner of the Grand Prix 2011).
Franz Herzog is internationally active as a conductor, composer and as an expert for choral conducting. He is currently head of choral conducting department at the Johann Joseph Fux Conservatory in Graz. He was one of the artistic directors of the 5th World Choir Games 2008 and the World Choir Championships in 2011.
As a composer, Herzog has published numerous choral works through the Austrian publisher Helbling. His „Ave maris stella“ won him second prize in the 2010 „Goldene Stimmgabel“ (Golden Tuning Fork) international competition for composers held by AGEC. For his achievements, he was awarded the merit prize of the Federal Ministry of Science and Research.
2012 – 2015 Herzog has been the artistic director of the Austrian Choral Association. 2015 he was founder and artistic director of the Austrian Youth Choir – Jugendchor Österreich. Since 2014 he is the artistic director of the Festival „Voices of Spirit“.
