Nord Pazifischer Sängerbund
The Nord-Pacific Sängerbund was founded in 1901 in Bellingham, bringing together all German choirs existing at that time in the North Pacific region. Its roots, however, reach back to the year 1851 when a group of German immigrants started a male choir in San Francisco. Soon after this, eight more choirs were established. In 1858, Portland founded its first German choir and in 1861, the Germania Singing Group in Victoria was started. By 1883 Spokane had a Concordia Männerchor. Tacoma followed in 1890, Bellingham in 1891, Seattle and Everett in 1892.
The formation of the Nord- Nord-Pacific Sängerbund was officially announced in 1901. In 1902, choirs from Bellingham, Tacoma, Portland, Seattle and Walla Walla gathered in Seattle to participate in the first North Pacific German Song Festival. From then on, Festivals were held annually (1903 - 1905), and subsequently – with one exception – every other year (1911- 1936). After a pause during the difficult years of W.W.II, German choirs resumed their activities and reunited in 1952 to celebrate their first post-war and overall 15th Song Festival in Seattle. Since then, Festivals have been held every two to three years. The sixties, seventies and eighties saw the birth and growth of numerous German choirs in British Columbia. Joining the Nord-Pacific Sängerbund, they extended its territory as far north as Prince George. While the Pacific singing enterprise began only with male choirs, Nord-Pacific Sängerbund now consists of two male and ten mixed-voice choirs. The purpose of the Nord-Pacific Sängerbund is to maintain musical fellowship among German choirs in the North Pacific region, and to keep alive and promote the precious gift of German music and culture. |
Song Festivals:
1902….Seattle 1903….Walla Walla 1904….Tacoma 1905….Portland 1907….Spokane 1909….Everett 1911….Seattle 1913….Walla Walla 1925….Portland 1927….Tacoma 1929….Seattle 1932….Portland 1934….Spokane 1936….Tacoma 1952….Seattle 1954….Portland 1958….Spokane 1960….Seattle 1962….Vancouver 1964….Portland 1967….Victoria 1969….Spokane 1972….Seattle 1974….Spokane 1977….Vancouver 1980….Portland 1982….Vancouver 1984….Kelowna 1987….Seattle 1990….Vancouver 1993….Spokane 1996….Nanaimo 1998….Prince George 2001….Victoria 2003….Kelowna 2005….Portland 2008….Vancouver 2010….Nanaimo 2012….Vancouver 2015...Vancouver 2017...Kelowna 2020...Vancouver |
