History of the choir
The Bethlen Gábor College Choir plays a prominent role in the cultural life and community building of the school. The choir is compulsory for all students, regardless of their musical ability, so everyone participates in a communal singing experience that not only improves their musical skills but also builds community. The choir performs at a number of important events and anniversaries, including Bethlen Gábor College’s anniversary celebrations, where hundreds of students sing together to represent the spirit of the institution. Their repertoire is enriched by Hungarian folk songs, church hymns, old Hungarian prayers and psalms, sometimes performed in folk costume, thus reflecting the diversity of the student body.
Fórika Éva – vocal music teacher, choirmaster, retired teacher
The best period of my teaching career was spent as a music teacher at Bethlen Gábor College in Nagyenyed (1990-2018), even after my retirement. My role was to teach music to the students and to lead the choirs, which became a crucial part of my work. Representing a renowned college was a great responsibility for me, so I made it compulsory for all students to sing in the choir to develop their musical skills and experience the joy of singing together. As a result, each year group had its own choir and we also performed together on anniversaries. On the 375th anniversary of the college, 375 students sang the hymn of our school together, which was one of the highlights of my work.
My choirs and I have been on several tours abroad, performing in Germany and France, where the girls sang in folk costumes, highlighting the diversity of Transylvania. Our performances were enriched with old Hungarian prayers, folk songs and psalms, which became more and more the ars poetic of our choir. A highlight was the celebration of the Bethlen Gábor College in the Hungarian Parliament in 2013, where the girls performed in folk costume.
The last big event of my career was in 2017, when I “graduated” from the Children’s Choir of the Song Association with a farewell performance of sung prayers.
Szabó Zsombor – vocal music teacher, choirmaster
One of the most influential periods of my career has been as a music teacher at the Bethlen Gábor College in Nagyenyed from 2017 to the present. My main responsibilities are music education of students and choir leadership, as the choir plays an important role in the cultural mission of the institution. For me, singing is not only a subject, but also an activity that will be important for teachers and other educators in their future careers. One music lesson a week is not enough, so I have made participation in the choir compulsory for all students. This not only helps to develop musical skills but also builds community.
My goal is to develop the musical talents of all students and use their instrumental skills to enrich the sound of the choir. The choir and orchestra have also added Renaissance instruments to make the
programs even more special. As a testament to the success of the choir’s activities, we represented the school with an outstanding performance at the 400th anniversary celebrations. In 2023 and 2024, we participated in two choir tours in different regions of Transylvania, bringing musical joy to communities living in the diaspora.
In leading the Cantus Princeps Choir at Bethlen Gábor College, we not only focus on the musical development of students, but also provide community-building experiences. I believe that the power of music brings communities together and serves to the glory of God.
